220 Merrill: Birmingham, MI 09/28/07

Today was Linnea's birthday! She got to choose what to watch and where to eat: In the Valley of Elah and 220 Merrill. Why do I feel like I am benefiting more than the birthday person, with a movie treat and food? I guess as long as there is good food, I always feel that way in another's party.

I had a warm, creamy minestrone to fill my empty stomache; I have skipped lunch again because I desperately needed a nap after such few hours of sleep. Yes, the glutton was surpassed my monsterous desire towards sleep. Yet I know that if it were not school food but something better, sleep would not have conquered me!

Lizz ordered Chicken Tosca again, which she liked from last time's lunch. This time, instead of the brussel sprouts "she childishly refused", carrots were served. I like Salvatore's Tosca with mushrooms better, but this is pretty good too, especially with the artichokes.

Owen did not order anything! What a sacreligious act! Yet he took for me the picture of Rick's order, roasted chicken. Umm, this was good. Maybe I do understand why Rick orders chicken so often!

Linnea ordered a daily special, risotto with swordfish and red pepper sauce. This was very good, I thought, especially the sauce. Though Linnea thought it was a little underdone, I enjoyed such texture as well. I think I am growing to like risotto, though I am quite picky about the sauce and such. I did not like the risotto that was served with lamb shank that much, but this was, in my opinion, best of the day.

The short ribs with horseradish, one of the daily specials, ran out by the time we got there. So, I ordered Veal Marsala. I never thought I liked veal that much, and yet everytime I see veal on the menu I am strongly drawn. Am I a in-love teenager finally admitting inexplicable attraction or something? I probably like beef-in particular skirt steak or ribeye-or tender chicken better, and yet I like veal in various dish.
And this was good. I liked the sauce with mushroom. I was not very happy with the accompaniments, however. Carrots are too plain in color-I prefer green, or something to go with carrots! And I don't like capellini-angel hair pasta. Linnea enlightened me that it is served often because it takes little time to cook! I don't like the texture of such thin noodle and it was rather bland. Still, overall I liked it because the main part was good.

So? I really like and liked 220 and was honored to have a birthday dinner with the Rattners.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LINNEA!

Previous:
http://kimmoon.blogspot.com/2007/09/220-merrill-birmingham-mi-082907.html
http://kimmoon.blogspot.com/2007/05/blog-post.html

New Bangkok: Birmingham, MI 09/2007

New Bangkok Thai Bistro in Birmingham is a very comforting place for me ever since the graduated senior gave me a lunch treat here. It was my first year in MI and Birmingham, and this slightly Southeast Asian Fusion Thai place serves me my kind of comfort food. I also I like it because I am almost destined to have leftovers to take back to the dorms for the next day!

The shrimpy flavored chips I nibble on before the meal. This reminds me of one of the snacks I used to have in grade school.

The Pad Thai at New Bangkok is maybe a little thin and slippery compared to drier and wider noodles of other places, but I personally like it this way. I like cold beansprouts eaten together with warm noodles, the cruch of peanut. My favorite part of this is always couple cubes of tofu that absorbed the sweet and sour taste of the noodle- yum. I like the eggs in pad thai for the same reason.

This was Nam Mun Hoi, mushrooms and scallions in "brown sauce" with beef. What can I say? I like it. Some of my friends urge that I should order mild, but personally I think medium always has more flavor.


This was another day during lunch, when they start you with a daily soup. This was some sort of a chicken soup, gooey due to the starch paste or something, and with distinct flavor.

Maybe this was Pad Kana, but I am not sure about my memory. It was one of the "brown sauce" dish with broccoli. This and pad almond or pad cashew are a little milder in taste than nam mun hoy or bai ka prow(with bell peppers).

One of my favorites, Seafood Red Curry with scallops, shrimp and etc. I like thai curry with green peppers, bamboo shoot, and mushrooms. Ah, I always tend to stuff myself everytime I go there and yet it is strangly comforting.

Previous: http://kimmoon.blogspot.com/2007/05/new-bangkok-051107.html

Qdoba: Birmingham, MI 09/21/07

One friday night, happy to finally by a compact fridge for my dorm room, I went to Qdoba with Lizz to get her a meal in return to all her help. I printed out a free chip & salsa coupon sent to me by e-mail. I wonder if it was just that day, or now they decided to make the chips unsalty. I hope latter is the case, for I hate overly salted chips; why do you need so much salt on it when you have salsa to go with?

I like about almost any cheese melted. Chicken Quesadilla, therefore, is always an appealing snack option for me. My kind of comfort food.

Brio Tuscan Grille: Troy, MI 09/2007

This was dinner at Brio in Somerset Collection, Troy. I do not remember the exact date, but some time during early September.

Since I had a hard time finishing the lobster bisque by myself last time, I split the soup of the day-Clam Chowder-with Lizz. Brio does not have a cup or bowl division but just one size inbetween those two. The soup was maybe a little salty but went well when eaten with bread.

Lizz got Pasta Fra Diavolo with chicken $12.95, penne with spicy tomato cream sauce. We both liked it; one of the women passing by asked us what pasta we were eating and ordered the same, and I am sure she liked it too.

Originally aiming for Veal Marsala or Veal Milanese, I ordered one of the daily special $19.95. This was Veal Saltimbocca, meaning something like "jumping into the mouth" if I remember correctly. Served with prosciutto, sage, capers, artichoke, sauteed spinach and crispy potatoes. Personally I thought the lemon sauce was too acidic, but not bothering enough to make me dislike it.

Previous: http://kimmoon.blogspot.com/2007/06/brio-tuscan-grille-troy-mi-060207.html

Panera Bread

Salad I had in spring and some panini... don't remember.

I like Panera Bread because it is a nice place for me;
we have a ride to Midtown Square two or three times a month,
and usually after getting stuff at Target-or before-I enjoy brunch.
I like theirUpick2 menu: any two among half-sald,
half-sandwich, and bowl of soup for $5.99

I usually get the panini because it doesn't
have $0.99 extra charged to some of items.


One of the sandwiches without extra charge:
Bacon Turkey Bravo on Tomato Basil Bread and
Signature Sauce, and smoked Gouda.

I like the slightly sweet crust of this bread.



The new Parisian soup I did not like very much
because of the strong portobello taste, and
the Frontega Chicken Panini I liked on Focaccia.
I like anything warm with chipotle mayo.



Chicken Caesar sandwich & Cream of Chicken/Wild Rice.
Not my favorite sandwich but still good.
I don't like any sort of rice, at least, in western soup.
But I like cream of chicken with anything edible...

Now I know my sandwich taste.
For regular cold sandwiches, I prefer turkey
and for panini or something with melted cheese,
I like chicken- tender soft chicken. Yay.

September 2nd Wk

I am cleaning up the memory of my camera; here are some of the pictures from second week of September 2007.

This was a buffet dinner at BAC.

Unfortunately I could not get strawberry shake, but the chocolate one was nice.


I generally don't like buffet:
1. Not as good as individual order
2. I cannot eat quite much-better to order specific favorite
I prefer sharing orders with others for variety.


I did not find the halibut particularly tasty-


The beef was good, I thought.
I actually got a plate more just of beef.


Chicken was good; it looked the best too.
Still not my favorite.


I got a scrip card for Papa Joe's beacuse:
1. it is in Birmingham, easy access for me
2. 20% to Cranbrook with the scrip card program

Gourmandise with walnut, almost like cream cheese in texture.


Bel Paese-this went well with sandwiches, just as I was advised.
Milky-or lactic-flavor and pretty mild, I liked it.


Got some rolls too.
From the left top clockwise,
sourdough, wholegrain, honey weat, french peasant.


Don't remember the name, but has 60% in the name.
Milder than regular Brie, it said, I think.
I like it runny; I should leave it on room temp later on.



This was a dinner at my host family's again!

It was the first time to have other part of pork rather than ribs or tenderloin in US. This was around the shoulder, if I remember it correctly. It was very softly cooked and had more flavor, I should say. I liked it.


Then came the chocolate tart!
I really liked the dough and the rich chocolate part was amazing.