Wk18: Restaurant

Nothing new this week. 

Wk17: Alberto's

Alberto's is a generic Mexican food place that is just above a roach-coach.  I knew I could get a ham torta there and I was not disappointed.  The usual Mexican fair with and expected ambiance.  Nothing special and I think the name is a chain (or very popular).  I know what I can get there and I'd return for just that. 

Wk16: Restaurant

Failed. We cooked in most nights this week, so eating out was not an option. 

Wk 15: Restaurant

We ate a lot of fast food, but nothing new. 

Wk8: Momo's Sushi Japanese Restaurant

I went to Momo's Sushi Japanese Restaurant (1511 Rimpau Avenue, Corona, CA 92881-3212) after work and it wasn't too bad.  The sushi was fine, though nothing spectacular.  I've had fresher, but I've also had worse.  The chef gets creative with the rolls though.  We ordered an avocado roll that she formed in the shape of a green caterpillar with a wasabi frog friend. I thought it was creative and the roll tasted as expected.  The staff was super nice and more than accommodating.  We also shared a volcano plate which is seafood covered in a hot, cheese sauce.  I am not a fan of that kind of food, though  it tasted fine and my girlfriend liked it.  Saporo is the only beer on tap as it is a Japanese restaurant.  We also had salmon roe sushi that was good.  I'd go back again and the owner seems like they are trying to make the place more "hip."  I hear they are going to add a beer garden that host beer pong tournaments.  I don't think I need that with my sushi, but if there is a market, then good luck to them. 

Wk7: Eating-in

We have a ton of food in the fridge.

Wk6: Kyoson Sushi

Kyoson Sushi [Yelp] was supposed to be the weekly bar, but instead it turnout to be the weekly restaurant.  Even though the signage is for Japanese sushi, like most Japanese places it is run by Koreans and the Korean food turned out to be pretty good.  We order Haemul Pajan (seafood pancake) and some Cass beers and it tasted like Korea.  The server was especially nice and she offered to make some Korean food that is not on the menu.  We got Jab Jae (fried rice noodles) and it was also great.  The restaurant is divided into Korean and Japanese food, but it seemed only the Japanese side was open for business at the time.  I think they should just pick a cuisine, but I guess they know what sells in the area.  I'd go back again when I'm in the mood for good Korean food. 

Wk5: Rest

Not this week either.  We had an overabundance of Super Supper meals already to go, so there was no need to go out to eat. 

Wk4: Same Old

Trying to coordinate finding new places can be hard when everyone just wants something familiar. We did On The Border for Mexican and Lamppost for pizza.  Both were good, but not new.  Next week. 

Wk3: Koba Tofu Grill

Koba Tofu Grill is a small chain of Korean tofu resturaunts.  We went for the soondubu (tofu soup) and bibim bab (mixed rice and vegetables); we were not disapointed.  We got a combination meal for $14.13 with tax during lunch and we were able to split it and be sasiated.  The meal included the normal Korean side dishes and came with dulset bibim bab and haemul soondubu.  Both were similar to what we would order in Korea, though not as spicey; probably for the western clientel.  We knew the place was going to be good when we saw Koreans eating there and a Korean staff working the kitchen.  They had other dishes that one would find at a similar resturant in Korea, like kimchi jan (savory pancake), jab jae (fried noodles), and mondu (dumplings).  We will definitely return. 

Wk2: Elmer's

I know this place is a Northwest chain, but it is new to me and the food is worth bragging about.  Elmer's is setup as a contemporary diner like Denny's or JB's, but set in a giant cabin motif. They serve the normal things that you would expect a lumberjack or hungry family with the grandparents to eat for any of the three squares. 
What I had was delicious and you can figure out if you would like it by answering a few questions.  Do you like potatoes?  Can cheese be added to any food item?  Does bacon make everything taste better?  If you answered yes to all of those questions, then you would love the "Bacon & Tillamook Potato Cake Breakfast."  Think of a hash brown with bacon and cheese mixed into the middle and held together with pancake batter.  It was filling without being too much and I could definitely eat it every day.  Even if you finish it and are still hungry, the "breakfast" part of its title means it comes with two eggs any-style and four pieces on bacon on the side.  A great breakfast for when it is raining. 

Wk1: Lamppost Pizza

Such luck!  The first resturant is also the first bar of the year.  Lamppost Pizza is a pizza place that serves some great deep dish pies.  We tried the medeterranian and combinations, both were the proper level of airy dough, tastey ingredients, and grease.  They have a large menu that caters to the neighborhood crowd; you could get a salad if that is your thing.  The place is always packed with families or groups of friends.  It has the obligatory clusters of TVs showing a collection of sports, tiny arcade for the kids, and trivia contolers that has the most inuendo-inspired player winning.  The picnic benches make it easy to fit a large group, but also cozy for the small groups that try to squeeze in.  While it is hard to do wrong with a pizza and beer joint, this place delivers with great food, service, and atmostphere. 

Restaurants

This is the one goal I am the most excited about.  I want to find and visit a new-to-me, local (not a chain) restaurant every week.  I must pass numerous other places with similar cuisine, but because I know what I get with my ole standbys, I never try the other ones.  This is my chance to branch out and maybe ever find a new regular place for the next time I'm in the mood for eating out.

Week:

1. Lamppost Pizza
2. Elmer's  
3. Koba Tofu Grill
4. *Same Old 
5. *Resting 
6. Kyosan Sushi 
7. *Eating In 
8. Momo's Sushi Japanese Restaurant 
9. -
10. -
11. -
12. -
13. -
14. -
15. *Restaurant
16. *Restaurant 
17. Alberto's 
18. *Restaurant 

The Resolution: The Challenge

I want to make a difference in 2011 and no single resolution will suffice.  Rather than make one iffy, generic resolution that will either be too hard to complete or too easy to be considered worthwhile, I'm going to set multiple weekly goals over the whole year.  I want to do the following once a week, every week:
- Read a new book
- Patron a new-to-me, local restaurant
- Brave a new bar
- Try a new beer
- Try a new wine
- Make a new recipe
- Send a postcard to my mom
- Donate to a charity

In the end, I will have done each 52 times over the 52 weeks in a year.  Most are just interesting things that I've been trying to do for a while; like I can't even count of how many local restaurants I pass everyday as I go to the same-old places again.  A few will be real challenges; for example I have started to read more frequently, but my book wish-list keeps getting longer.  I really look forward to the ones that will help others; such as finding more than several charities that could benefit from a new donor.  I really just want to set a good goal and finish it next year.

The general rules:
I have from 12:00 a.m. Sunday to 11:59 p.m. Saturday to complete each task for the week.  These times will be based on whichever time zone I happen to be in on those days.  2011 makes it easy to follow this schedule as I will have 52 full weeks, with only January 1, as a by-day.  This blog will be used as a way to keep my accountable and then document my progress.  Finally, the most important rule is that I want these to be new things.