We found ourselves with just two days in Saigon so we crammed the food in, starting with a motorbike food tour from XO Tours. In 4.5 hours, we zipped through 6+ districts in Saigon and ate at three restaurants. We also (separately) sought out the most famous pho and banh mi spots in Saigon, tried… Read More Two Days in Saigon – A Food Guide to Ho Chi Minh City
The cooking class at Sompong Thai Cooking School was a highlight of my Thailand trip! I love Thai cuisine and dabble with Thai flavors in my cooking. I make a mean Tom Kha Gai (coconut galangal chicken soup), so I was super excited to optimize that dish and learn a few others in this class.… Read More Sompong Thai Cooking School, Bangkok (Honeymoon Pt. 5)
My favorite dining experience in Thailand was at Gaggan, a modern Indian restaurant in Bangkok. Gaggan recently climbed to #7 on the World’s 50 Best list, and the chef was featured on the Netflix series Chef’s Table. We had a new tasting menu, introduced just 15 days prior to our dinner. The menu was unique… Read More Dinner at Gaggan – Bangkok, Thailand (Honeymoon Pt. 4)
We enjoyed a day-long Ayutthaya tour and river cruise while visiting Bangkok, Thailand. Ayutthaya was the capital of Siam Kingdom back in the 14th-18th centuries, and the impressive ruins hint at the grandeur this once was! The city is located 80 km north of Thailand – about a 90-minute drive, which made for an easy… Read More Ayutthaya Day Trip and River Cruise from Bangkok (Honeymoon Pt. 3)
Now that we are solidly in the second half of 2016, I’ve been reminiscing about the previous six months. With all the travel, change, and excitement, it feels like a full year already! One of my favorite days was a sightseeing car trip along the north coast of Taiwan. I’ve been to Taiwan about six times… Read More A day trip along Taiwan’s north coast
Sweet potatoes are a staple snack in Taiwan and many other Asian countries. During my trip to Taiwan last month, I was reminded of just how beloved this tuber was. I grabbed a roasted sweet potato at a 7-Eleven, and it was creamier and sweeter than any I’ve had in the US. The sweet potato is enjoyed as a… Read More Roasted Honey Butter Sweet Potatoes
While planning my first ever trip to Japan, I knew I had to stay in a traditional ryokan inn. Ryokans are a good way to experience Japanese hospitality. Common elements include traditional tatami mat rooms, yukata garb (pictured above), and communal baths. Most ryokans include an elaborate multi-course dinner in the kaiseki style, as well as… Read More Experiencing a Japanese Ryokan – Ryotei Rangetsu Arashiyama
The first Bay Area location of Din Tai Fung (DTF!) opened in Santa Clara last week and lines were so astronomically bad, that DTF decided to implement their first ever reservation system. And now someone is selling reservations on craigslist for $50. Seriously?! While I appreciate the quality and consistency of their product, I haven’t been blown away… Read More Journey to the Original Din Tai Fung
Tulum is a quiet beach town located two hours south of Cancun. I experienced Tulum for the first time in January during the BPM music festival. This was also the first international trip that Mr. A and I took together. Tulum holds a special place in my heart. Ten months later, we found ourselves back in… Read More Tulum, Mexico – October ’15