Bosco’s, But Really It’s About Health Care Reform

I’m not a very political person. I don’t even vote. Yet. But you know what? Former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist told me that he didn’t either until he became a resident in surgery. So I still got time…to write about food.

I went to Bosco’s Brewery in Hillboro Village a long while ago. For some unknown reason, I like to order catfish sandwiches. Now that I think about it, though, I think it’s the confluence of being in the South, my fondness of spices and fried food, and my nostalgia for McD’s fillet-o-fishes that lead me to order catfish/fish sandwiches at many of the restaurants along 21st Ave. This one, if I remember, was pretty good. Fried and/or blackened is a pretty standard method of fish preparation in the South, and one can rarely screw that up.

As for the beer: well, beer is beer; beer is good. I don’t know how long their seasonal brews last, or if the brews I got were from their summer repertoire, but one can generally expect a good recommendation from their waitstaff.

As for health care reform, I think I’ve spent the last couple of days thinking more about the reform bill than I have about food, which is an abnormality in my daily routine. I don’t know why I worry about it though, no matter how much people (whether they be actually knowledgeable about medicine and health care, or just politicians) oppose this bill, it’s going to get passed by reconciliation in two weeks, and then I can say goodbye to a good portion of my future salary. And health care in America won’t be any better than it is now. There will just be a lot more pissed off specialists practicing then. I also don’t know why I’m airing out my frustration online. I just wish there were more doctors involved with this process like Dr. Frist. He’s the man.

Bosco’s Brewery

Hillsboro Village

Nashville, TN

Free Lunch – The Grind

No, this lunch isn’t from a place called “The Grind.” The lunch actually has no name. The sandwiches, the pasta salad, and the cookies all came in nondescript packaging, save for maybe a “Yummy” or “Mmmm” sticker on cookie packages. So once again, this blog post may contain zero useful information for  readers.

Surprise, surprise.

I will still post this though, as it marks the end of many good things (but not this blog haha); my relatively carefree life is ending and quickly progressing to real life–the grind, if you will–and my camera is dying/dead, as evidenced by the photo. So here I am again, saying that my blog may go on probably a semi-hiatus because my time may become short and because I HATE food blogs without pictures, and refuse to become what I loathe. That’s not to say that this blog is gonna shut down; I discovered quite a few pictures from way back before my board exams that deserve to see the light of glowing computer screens all over the Internets.

Anyway, let’s talk about the sandwich I had at this free lunch. Vegetarian portobello. Why would I in my right (omnivorous) mind choose a vegetarian sandwich? My friend said it was delicious, and it was warm, and contained melted cheese, which therefore elevated the sandwich to the top of my most wanted list. It was only later that I would discover that by taking one of a limited number of vegetarian sandwiches, I would be taking away lunch (or at least a sandwich) from someone who really needed a meal without meat. I chuckled in my own sadistic mind at the thought. Yes, I’m terrible. I also wished the sandwich had meat. It was definitely good, and the melted cheese added an unhealthy aura to the sandwich, which was definitely appreciated, but it would’ve tasted 158% better with turkey.

I just had an awesomely terrible thought that would appease my taste buds, but would definitely piss off the vegetarians: maybe I should just bring my own turkey next time to add to these delicious vegetarian sandwiches. Yes, yes…that would be tasty. I should go check the calendar for free lunch days now. Until next time!

My Life Was So Different A Week Ago

What I do now:

Study, Eat, Poop, Sleep

What I did last week (including really quick reviews!):

Went to Jason’s Deli because they are delicious, make (fake) po’boys, and remind of Sweet Tomatoes (my favorite!).

The next morning I went to Noshville for brunch with Yash. Surprisingly, lox and scrambled eggs is a tasty combo. If the creative juices were really flowing, I would’ve put the eggs, lox, latkes, and cream cheese on the bagel, and had a bagel that could’ve easily obtained ultimate-status. Note to self: do that next time.

Went to Goten for Zack’s birthday dinner. Goten is a sorry excuse for a teppanyaki restaurant; even the ones in Fresno (particularly Edo-ya) are leagues ahead in terms of show, taste, and value.

Salt water and mushrooms = soup? No, it = fail.

Hooray for volcanoes!

This chicken contains pineapple. Pineapples are filler for what could’ve been more chicken. I want meat, dammit! Also of note, the dipping sauces are ketchup and terriyaki sauce. KETCHUP. Let that sink in. I’ll remind you that this is a Japanese establishment. Ok. Time to move on. TIME FOR PICTURES OF MAH FRENZ!

They were dressed the same.

This is a cute accessory.

How can you not love this face?

The birthday boy and his pinata. It was a one-shot decapitation; this is the strength that comes with going to the gym. Weight room!

I sorta stopped remembering things at this point. Or wait…it might’ve been the liquid cocaines. Yeeah, I probably stopped remembering stuff after having four of them. I might not be able to return to Hollywood Disco–not because I could’ve been banned, but because if I go I’ll be tempted to get more liquid cocaines. And frankly, after that weekend, I need to grow up.

And so, I’ve adopted this grown-up schedule: study, eat, poop, sleep.

It feels good to be a mature adult.

Free Lunch – Which Wich

Preface: I intended to do a series of reviews of the free lunch we received during lunchtime lectures at the medical school. We’re used to getting a variety of boxed lunches from different sandwich and catering companies at the start of lunchtime meetings for academic and extracurricular groups, in addition to school-sponsored lunch lectures. This was the standard lunchtime lecture. At least, it was the standard before the economic crisis. I found out yesterday that the funding for lunchtime lectures has been dramatically reduced, and now there will be fewer lunch lectures with actual free lunches. Oh, woe is me. I’ll still see how this pans out, though, and try to post as many reviews of free lunches as I can. Oh, and I forgot to state the reason for doing so: some lunches are better than others, and I’d like my preference known so that more of these delicious lunch boxes will be bought over disgusting lunch boxes. Yeah, I know beggars can’t be choosers, but whatever–it never hurts to try.

And so I begin my review series with a high-quality boxed lunch from Which Wich, a sandwich chain that I’d never seen on the west coast. If I could describe it to someone from California, I’d say it was like a better version of Quizno’s: smaller, albeit more stuffed, toasted subs. My chicken sandwich looks like turkey because they seem to use sliced chicken (which I rarely ever see). The meat is chickeny and blandtastic–standard chicken fare. There is a little bit of salt so there is actually some flavor. It comes with prepackaged-standard lettuce and tomatoes, and there’s also mustard and mayo on the side. Even though my description sucks, the sandwich really is good. It might have something to do with the bread, maybe the meat (they do have substantial amounts of meat in their sandwiches), but Which Wich is definitely near the top of my free lunch rankings. Also, as with other sandwiches from other shops, it should be noted that sandwiches that come in boxed lunches are basic sandwiches, and that these shops have way better sandwiches on their regular menus–I’m quite fond of Which Wich’s Cuban sandwich.

Each lunch comes with some chips, pickles, and cookies–a deluxe lunch, for sure. Some places give either a cookie or chips, never both, so I appreciated the added luxury of being able to choose both chips and my oatmeal raisin cookie. And I was also able to snag another bag of pickles. Yes, my life is extremely dull. Whatever. I look forward to (hopefully!) eating more free lunches from Which Wich.

The Pub at Vanderbilt – Overcup Oak

The food at the pub is satisfactory–it’s marginally better (and more expensive) than what we eat everyday at the hospital cafeteria. They have typical lunch/bar fare: burgers, wraps, paninis, and hot wings(!). The pub, being what it is, does serve beer at lunch, which is also a plus. But really, the pub, as a restaurant, doesn’t stand out too much. I wouldn’t go out of my way to eat there, normally.

But I do take the 10 minute detour to go to the pub every Friday for lunch. Why?

Because it’s so much more than just food. Overcup Oak is located on the undergrad campus, you see. Going there for lunch at the end of a grueling week is a vacation; it’s a breath of fresh air; it’s an escape from the dredges of medical school. Being among undergrads always brings back fond memories of undergrad at USC. Not being around our other peers is also a relief because we can be as rowdy and inappropriate as we want without threat of being overheard (we don’t really care what undergrads think anyways (actually, I can only speak for myself, I don’t represent “da group”)). Most importantly, the trek to and from the pub–especially on warm, sunny days–is worth the trip alone. The walk always yields a bounty of eye candy; the pub is located at the center of campus, where all the undergrads congregate for lunch. It would probably be a terrific place for a future surgeon to pick up girls. However, for some reason I think we’ve all been misled: I don’t know why my parents keep warning me about gold-diggers; even with my white coat and scrubs on, none of the undergrads I see would give me the time of day.

It’s still nice to get away from school at the end of the week.

Overcup Oak

Sarratt Student Center

Vanderbilt University

Los Angeles Day 4: LA Mill Coffee and Chano’s

I’m running out of witty or creative titles, although the title does explain what the post is about, at least. What I do have in plenty of supply, though, are pictures of food! Oh, glorious sustainer of life!

LA Mill Coffee wasn’t really on the top of my list, or the middle of my list, either. It was kind of a snap decision that I decided to see if the coffeehouse/cafe/restaurant really did live up to all the hype. Even on a Monday morning at 10:30, the place was pretty packed. I figured that people worked odd hours that allowed them the luxury of free mornings, or they were just jobless. But the menu is quite expensive, as I will explain, so unemployment really isn’t conducive to eating here. Another possibility is that people were spending money that was earned by more important people.

Enough with the digressions; there’s plenty to discuss about LA Mill. As anyone can see from pictures on the interwebs, this place is pretty chic with its bold color combination and un-indie furniture. What you won’t see, though, is that they serve water in glasses that look like they were washed with sand and dried by sand. Normally, I wouldn’t care, but since the place obviously caters to a poshier clientele (with its faux(?)-alligator skin seats and GIANT chandelier), I figured they would pay more attention to the nitty gritty. Or maybe that’s the way I was raised and edumacated while working at my parent’s restaurant; it’s all in the details. Also, I figured that I would get nicer water glasses for a lunch that cost almost $60 for two.

Anyway, let’s move past the speckled glasses. We drink coffee, afterall. Not water.

I ordered a Blanco y Negro, which contained coffee granita, madagascar vanilla bean ice cream, vanilla scented, and chilled. By chilled, they meant shards of ice in your coffee. I like the presentation of it, fitting of a $6.50 drink, but the drink never hit the spot. I’ve been drinking black coffee for the past 2.5 years, only making a few exceptions for cappucinos–why did I order this all of a sudden? It was the atmosphere. I was caught up in the hype. The specialty drinks were calling my name. Damn you fancy menu! It doesn’t lie: the drink was coffee and ice cream. But that was the problem. I like coffee. I really like coffee. I like ice cream. Just not together. I should’ve ordered a black coffee.

My partner in crime had a Pink Lady, which had sweetened berry hibiscus tea topped with soda. Actually, I’m not sure she had this, but the description matches the picture. And now that I know the red stuff is hibiscus, I think the drink did have some hibiscus flavor in it, though it wasn’t the disgusting flavor of jamaica, but rather real hibiscus–sour and medicine-like. I didn’t have much, but it looked nice!

We started out with a butternut squash soup (I couldn’t find it on the online menu) with sourdough croutons. A server came out and poured the soup in front of us, mixing soup from a pitcher and some sort of cream in the bowl. It also came with ground pepper on the serving plate. Huh. Interesting. The soup was delicious, though, and the croutons were tart and squishy, soaked with buttery goodness. This was a winner.

I ordered the much-talked-about ABLT, or Asian BLT, with pork belly, arugula, tomato, and preserved black bean. The meat was fatty and flavorful, but I just couldn’t take the taste of black bean and pork in a panini. I needed rice. Call me Asian what have you, but black bean sauce only goes with rice, and maybe noodles, not bread. I would also like to note that I did not get the preserved cippolinis and assorments of olives that were supposed to come with plate. Again, we paid almost $60 for lunch. I have some expectations when my meals exceed $25. Not trying to be whiney, but…strike two.

Gina had an order of vegetarian hen eggs with mushroom. It was an average breakfast, only it wasn’t served in a gargantuan portion that breakfast houses are notorious for using–the dish wasn’t coma-inducing. The bread did have the texture of something stale. It didn’t sit quite right with us. Maybe it was the way it was toasted/baked (no sign of toastage), or maybe I’m not into bread that much. I still finished off the dish for her when she didn’t want anymore because that’s what fatties do: they try everything, and then they finish everything because they don’t want starving kids in Africa to eat their food (I’m greedy).

Overall, I would say, “Color me not impressed.” “Not impressed” would probably be an ugly color, like olive or puce. A lot of people probably LOVE the place. Frankly, I wouldn’t pay that much for the food or coffee. I can find better quality everything, sans turquoise aligator seats, in a lot of places in Los Angeles. Hell, we even have a $10,000 espresso machine at EMW Tea Co! We could make stuff like that and charge exorbitant amounts of money. But maybe that’s why I don’t like LA Mill: they do something different and get praised, hyped, and actually get customers. I’m jealous. We try to do something like that in Fresno, and the tea shop gets the stink eye from most people who pass by the window. Yes, it’s true that I’m envious of LA Mill’s ability to attract many customers who pay $10 for a pot of tea while EMW Tea Co has trouble selling pots of tea at $6. But(!), I still think $60 for lunch is way too much for the quality of meal/service/amenities we received.

At dinner, we had Chano’s and Cup of Joy, two staples of my undergraduate dining. It’s food that’s cheap and tasty, and even more delicious when drunk. I won’t say much, except for that each item was meaty and savory, the way all food (with or without MSG) should taste.

Popcorn chicken from Cup of Joy. Nothing compared to the tobasco rim jobs one will receive after eating at Prince’s, but maybe that’s a good thing.

Minced mushroom and meat on rice combo. The English translation of this Taiwanese dish is offensive to both cooks and customers. I with Taiwan would come up with an official translation for my favorite dish from childhood.

Carnitas tacos. My first exposure to real Mexican food in over a year. I’m speechless. My stomach cries acidic tears of joy when eating this, though.

Mix-up burger. It’s a cheeseburger with pastrami. Not really Mexican, but I had an urge to get something really unhealthy, but not deadly like their nacho plates.

I also got a large cup of horchata. I thoroughly enjoyed each sip of rice, cinammon, and sugar, and then passed out from food coma. It was what I could consider a good dinner.