2013 has both Pacific Rim and Iron Man. Not amazing, but functional.

A couple of decades ago, I went trekking with a friend outside of Hanoi over Tet/Chinese New Year. After spending a week in the hills with only la vache qit rit sandwiches, we get back to Hanoi and we're FAMISHED. Being Tet, every restaurant is closed, so we end up pho hopping. After 5 bowls, we haven't made a dent in…

Now this is embarrassing. My parents lived in East Sacramento (Fair Oaks/Folsom area) for almost 15 years . . . and I never once had pho when I visited.

Richmond, Melbourne, Australia. Pho Hung Vuong 2.

It was! I understand the Western reluctance to embrace tendon/fatty brisket, but I really try to get friends of mine to try it because it's delicious. Steretypes are true though - I've had a lot more success getting my California friends to eat it over my Texas friends.

Santorum-ite

I've been to Japan over 20 times by now. Still haven't tried natto. I do play basketball though.

Go to Koreatown, or any Korean restaurant with a few Koreans eating there. Get the soft tofu/kimchee stew. Mix with rice. Enter culinary heaven.

If you're into trying something unusual, prawn paste chicken wings are amazing. I'd lived 30 something years and had been to Singapore multiple times before being introduced to these. Now I seek these out in every Singaporean/Malaysian place I go to (and I'm dating a Singaporean so that's quite often).

We all know that when it's snowing and it's cold you have Bovril. That's a rule of life.

I ate it.

I . . .did not know that.

"Bovril is the trademarked name of a thick, salty meat extract, developed in the 1870s by John Lawson Johnston. It is sold in a distinctive, bulbous jar. Bovril is made in Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire; owned and distributed by Unilever UK."

Hold my beer and watch this!

All of my life, I've maintained that the best pho is found in Orange County or San Jose in California. Even after trips to Vietnam (four times now). But I went to Melbourne last year, now I'm re-considering that ranking. The pho I had in Richmond was amazing.

And knowing is half the battle!

I got it from my money tree!

I actually only know that Bovril is refered to as "beef tea" in Cantonese and is served at old school Hong Kong cafes. I've never actually ordered or tasted it.

Isn't that what Bovril is for?

This is my favorite track off Coloring Book. I also really like the MisterWives cover (which Chance tweeted about)