Uber vs. Lyft

I have been a long time customer of Uber, and only a short time customer of Lyft. This is mainly due to the amount of exposure I have towards Uber and only a recent acknowledgement about Lyft. Due to my fear of Uber taking over its major competitor and dominate the world with its high priced cab fare, I decided to Lyft a try. After a few weeks of experiments, I do not really notice any difference between the two services since it is the driver to rider interaction that really makes a major impact. However, in terms of user interface with the phone app, Uber definitely wins the race. Uber has a GPS system that gives you real time updates on where your ride is, while Lyft has a still icon of the cab's location at the time the app appears on your phone screen. When your phone connection is low, Lyft fails to update. Instead of confirming that your ride is on the way, it makes the user feel like they have been abandoned by the drivers. Lyft offers a tipping at the end of the trip, while Uber does not. Different people might feel differently about this option, but I like to give my driver a little extra if I had a really good riding experience.

In terms of better or worse driving for Uber vs. Lyft? This is what I have heard. Uber and Lyft both take 20% of what you make from each ride you offer. Uber take an additional dollar from each ride you get through their service, while Lyft does not. Uber and Lyft both give you 1099s. You get taxed on the full amount of money you make including the 20% taken by Uber, while Lyft subtracted that 20% from your taxable income. While it seems that you make more money working for Lyft than Uber, Uber is definitely more popular than Lyft outside of San Francisco, thanks to all the scandals created by the questionable doings of Uber to state regulatory departments.

West Wing Cafe & Bakery in Rockville, Maryland

This small corner cafe was definitely a hidden gem among many in Rockville. West Wing Cafe & Bakery is located right next a governmental institute, hence a very popular among people who are taking a break from work during lunch. They are super busy during breakfast and lunch time, but not so much during dinner. The area is a nice small cafe style indoor seating with bar seats towards the windows and seating outside in the summer.

Their featured sandwiches are absolutely phenomenal for their price. The subs from the grill are equally as delicious. Most of the time when I was there, I go for their panini, which is something I can go back over and over again for.

Philly Cheese Steak

Panini #5: Turkey, provolone cheese, crispy bacon, tomato roasted red pepper & russian dressing

Panini #9: Cajun chicken, lettuce, tomato, avocado & Basil pesto

Sushi Damo in Rockville, Maryland

Sushi Damo has two locations, one in New York City, and one in...Rockville, Maryland. In comparsion to the omnious NYC, the little suburban town slightly close to DC in Maryland does not sound nearly as glamourous. I decided to give that place a shot, because of the fact that there is a sister chain located in NYC, and I was not so impressed with the food, but happy with the restaurant environemnt.

I got brown rice tea to counterfeit the cold weather, but it was not brown rice tea, it was Japanese green tea with caffine in it. That was my first disappointment.

Sashimi as the entree comes with your choice of soup or salad. The miso soup was less salty than some of the commercially availiable instant miso soup, which scored some points for my visit. Sashimi also comes with a bowl of sticky rice, which made me feel like I was having a DIY sushi session. Let that aside, the sashimi was not the most fresh fish I have had. But even through the quality of the fish was not to my liking, it did live up to the level of an okay sushi restaurant.

Bizarre Winter Home Remedy - Hot Pot

It been a long and rough winter that people in DC are going through. Along a number of other things I want to do, other than going to the beach in Miami or LA or going to the hot springs, caving in at home and make something boiling hot and spicy doesn't seem that far fetched.

There are a number of criteria  for making really good hot pot: cold winter, your favorite commercially available soup base, chicken or pork bone broth, and people whom you are eating with. Hot pot is a group activity, and doesn't nearly taste the same without the most endearing ones there talking to you about their life.

Penang Malaysian & Thai Cuisine in Bethesda, Maryland

Penang is the name of a state in Malaysia, hence one can associate the restaurant with local Malaysian tastes. I was introduced to this restaurant through a friend from Indonesia. Quite ashamed of myself as a typical American individual, I wasn't quite sure about some of the distinctive differences between Malaysia, Indonesia, and Philippine. Since I tend to group all of them together geographically, no doubt do I also group their foods together. Therefore, Penang, to me, became this restaurant that features foods in the southern eastern islands.

Grass Jelly drink. This black mess is made out of herbal grass jelly. It is made by mixing agar with leaves of a minty-plant (Mesona Chinensis, according to Wikipedia). It is perfect for the summer when you have the urgent need to cool off your body and facilitating the expansion of your blood vessels. It tastes slightly minty, but mostly sweet. I would recommend trying it due to its fantastic taste and its lack of ability to stain teeth.

Roti Canai, crispy Indian style pancake with carry chicken dipping sauce. It was DELICIOUS. The Indian style pancake was just a think sheet of dough with the texture of Chinese scallion pancakes. It is folded up to remain heated on the inside. You tear a piece of oily pancake with your hand and dip into the Indian chicken curry dip, taste of rich curry taste and the starchy oily pancake. A match made in heaven, and a definite must try in any Malaysian or Thai restaurants.

Salted Fish Rice Noodles: stir fried vermicelli in soy sauce with salted fish, shrimp & bean sprout. I was quite disappointed with this dish. I've had salted fish before. They are salty, they are fishy, but goes well with plain starch such as rich or plain flat noodles. The mistake about this dish was the conflicting strong taste of the salty fish on top of deeply seasoned noodles. It made the dish as a whole just full of salt. Not impressed.

Smartphone Photography Classes

I was browsing on LivingSocial the other day for some sweet deals around me and for some interesting events to go to, then I bumped into this post about smartphone photography class:

First of all, $75 dollars seem like a lot of money to sit in a class and listen to someone to tell you about press buttons on your smart phone. And what are they going to tell you? The different kind of filters available on instagram? The places to click for increasing camera lighting? There is another place that you can get those information for free, it's the "Tips" app. Now, if they teach you how to snap a selfie that transforms you from a 2 to a 10, I would be down.

With that being said, I should give them credit for being creative and seeking opportunity for business. Maybe smartphone photography is gonna be the next big thing. I've never foreseen the whole "foodie" extravaganza, indeed, the first time I've heard of the word, I laughed at the comical pronounciation of the word so hard that I chocked on my own spit.

Pi pizzeria in Chinatown, Washington, D.C.

Do you like pie, or pi, or Pi? Yes I am trying to make a lame joke. Pi pizzeria is not a traditional pizza place. Yes they do deliveries but it is more like a sit down pizza place. It's not as artisan as places like 2Amys, but not as take-out-ish like Dominos, either. The restaurant inside has a pretty local italian villa vibe, with seating at the two-floor ceiling high atrium with yellow muddy wall paints.

We went for the garlic bread as appetizers, and oh boy do they give us a garlic and a piece of bread. I felt quite deceived when I got this dish, especially that I was extremely hungry at the time. I do not necessarily appreciate doing my work of spreading roasted garlic into the french hard bread. Also, the butter doesn't come with the dish. We asked for butter, made DIY style garlic bread,

We also got the deep cornmeal crust south side classico with mozzerlla cheese, berkshire sausage, mushroom, green pepper, and onion. It was my first time trying the deep crust. Coming from NYC, I had always been a faithful fan of the thin crust NY style pizza, so this was new to me. But this deep crust pizza wasn't bad, indeed, it was quite tasty. Cracker style crust combined with softer layers of dough, cheese, vegetables, and sauce were a nice combination. However, being a NY style pizza snob, I still wouldn't call it pizza. So I'll just call it...dough bread.

Trader Joe's's Valentines Day Cake

Trader Joe's always have delicious goodies. It doesn't matter if it is frozen foods, prepared foods, chips, cheeses, or sweets, Trader Joe's makes it better than any other grocery stores. Last week was the whole Valentines week frantic with any store in the visible range celling heart shaped cut-outs and chocolates with cheesy writings. I wasn't sure if it is the whole love atmosphere that affected me to draw my eyes on this cute, small piece of cake, or my child at heart that grabs everything that looks fun and new, but I picked up this cake among a shelf full of desserts from Trader Joe's to see if it tastes just as good as it looks.

And it does! This cake is covered with milk chocolate. The pink heart and green vine patterns are made out of coco butter, like white chocolate. The cake as three chocolate layers and separated by a layers of chocolate cream. It was delicious: spongy cake with milky chocolate fillings. However, this cake was small. Even through it is shaped like a heart to indicate a couple-ish portion, it all went into my stomach while the other poor dude right next to me just sat and watch. I can't wait to try other cakes Trader Joe has to offer.

Hippe Black and White

My original thought was to make the photo into pop-icon black-and-white stylized figures. Then I decided that just the black-and-white figures were too plain. I wasn't sure if the addition of dodged colors would make it less boring, but there it is:

Original

Daily Grill in Bethesda, Maryland

Daily Grill living off the side of the Hyatt Hotel conveniently located next to the Bethesda Metro station is one low-key but fancy restaurant that should be more popular. In the small town of Bethesda, shops and restaurants stationed on the main Wisconsin road do not have as much attention from leisurely-walking pedistrians as those located in Bethesda row or Bethesda triangle. Daily Grill suffers the same destiny. With a lot of good food, this restaurant still does not get the attention it deserves. Like others, I chose this restaurant out of convenience instead of reputation of its food.

The cutting board: chef's selection of cured meats and artian cheese. Delicious blue cheese that melts in my tongue, fresh hummus and candy-roasted walnuts are great pairing to the two salami. In addition, the provided garlic bread drenched in olive oil were salty, cripsy, buttery, and appetizing.

Garlic Bread that came with the cutting board

Moroccan Spiced Chicken: grilled chicken skewer, seasoned with turmeric, paprika, garlic and cumin, served with grilled vegetables, herb brown rice, arugula and tzatziki sauce. This dish was heaven in my mouth. Tender chicken, not too salty, without the burnt grilled taste. Chewy brown rice that was done just right mixed with different herb and seasonings were some delicious carbs. However, I was not too big of a fan on the grilled vegetables, since almost zoo the vegetables have raw centers. Arugula salad was a nice and light addition to the dish.

Tuscan Briek Chicken: roasted under a brick until crisp and golden brown, served with red quinoa and arugula. Again, tender roasted chicken pairing with seasoned arugula were a delicious combination. It was my first time seeing red quinoa mixed in arugula, but I feel quite indifferent towards the addition of quinoa onto salad sides.

Teaism in Dupont Circle, Washington D.C.

Teaism is a restaurant, a tea house, a tea lounge, and a study area. If I had not paid attention to the external decoration before entering the door, I would've called this place a whole in the wall based on its hipster interior design; outside of this place looks quite assertive.

Wooden accents of the first floor creates a low-key and warm vibe for their customers. On top of that, a variety of tea displayed on the wall behind the cashier adds degrees of authenticity to back up its brand name. 

A small cafe-esque upstairs invites many youngsters to stay in and study.

Due to hunger, I ordered the Chinese noodle soup with Shiitake mushrooms. The noodles is not really chinese noodle, more like udon. The shiitake mushrooms are more like tiny mushroom pieces. Despite all those I mentioned, the soup was good. Flavorful broth with taste of soy sauce and vinegar -- an interesting combination. Soft and chewy noodles that picked up enough of the flavors from the broth. I ordered as a snack before my other dinner plans, but a very good snack that filled my body with warmth.

The Thai Chicken Curry: yellow curry with chicken, coconut milk, jicama, carrots, green beans & brown rice. Talking about healthy meals and being health conscious, this curry dish is as healthy as any curry dish goes. The brown rice was chewy and hydrated enough to resist becoming soggy from the yellow curry soup. For a restaurant, it was a nice experience. For a tea house, lounge, and study area, it was a great experience.

Happy Valentines Day

Happy Valentines Day! Everyone. Did you receive flowers from your significant other? If not, don't be shy to ask for it, because you deserve it. If they still don't give you the things you want, then it's time to start interviewing other possible candidates.

Jerusalem Restaurant in Falls Church, Virginia

Jerusalem Restsaurant located in Falls Church, Virginia is one out of many restaurants with Mediterranean cuisines that I have tried and liked. The restaurant is located outside of the beltway, hence not very easy to get to without a car. Within a small strip mall is this restaurant sitting in between two other similar restaurants, flashing with neon light signs on the windows, offering little less than enough parking spot on the beat up roads. 

Some tables have repeated tile surfaces -- my first time seeing such a pairing.

Complimentary peta bread with house salad and the spicy zhug sauce were a nice combo to fill open up my appetite for some nice grilled goods.

The Jerusalem Combo that we got was absolutely fantastic. The grilled lamb, beef, chicken, and salmon were all chewy and juicy. Skewers have none of the after-grilled taste. Rice were chewy and a bit sweet, getting my salivary glands working like no other.

The dessert from this place were also delicious. Indeed, I have heard the name of this restaurant through a number of dessert sites. We got a dozen warbat and baklava, each-- only finish them in the next two days. The crispy shell from warbat and baklava mix well with the tender cream on the inside. The smell of sugary vanilla  It is recommended to finish these pastries as soon as possible, otherwise the humidity in the air would have a large effect on the crispiness of those pastries.

House of Milae in Bethesda, Maryland

Is there a good Korean restaurant in Bethesda? The answer is yes. Is there an authentic Korean restaurant in Bethesda? The answer is also yes. House of Milae is a relatively new restaurant opened in Bethesda and I was thrilled to discover it on Yelp. Sitting within the Woodmont triangle, this restaurant has a low-key entrance just like other hidden gems of this area. I wouldn't say it's got fancy declaration, but I do feel at home with the wooden booths, breezy bar stands, and leather accents inside this small studio space.

For people who are very into tea, I do not recommend Korean restaurants for enjoying tea. This tea, the so called Bori Cha, comes complimentary to every customer and is perfect for the old weather. It is light, it is grainy, it is from barley, not tea leaves. Not to mention, it is caffeine-free. Just wonderful. 

Japchae Bowl: Sweet potato noodles stir-friend with meat and seasoned vegetables over rice. I find this dish quite odd. Japchae is usually served as an appetizer in the Korean food cuisines. I guess this is the Americanized version of the dish-- two servings of carbohydrates. The glass noodle stir-fried with sesame seeds, carrots, scallion, and onions after those vegetables are all prepared through different methods. What you get is chewy and tasty glass noodles trenched in oil. Despite the strange combination, I would say i had a great time enjoying this dish. If I have had those glass noodle by itself, it would be too greasy.

Chicken Calbi Bowl: Grilled marinated chicken over rice

A variety of banchan the restaurant offers. I'm not sure if there is a direct correlation between the number of banchan offered on the house and the sophistication of the restaurant itself, but I'm was very happy with these selection. Kimchi, fermented radish, rice cakes, cucumber and leafy greens marinated in some kind of vinegary sauce made me very satisfied while they try to get my entrees ready.

Woodmont Grill in Bethesda, Maryland

Woodmont Grill, known as the fanciest, oldest, most sophisticated, with the most numbers of senior customers restaurant in Bethesda, is owned by the Hillstone Restaurant Group. The Hillstone Restaurant Group is a restaurant management company that has a number of branches over the states and features higher level traditional American cuisines. Every time when people mention this place, I think old money, traditional, model-looking waitresses, polished wooden bars, and extravagant embellishments. To be honest, this place never appeared to my liking, simply because the predominant social class it serves is outside of where I belong. As a fan of hole-in-the-walls, small but cheap food and restaurants, Woodmont Grill is simply too much for me. Due to some special dinning occasion, I stepped into this restaurant, feeling like a toddler. 

I had the Rutherford steak with cherry tomatoes and blue cheese salad. It was good. This piece of bone-in-ribeye was tender, juicy, and perfectly seasoned. There is nothing else I can say about it. It was just simply one of the perfectly done steak I have had. And the salad on the side, was absolutely delicious. House dressing drizzles enhanced sourness of the cherry tomatoes on the side, molten blue cheese enhanced the extreme taste of the salad and creates a strong contrast from the rich and full steak. It was delicious, and a dish that I am willing for wait for another special occasion to have again.