Andrew Food For Thought

Come with us as we journey to Tony's Pizza in San Francisco. Today's episode was recorded with five friends as we ventured to North Beach to feast on a variety of pizzas and appetizers at Tony's. Our conversation explores pizza, New York/New Jersey, and all things North Beach.

James Leung and I recently traveled with his family to Alaska. We made stops in Anchorage, Denali, and Cooper Landing, and had a chance to try some great food along the way. In this episode, we highlight some of our favorite restaurants in Alaska and discuss local food such as salmon, berries, and spruce tips. The featured restaurant for this episode is 49th State Brewing, located in downtown Anchorage. 

In this episode, I'm joined by my old college friend Chika Agwu. Chika highlights several black-owned restaurants in the various cities he's lived in, including New Orleans, Houston, and Boston. His featured restaurant is Desi Vega's - a high-end steakhouse in New Orleans that serves up prime steaks and great seafood. We also spend some time reminiscing on our college days at Indiana University, and discuss the restaurant and bar scene in Bloomington.

In this episode, I'm joined by my old college friend Chika Agwu. Chika highlights several black-owned restaurants in the various cities he's lived in, including New Orleans, Houston, and Boston. His featured restaurant is Desi Vega's - a high-end steakhouse in New Orleans that serves up prime steaks and great seafood. We also spend some time reminiscing on our college days at Indiana University, and discuss the restaurant and bar scene in Bloomington.

Andy Chan recently published a new book called Dynamic Balance. The book covers a wide spectrum of health and fitness topics, including diet and nutrition. In this episode, Andy gives an overview of the book, goes into detail about the importance of diet in living a balanced and healthy lifestyle, and shares about his journey to becoming a published author. 

Patrick Yoo grew up in Southern California, an area with one of the largest Korean populations in America. As a Korean American growing up in a place with great Korean food, Patrick always had an appreciation for the cuisine - especially for Korean BBQ. In this Episode, Patrick features a KBBQ restaurant called Kang Ho Dong Baekjeong, located in Koreatown in LA. Patrick describes some of the nuances between different styles of KBBQ, and explains what he looks for in a restaurant. He also shares about the importance of KBBQ to the Korean-American experience.

Danny Chang makes his second appearance on the podcast in this impromptu episode recorded at Fogo de Chão in San Francisco. Danny and I went to Fogo on a Tuesday night for the happy hour and enjoyed indoor dining in SF for the first time since the pandemic started. In this episode, we talk about the experience at Fogo, and some of our recent dining experiences.

In this episode, my cousin Marta shares about her journey moving from Pennsylvania to Colorado to take on a role as a personal chef. She also talks about previous roles she's had in the restaurant industry, and reveals some of her favorite kitchen gadgets. Her featured restaurant for this episode is Rocky Mountain Taco - a local favorite in Minturn.

Will Alonso is a part-owner / general manager of a tea shop called Yifang Taiwan Fruit Tea. Yifang is a Taiwan-based tea franchise that offers a wide variety of teas, including brown sugar, mango, and taro. Will opened his location about a month ago in the Inner Sunset neighborhood of San Francisco. In this episode, Will gives an overview of the shop, talks through some of the popular drinks on the menu, and describes his journey to becoming an entrepreneur.

I'm excited to welcome my Uncle Moses Valdez to the podcast this week, with a special appearance from my Grandma at the end of the episode. Mo and I dig deep into our family history in South Texas & Northern Mexico, and revisit memories from a trip we took to my Grandma's hometown, San Benito. Mo highlights two restaurants - El Sabor De Mi Tierra and La Especial Bakery, as we give an overview of the food in the region known as "The Valley". My Grandma also adds her perspective on growing up in Texas in the 1940s, and the wide variety of crops that were grown in the area at that time.

In this episode, I'm joined by my good friend and former college roommate, Andy Chan. Andy gives an overview of the food in Hong Kong and highlights some of his favorite restaurants. We also reminisce on memories from college, and look back on other food experiences we've had since that time.

In this episode, Alvin highlights two of his favorite restaurants, Art's Cafe and King of Noodle, both located in his neighborhood in San Francisco. Alvin and I also discuss a recent trip we took to Kenya, and highlight some of the food we had there. To wrap things up, Alvin shares about his newfound interest in baking sourdough bread, and his ambition of learning how to make potstickers and green onion pancakes.

In this episode, my good friend Danny Chang takes the role of the host while I'm put in the hot seat. Danny asks me about how the podcast got started, what my favorite restaurants in SF are, and where I go for late night food. We also discuss my featured restaurant - One Market, located in Downtown SF.

In this episode, Sabi DuBose features her favorite local restaurant Gyros King - a halal restaurant located near her home in Aurora, Colorado. As part of her Islamic faith, Sabi follows a halal diet, which makes Gyros King a frequent destination. Sabi has also developed an interest in both Mediterranean and Moroccan food - two types of cuisine with deep roots in Halal cuisine. She traveled to Morocco with her husband a few years back, and has been learning more and more about Moroccan cuisine and techniques for preparing classic Moroccan dishes. Sabi shares her experience learning about Moroccan cuisine, discusses some of her favorite American recipes, and describes what it's like to find restaurants and grocery stores that are Halal.

In this episode, Alan Zheng returns to his childhood neighborhood of Oakland Chinatown and reminisces on his experience growing up there. He shares his story in the context of broader cultural shifts, as Oakland Chinatown has gradually become gentrified similar to many Chinatowns across the United States. Alan also shares about some of his favorite documentaries that tell the story of the Chinese-American experience, and juxtaposes those stories with that of his uncle who moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico to open one of the only Chinese restaurants in the area.

Brad de Raad took a cooking class in San Francisco last year and it opened his eyes to new techniques and recipes. He's enjoyed baking different kinds of bread and has especially enjoyed baking pumpkin bread during the fall season. In this episode, Brad and I discuss his newfound interest in cooking and baking, we give an overview of our breakfast at a famous bakery called Tartine, and we dive into Brad's family traditions - including buying Dutch Christmas bread every year from a Dutch bakery in Pasadena, California.

Jess Feng lives in the Prospect Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn. She loves sweets, and frequently enjoys checking out ice cream shops and other dessert places. One of her favorite spots in the neighborhood was Daly Pie, before it recently closed down. In this episode, Jess reminisces on her experiences at Daly Pie, shares her passion for ice cream, and gives an overview of Chinese food in New York. She goes in depth about the variety of Chinese cuisine you can find around New York, and offers a comparison between her experiences in NY vs California, as well as her experiences in Shanghai and other parts of China.

Adam Miller grew up in Houston and has spent a significant amount of time living in Austin as well. His culinary interests have been shaped by a region with deep roots in BBQ as well as Mexican food. Things changed for Adam two years ago when he moved to San Francisco. He developed a newfound interest in ramen and other types of Asian food. In this episode, Adam and I discuss his favorite ramen shops around the Bay Area while eating at Ippuddo Ramen in Berkeley. Adam also provides a hot take on BBQ in the Bay Area, and goes in depth about the BBQ of Texas.

Matt Behlke loves to cook. He regularly spends between 5-10 hours a week cooking breakfast and dinner, and makes a conscious effort to try new recipes every day. As he has continued to explore new cuisine, Matt was inspired to start a food project where he will research different regions around the world and immerse himself in the cuisine of that region. In this episode, Matt and I discuss his new food project, his love for cooking, and his tips for new cooks, all while enjoying the relaxed atmosphere at Matt's favorite restaurant - La Torta Gorda.

CeeCee Weaver and her husband Ken live in the Twin Peaks neighborhood of San Francisco. Living in Twin Peaks gives them easy access to great neighborhoods like the Castro, the Mission and Noe Valley. One of the great dining experiences near CeeCee's neighborhood is U : Dessert Story - a small cafe that specializes in Asian-inspired sweets. In this episode, CeeCee explains why she likes U : Dessert Story and describes some of her favorite restaurants in San Francisco. She also reminisces on the various neighborhoods she's lived in, and highlights the best places to eat at in her hometown of Vallejo (including Sac's Tasty Hot Dogs).

In this episode, Brendon and I enjoy the atmosphere at Noosh while exploring the topic of comfort food. Brendon describes what the term "comfort food" means to him, and gives examples of his favorite comfort foods. He also explains his strategy for making good meals throughout the work-week in a busy city like San Francisco.

Justin Kim grew up in a small city in Korea and has lived in the US since he was 15. He says he can find most of the foods he grew up with in the Bay Area, however, he did not have the same experience when he lived in Kansas and Indiana. In this episode, Justin and I talk about his transition to the US, we discuss the food from his home region, and we review a Korean restaurant in SF called Cocobang.

Syd Aslami grew up eating Afghan food, and always seeks out the best Afghan restaurants. After living in the Bay Area for several years, he says De Afghanan takes the cake as the best Afghan restaurant in San Francisco. In this episode, Syd and I discuss Afghan cuisine, the Polk Gulch neighborhood, and his hometown of Bloomington, Indiana.

Alvin Hsieh was borned and raised in San Francisco. Growing up, he learned the phrase "If you leave your house and you can't find food, you're not in San Francisco." In today's episode, Alvin and I dine at Original Joe's - an Italian restaurant that was founded in 1937. Alvin gives an overview of the food scene in SF and recommends some of his favorite spots. He also explains how the city has changed over the years, and predicts what food trends will continue in the future.

Michel and I dive into the food and culture of Oakland at Luka's Taproom. Michel explains why Tuesday's are the best night at Luka's and why Luka's is one of the many reasons he's loved calling Oakland home for the last six years. He also explains why everyone should check out "First Friday's" in Oakland to get the full neighborhood experience.

MJ and I enjoy Filipino food at a restaurant called Likha in the Bay Area. MJ describes how the history of the Philippines has shaped the food culture, and what some of his favorite seafood is in the Phillipines. He also explains why Anthony Bourdain called Filipino food the "next big thing," and discusses why he is proud to be an immigrant.

Matt Litwiller discusses the food of Chicago, including deep dish pizza, Italian beef, and Chicago style hot dogs. He explains why Sarkis is his favorite restaurant in the Chicago area and provides a candid take on NY vs Chicago pizza.

Diego and I enjoy Panuchos at Taqueria Los Mayas - a Yucatán inspired restaurant in the Richmond district of San Francisco. Diego explains why he likes this restaurant and talks about the food in his home city of Guadalajara.

Viraj discusses Indian food, including the food in his home city Mumbai. He also recommends three dishes to order at an Indian restaurant, and examines the difference between Indian food in the US and Indian food back in his home country.

Nathan and I discuss Italian food in the North Beach neighborhood of San Francisco, as well as what Nathan looks for in a restaurant beyond the food they serve.