Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Samovar Tea Lounge

Downy Sprout White Tea  

Tea is something I tend to go to when it rains. It just warms me up and gives me a cozy feeling inside. Tea also has a soothing power to it and allows me to temporarily forget about life's hardships and of course, the rain. As you can tell, I am not very fond of the rain and that is why Samovar Tea Lounge was the perfect hiding spot. 

Since they ran out of White Moonlight by mid-afternoon, we opted for the Downy Sprout which was suggested as similar. It was made with roasted pine nut, watercress, and Mount Tamalpais moss. We were given a cup of leaves and a pot of hot water and were taught to pour the hot water into the cup of leaves, allow it to sit for some time, then pour it into our cups. This process was actually enjoyable to go through as we downed cup after cup. We stayed here talking for hours which was nice in the relaxing environment. 

Note: One thing that was unexpected for us was that each person was required to order something from the menu. We were only expecting to have tea since we just had lunch before and wanted somewhere to bypass time from the rain. Other than that, the tea was excellent and I'd plan to come again perhaps for lunch and then tea afterwards.

297 Page St.
San Francisco, CA 94102
Neighborhood: Hayes Valley
*There are also two additional locations in San Francisco.

Monday, February 17, 2014

Pleating Love

Dress - Bycorpus

Tossed on this pleated dress and cardigan combo for a day out in the city.

Friday, February 7, 2014

Roka Akor

This past week I visited Roka Akor, easily one of the best Japanese restaurants I've been to. The service was excellent and the food surpassed my expectations immensely. 

Roka Akor's dining room

Butterfish Tataki with White Aspargus and Yuzu

Yellowtail Sashimi with Shallots and Poached Garlic Ponzu

White Miso Soup

Glazed Baby Back Pork Ribs with Spring Onions and Cashews

Diced Assorted Sashimi on Sushi Rice with Avocado and Spicy Sesame Soy

The meal began with the two sashimi appetizers. The Butterfish had more of a tangy lime taste, while the Yellowtail was sweeter. Both were exceptional to someone who doesn't usually care for sashimi. Next came the White Miso, which contained a smokey pang in each sip adding something different to an average bowl of Miso Soup. 

For the entrees, we picked the Ribs and the Sashimi Bowl. The Ribs were delicious, and the meat was fall off the bone and easy to eat. The green onions and cashew pieces added extra crunch and flavor to the already amazing texture and taste. The sashimi in the Sashimi Bowl was flavored with sesame oil which went really well with the dish. All three platters of sashimi were flavored differently which I have never tried before. The tastes and textures from this meal were vibrant and addicting as we ate and tried to savor our last bites. 

801 Montgomerey St. 
San Francisco, CA 94133
Neighborhood: Financial District

Sunday, February 2, 2014

On Top of the World

Button Up & Coated Skinny Jeans - The Gap

After having lunch in the sunset, we decided to take a walk and ended up here. I've been in this area countless times, yet never realized how gorgeous it was up on Grand View Park. It was a hike up but, luckily I wore my converses which are comfy and easy to walk in, paired with my black pants rolled to the ankles, and a button up shirt. The view of the city was breathtaking and definitely worth the walk up.