Well, it’s time to for another AW Blog Chain (#5). Over at the Even in a little thing blog, Gillian Polack writes about her view on the classic English dishes that she knows being modified and changed as time progresses. I like food. Even with my tubby tummy, I am still glad that at a young age my parents encouraged a love of all sorts of food and we were given ever opportunity to try new things. I knew kids in school that would have freaked just to have something that was not your standard beef or chicken dinner. But I can’t imagine living in a world without Sushi, Korean BBQ, Dim Sum, Southern US BBQ, Vietnamese Pho, Super Burritos, Hot Pot, Curry, or savory Ethiopian dishes served on that spongee bread.

Now living in the San Francisco Bay Area means that you can get just about any kind of food you want, and as a youngster in art school and beyond I have had many opportunities to try delicious things. Here a few of those that still linger in my mind even today:

Zachary’s Pizza in Berkeley, CA is an institution. I don’t know if it is anything like real Chicago style pizza, but it’s damn good. With it’s thick crust and open top filled with cheese, meat and tomatoes it’s hard to resist. The slices are so big that two is hard to eat for a big like me. The original location lies two blocks from the Rockridge Bart Station and was an easy walk from the California College of Arts and Crafts where I got my BFA. I remember going there and waiting for a seat to get one of those beautiful slices. The walls of the restaurant were covered with posters illustrated by kids, and the cramped tables were always filled with happy groups of folks. I found out that the in-flight magazine on Australian Airlines recently voted Zachary’s the best pizza in the USA. I don’t know how true, but I have found memories of it warming my tummy.

Sushi was a delectable treat I discovered from my former roommate Russell. Russell was into Japanese pop culture like Manga and Anime that the kids crave today, but over 10 years before everyone knew about it. In fact he loved everything about Japan, including the food. He introduced me to JapanTown and to Sushi as it sailed around the ‘bar’ on little boats at Isobune Sushi(note: I could only find an official site for the Burling game location). So many varieties, so many flavors. Soft, Smooth, cool fish on little beds of rice that you popped in your mouth. I remember wanting to trying all the different kinds, and realizing that Wasabi was something that you don’t eat a lot of. I have not seen Russell in many, many years, but I will always remember how he introduced Sushi to me as well as the Animation and Comics of Japan. So wherever you are Russell, I will think of you when I have my next piece of Unagi(eel).

In college I would work/hang-out in the film department at CCAC late at night. So when hunger struck it was off to find a place that was open past midnight. One was Sun Hong-Kong in Oakland China Town. It was open late and offered cheap eats and affordable prices, something student’s need badly. This is where I had my first porridge with toasted bread and thousand year old egg, pot stickers, and BBQ Chinese pork. This is also where I learned that cooling off your tea with ice water was a no-no (thought I still do it to this day), it would make my Asian friends cringe.

It was also in college that I was introduced to Dim-Sum by a Chinese girl I knew. She tried to teach me the names as well so I could order them from the employees that did not speak English. More recently I have discovered the less touristy places in San Francisco for Dim Sum up on Stockton St.

Another one of my new favorite places in Memphis Minnie’s BBQ. A friend of mine who grew up in the south has given it a thumbs up on their authentic sweet tea, and you can get a hearty rib tip plate for around $8(including two sides). It’s a little place, usually filled with happy patrons and the sent of meat that has been cooking all day. It makes me hungry just thinking about.

Its interesting that food seems to be such a part of how we view the world and the memories that sourround them.

So, next up we journey to Japan and the Kappa no He blog.

Want to see what posts in the blog chain came before, visit….

asorum <– the first post
Curiouser and curiouser
razibahmed
Peggy
XThe NavigatorX
Forbidden Snowflake
Towerkel
MadScientistMatt
Gillian
Atomic Bear <– you’re here
madderblue <–next one here

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