Kat's 9 Lives

Inside the Mitsuwa in Torrance they have a few stands to check out before or after you shop or if you are stopping by for a quick snack.  They have a huge seating area for customers.  Yamamotoyama is a popular place that people like to stop by and grab a drink.
The prices are very reasonable.  If you buy the normal green tea it is only $1.50, which is a pretty good steal as most tea places have quite an up-charge.  There is a price difference if you want the drink sweeter, which is also reflected in the teas that you can buy to make at home.  Ms. Lin Guide decided to get their normal iced green tea, which was light and refreshing.  Of course I wanted the extra sweet iced green tea, which was slight more expensive but a little too sweet for even my taste.  The normal iced green tea is sweet enough, so word to the wise.  =)
I wished the Mitsuwa in Costa Mesa or in Irvine had this stand as the prices are very reasonable and a great drink to pick up for on the go or to enjoy with your meal.  So if you are in the neighborhood, be sure to stop by! There's lots of good food in the area, especially if you like izakayas.

Yamamotoyama
Mitsuwa
21515 Western Avenue
Torrance, CA 90501

One of my favorite event every year is the Winter Fancy Food Show in San Francisco.  It's a wonderful event where vendors from all over the world come to showcase their new products for buyer, retailers, media, and more! If you are part of the food industry or a foodie, their events are a must!
Normally I come to check out all the newest products and revisit some of my favorite brands.  As a foodie, I use the show more as my new shopping list and what to share with my readers.  One of the products I found that was delightful was the Otajoy Sauces and their Otafuku Okonomiyaki.  They freshly made them onsite for everyone to taste and were delicious.  Very simple to make at home so definitely a product I would try out.

My goal for my trip to Boston was to eat as much lobster as I can! Believe me, by hook or crook I was going to make it happen! =)
Of course this would include an adventure to seek out Alive and Kicking Lobsters.  I was by myself and decided to take public transportation to find me some yummy lobster.  As fate would have it, there wasn't a good direct route from where I was staying.  To get to the yummy lobsters, I would have to trek a few miles in the brisk fall weather.
I decided to just enjoy the scenery as I walked towards my goal.  Thinking about the lobster only motivated me more.  Along the way I strayed from my path as I saw the sushi place I liked and stopped by for a snack.  =D Yes, yes... I like to bang bang.  O=D
It was a nice scenic walk as the fall leaves gently flowed to the ground and filled the streets.  Alive and Kicking Lobster is tucked away in its own cove with parking spots and open seating.  The weather was slightly chilly and the open aired seating was a little brisk, but not to worry because tasty lobster will warm the soul!
Go inside to place your order and you can wait inside to pick it up or they'll come out and find you to bring your food.  They have a steamed whole lobster deal when you buy 2.  Even though I was by myself, how can I say no to more lobster at a lower price??  Bring it on!
The lobster was tender and fresh.  I asked for some lemon to go along with the hot butter.  They provide you with lobster crackers to use and bring back to them.  No bibs, but there is a huge roll of paper towels for you to use at the benches.  Sadly, I don't eat the heads of lobsters and wished someone was there to share to joy! It was such a travesty that they went to waste.
They are also known for their Lobster Sandwich, not your typical lobster roll.  Of course I had to pick one of those up too! When I first opened up the sandwich, I will be honest that I was a little let down.  Instead of a roll, they used regular toasted bread.  At first glance, it looked like a thin sandwich but when you open it up you could see the chunks of lobster meat.  The flavor was a little too bland for my liking but I decided to use some of the seasonings provided.  I saw the hot sauce and started to add a few drops before a bite.  This really helped! It made the sandwich so tasty and added a pizzazz that kicked it up a few notches.
All in all it is a nice kind of hole in the wall, technically corner, that was fun to try.  Reasonable prices, friendly service, and fresh seafood.  What more can you ask for?  =D

Alive and Kicking Lobster
269 Putnam Ave
Cambridge, MA 02139
(617) 876-0451

What else could one need but a beautifully designed cup of cappuccino?  Gourmet Pigs mentioned that Ogawa Cafe was a great place to try in Boston and I saw some cute photos online.  Not quite as cute as Love To Go in Los Angeles.  Although I do enjoy the cute coincidence that they are on Milk Street, which seemed very fitting.