Jasmyne Tea

Ruby's Diner, City of Commerce, California, USA

What's one thing that every tourist should do whilst in California?

Shopping.

[Oh, how I love shopping.]

Right outside LA is a factory outlet called The Citadel, FULL of brand names. We went a bit nuts at Calvin Klein and I spent more money in one afternoon than I did in the 4 weeks I was in the US, but I don't regret it at all :)

I had wanted to eat at an authentic American diner during my time there, and luckily for me there was a Ruby's Diner at the outlet.

Started in 1982 by Doug Cavanaugh in Balboa, California, Ruby's was named after Doug's mother. He decided on a 1940's themed diner because "that's when Balboa had its heyday!". They filled the store with memorabilia from the era and opened with a simple menu of burgers, hot dogs and malt shakes.

Now with restaurants all across Southern California, Missouri, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Nevada, Ruby's is a wildly successful chain of diner restaurants that still focuses on quality food and service.

Malted Chocolate Shake

Peanut Butter Cup Shake

We started with good old-fashioned milkshakes. Considering how many options there were, Stephen was probably a little too old-fashioned in ordering the malted chocolate shake, but it was really well executed. I ordered a peanut butter cup shake, which I guess was really just peanut butter and chocolate. Both shakes were thick and creamy, with a little extra served on the side in metal cups. Generous dollops of whipped cream and cherries graced the tops.

Cheeseburger

We both got cheeseburgers, which came with a giant serving of freshly-cooked fries and a slightly less significant salad. The burger itself was glorious, a structure of squishy bread, crunchy lettuce, tart tomato, tender, juicy beef and American cheese. Ketchup and mustard were provided, of course.

This was just a quick stop during our marathon of shopping, but next time I'm in California I'll definitely be trying something else on the menu. The service was impeccable, the food quick to come out but still amazingly fresh.

Ruby's Diner

100 Citadel Drive #222
City of Commerce
CA 90040
USA

Phone: 323.382.7829

http://www.rubys.com/index.aspx

Shake Shack, Theatre District, New York, NY, USA

The weather in New York in December was the coldest I'd ever experienced without it snowing. I was completely unprepared for it, even though I'd been warned - I guess I'm just too used to Australia's temperate climes.

We stumbled upon Shake Shack as we were trying to make it from our hotel to Restaurant Row in Hell's Kitchen; we made it halfway, but it was just too damned cold to walk that far at night, so we joined the line going out the door to Shake Shack.

The Theatre District branch of Shake Shack was created in 2010 from sustainably sourced and reclaimed materials, and features a huge wall of windows through which we watched and experienced our first night in New York. The service was fast and efficient, which was necessary considering how many people pass through every day, and despite the high turnover, the tables were spick and span. I ordered while Stephen stalked people for their tables, then we tucked in.

Fries - US$2.65

Shake Shack take particular care to make sure their fries are super-crunchy by using only Yukon Gold potatoes and using the classic crinkle-cut. They're also free of any trans-fat, so I felt a little more comfortable munching away on these golden beauties. Mustard and ketchup (lol, ketchup) were free, and made an excellent dipping sauce mixed together.

Shack-cago Dog - US$4.00

This dog is a tribute to the Chicago dog, featuring a juicy Vienna beef dog that has been split open and grilled, then topped with hot mustard, tangy relish, raw onion, pickle, cucumber, plum tomato and celery salt. The bun was grilled as well, leaving it crispy on the inside and soft and squishy on the outside.

Double ShackBurger - US$7.10

I was particularly looking forward to trying their burgers, as the meat is 100% Angus beef, ground fresh and prepared every day in New York, and cooked medium. We ordered the ShackBurger for a little greenery. Now, imagine two of the juiciest, most flavoursome patties you've ever had, topped with American cheese, thick slices fresh tomato and lettuce, and finished with a slick of mayo-based Shack Sauce. Good god I want another!

Malted Chocolate Shake - US$5.50

Peanut Butter Shake -US$5.00

The shakes are made with "frozen custard", a blend of soft serve and premium ice cream, and are so thick I thick a spoon would have been of more use than a straw. Stephen's chocolate was strong in flavour and subtly malted, whereas my shake was a peanut butter punch in the mouth (not a bad thing!), and so filling I couldn't finish half of it.

I've come to love Shake Shack, and will definitely visit again when next we go to New York (and trust me, there WILL be a next time, even if I freeze my arse off again). It's easily one of the best burger spots that I tried in my time there, and I highly recommend going if there happens to be one nearby in your travels.

Shake Shack

http://shakeshack.com/

691 8th Avenue
Southwest Cnr 8th Ave & 44th St
New York, NY
10036
USA

Berkeley Dog, Irvine, California, USA

The plane trip to America was hell. I was sick as a dog, I hadn't been able to sleep the night before, and I was all by myself on the plane for the first time. I was seated next to a bunch of rowdy guys on their first holiday away from their parents, which is never pleasant, and all the movies were crap (but the food was surprisingly good!). When I reached the shores of California, I was tired and worn out. THEN I had to catch a shuttle bus to Irvine, which took 2 hours because of all the traffic.

By the time I met Stephen at the University Campus, I was hungry, partially deaf because of the pressure from the landing, and ropable. I was ready to conquer something, to devour something. Enter Berkeley Dog.

Berkeley Dog is not your average hot dog store. This branch rests at the University Center at Irvine, and is a popular hangout for young adults. The food you get here is actually similar to a regular sausage sizzle at home, except for the gourmet range of sausages they have. You choose your sausage (which is cooked in front of you), add onion, cheese, or bell peppers, then choose sauce, mustard and sauerkraut from the self-service bar.

German Frankfurter with Grilled Onion - US$4.44

Stephen was boring and ordered the German Frankfurter. Don't get me wrong, it was a good sausage: the skin of it burst open when bitten, releasing juicy pork and beef that was fragrant with garlic; grilled onions gave it some sweetness, and tomato sauce and dijon mustard completed the package. However, I was here for one thing:

Rattlesnake Dog with Grilled Onion - US$5.99

This dog was actually more pleasant than I thought it would be. Like Stephen's, it was juicy and gorgeous, but the texture was firmer, and the flavour? Very gamey. It sort of tasted like a cross between chicken and rabbit, and was delicately spiced, just enough to enhance the flavour. An elegant specimen, I must say.

Onion Rings - US$2.95

The onion rings were an afterthought, but they were definitely worth it. Covered in a solid beer batter, they gave a satisfying crunch when bitten in to.

My need to conquer sated for one day, I returned home to sleep off the jetlag. Stay tuned for more whacky American adventures! [Sorry - too much American TV]

Berkeley Dog

4249 Campus Drive
Irvine, CA
92612
USA

Phone: (949) 387-2111

Fast Food Lasagne on Epic Meal Time - The Horror!

GOOD. GOD.

I could not BELIEVE my eyes, and I had to share this monstrosity. It's like a car accident, where you don't want to look but can't help yourself. Just see for yourself:

 

Makes you want to eat a salad, doesn't it?

Taronga Zoo, Mosman

I know what you're thinking: Taronga Zoo? What did you do, put a monkey on a spit?

No, my darlings, we left the animals intact (this time...), but humans gotta graze too, ya know? So I thought I'd check out what the folks at Taronga have to offer for those of the human persuasion.

I first came here for my 7th birthday, and I'll be honest, all I remember are the giraffes, ice cream, and this peacock that kept following me around for said ice cream. I then came back when I was 17 as a get together with some friends from work, and that time all the animals were having babies or getting their enclosures fixed, so I didn't see much. This visit, which was for my sister's 4th birthday, was a good opportunity to re-acquaint myself with Taronga.

The view from the Sky Safari

My Giraffe Friend

The Big-Ass Reticulated Python that freaked my sister out

After a couple of hours of sight-seeing, we had worked up a reasonable appetite, so we headed towards the Taronga Food Market to see what was available.

There are a few different stalls; Charco Pollo, which sold almost exclusively chicken (and had run out of chicken when we got there :s); A place simply called Bakery, which is pretty self-explanatory; Hot Wok, which sold mainly stir fried noodles, but was closed; and Taronga's, which seemed to only sell burgers and wraps. With these lackluster choices, we went with Taronga's, simply because we felt like hot food, and a croissant wasn't gonna to cut it.

When we got to the front of the line, the guy who served my dad and I was a bit incompetent - he wasn't sure about a lot of the items on the menu (and really, there were only about 6 items), and he forgot one of the burgers and two of the drinks in our order. Still, we eventually got what we paid for, and we sat down to eat.

Chicken Nuggets and Chips - $10.20

Of course my sister had chicken nuggets - what self-respecting 4 year old wouldn't milk their birthday for all it's worth? There were six crispy nuggets, and although they were a bit oily, they were definitely tasty. The chips were chunky, but quite crunchy as well - the only downside being that they were a tad cold.

Chicken Wrap Combo - $14.20

In a bid to consume some vegetables, I had the chicken wrap combo with water. The wrap was quite nice, thin and a little bit salty, like a tortilla almost. The salad was fresh and the chicken crumbed and tender. Again, the chips were chunky and crunchy, and completely ruined my good intentions. Mmmmm.

Beef Burger Combo - $14.20

The beef burger had a juicy pattie of meat, fresh salads and beetroot. There was also mayo, which didn't really go with the burger in my opinion, and the bun was crusty and thick. Served with chips and a drink.

What we felt like after eating

Dining at Taronga Zoo seems limited to cafe's and fast food. Luckily, the fast food seems decent enough, but it's such a shame there isn't something more upscale - imagine fine dining, eating fresh seafood or roasted venison and spatchcock whilst overlooking the zoo and the cityscape!

Entry to Taronga Zoo:
$37.40 Adult
$31.50 Concession
$18.70 Child

 

Taronga Zoo

Bradley's Head Rd,
Mosman, NSW
2088

Phone: (02) 9969 2777

http://www.taronga.org.au/