Does it help if the fog is rolling in? ;)

Wow, very similar to nasi goreng nanas (pineapple) my wife made me yesterday. We got a nice whole pineapple at Costco last week for $1.99. I mixed in cashews too, ‘cause I really like cashews with my stir fry.

Had a wonderful takeout lunch from Maggiano’s. We used to eat there 4-5 times a year pre-Covid, but this year have only gotten takeout twice. They also have gift card specials online. Buy a $75 card, get a $20 bonus card. Our bonus card was going to expire next week.

They have great lunch specials. And their service is miles ahead of Olive Garden, which was the other place that we used to frequent. They also know how to prepare takeout correctly. Each entree is wrapped in saran wrap, so no spilling. Hot bread included, as well as cutlery and butter/parmesan cheese. The only downside is their gift cards aren’t usable online. I had a big order entered on their great online portal, but it only accepted credit cards. I had to call in during their busiest lunch time, to order.

We got the classics, spaghetti and huge meatball, lasagne, baked ziti, chicken alfredo, eggplant parm for our vegetarian friend, and tomato and basil grilled chicken. They have great 3 course lunch takeout specials for $12. Choice of salad, big entree and beverage or lemon cookies. The salad is pretty huge, and one of my favorite restaurant ones. They only have some flatbreads and basic pastas with this offer.

They also have $11.50-$11.99 single entrees that have more options than the $12 special above. I love their huge meatball! They also offer a double your portion special for $5 more on most items. They give you a whole extra boxed entree. So, our whole extended family will be eating Maggiano’s all weekend.

lol it got quite steamy

I think I would put Maggiano's several rungs above Olive Garden (as in one I would enjoy and the other I wouldn't set foot in). :D

I’ll eat at both, as well as Carrabba’s. But I think Carrabba’s is my first choice. Maggiano’s is harder to find around here.

Well, we’re not fancy country club types, so always liked Olive Garden for a nice lunch. Really liked their soups and bread sticks. They’ve just had really variable service for the last decade. You get a great server who is on top of their game. The next time there are no napkins or silverware on the table. And never a water or breadstick refill. Once I had a server throw a knife and fork at my plate. An accident, supposedly. This was long before Covid staffing problems.

I’d never heard of Maggiano’s, but was looking at some of Kalboz’s food pictures 4-5 years ago and saw an album for them. There was a lone AZ location not too far away from me. I found it pretty reasonably priced, especially with the free take home portions they were offering, and monthly $15 off $30 coupons or similar. Service was way beyond the OG level. Normally we would do lunch, after peak times, but even on busy days we liked the food and service.

My breakfast before making GF pancakes and Turkey bacon for my child and their GF sleepover friend:
Remaining Cheeseboard corn cherry scone
sourdough toasts with butter and peanut butter

luncheon:
white rice
sauteed & steamed bok choy and cabbage
Panda orange chicken with backup sodium-heavy spicy sauces (ultimately not needed)

My spouse loves Panda Express orange chicken so when I saw the jar at Safeway, I pondered if I can make it using leftover roasted chicken thighs. It only needs 2-3 tbsp which is 240-360mg sodium and only 80-120 calories.


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Yesterday's lunch (feast) at my sister's house:
Stuffed chicken
Beef kabobs
Biryani rice with fried potatoes, raisins, onions, and almonds & salads
Other dishes!

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Every year I would go to the Manhattan Beach Old Hometown fair & get a pepperbelly. All the food booths at the fair are fund raisers for various community organizations (local cub scouts, churches, cheerleaders etc). The fair didn't happen last year but it is back and I got my pepperbelly
A pepperbelly is good fair slop....a bag of Fritos with the top cut off and they add to the fritos in the bag...canned chili, shredded cheese, onions, jalapeños, black olives, salsa, avocado and you just eat out of the bag with a spoon.

brunch:
cheeseboard, Berkeley ca:
House-sliced sourdough toasts with butter & peanut butter
Turkey bacon


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At the little league baseball game:
sub sandwich - polish sausages (veal & pork sausages)

blue line pizza, Daly City CA

shared:
caesar salad
garlic bread
cheese / pepperoni pizza
chicken wings


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Dinner:

stuffed peppers
couscous with raisins and grape tomatoes
fruit salad

I tried my hand at baking today. It’s an eggless cinnamon banana apple bread. It’s okay except I can taste I added a tad too much baking soda. You know that taste from baking soda toothpaste.


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breakfast this morning... egg & cheese bagel

Matko, The Market (TWTR), San Francisco - fast casual

spicy pork belly over purple rice with bancha

Arsicault - carryout pastries

croissant
chocolate croissants
kouign amane (for my bestie)


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note - I don’t endorse this as a destination unless you work near here. This area is really unpleasant during the day with hordes of open drinking / drugs while police officers act more as prevention for worse activity. It’s really really bad here and it’s been that way for decades, as I first noticed it in the 70s. TWTR (and AWS) having office towers here isn’t going to improve decades of historical blight.