Kat's 9 Lives

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 do we love?  LOBSTER! Where do we want it from?  The Port of Los Angeles Lobster Festival!!! I think this is the only food festival that I have been consistently attending and the reason is simple... it's simply delicious and to die for!!!! What more can you ask for than to enjoy tasty lobsters at a great price and surrounded by all the joys that the Port of Los Angeles Lobster Festival has to offer! You know you love your lobster hat and it's time to break it out again for this once in a year event! See you there! I will be the one with a box of lobsters! lol

As I rarely ever go down to San Diego to eat and play, I always make the most of it if I am down there.  We decided to go to Horton Plaza to kill some time between meals.  I decided to see what there was to offer nearby as a snack and found Spike Africa's Fresh Fish Grill & Bar.  It's walking distance from the mall.
Being that it was around late afternoon, the place was not packed and we were seated right away.  The interior was very clean and had a nice bar area.
Even though we were still pretty full from earlier in the day, I was tempted to order more because I may not come back.  I have always had a soft spot for delicious poke so I had to try their Tombo Tuna Poke.  It comes with seaweed salad, mango, soy ginger ponzu, and wonton to enjoy.  I liked that they had the sweet seaweed salad but the flavor was just so so to me.  The overall taste was sweet but not quite savory enough.
At that time they had a Yelp check in where you can get an order of their house made BBQ chips.  They were fresh and good but little did we know that it came with our meal so there was way too many chips to eat lol.  Right now the Yelp check in is a free butterscotch pudding.
I was craving lobster and decided to get their Pt. Loma Lobster Roll with roasted jalapeno tartar and avocado.  There was a decent amount of lobster inside.  The flavor was light and the brioche was good.  It wasn't anything that blew my mind away.
All in all the vibe was good but not anything that I would ever crave or drive far for.  There's plenty of food in the Gaslamp district to check out before I'd probably come back.

Spike Africa's Fresh Fish Grill & Bar
411 Broadway
San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 795-3800

Alright it is what you have been waiting for!~ I have a bunch of tickets to give away for The Port of Los Angeles Lobster Festival starting next Friday to Sunday, September 14th-16th.

Thanks to JackHammer Movement for providing me the tickets.  I will be giving out a total of 5 pairs of tickets to 5 lucky readers! 4 people will get a pair of admission tickets (for one day) so they can join the fun of great food, great music, shopping, rides, games, and more! Lobster meals can be purchased at the entrance and be sure to double up because for only a little bit more you get to have twice the fun of cracking those tasty crustaceans!

Did I mention FREE LOBSTER?  Well you heard right because I will be giving a pair of First Class Tickets which include : First Class Tickets include a weekend admission (including Friday), one guaranteed Maine lobster meal, front of the line privileges at the lobster meal line and the bar and your own dining area along with collectible poster from the rock artists at The Uprising Creative. All First Class Tickets come with one beverage of your choice, but you must be 21 or older to consume alcohol. Your First Class wristband will get you in the gate and to the front of the bar and meal areas!

Each person can enter up to 3 times with the following methods :
1 ) Post a comment here with your full name and guest, as the tickets will be held at will call
2 ) Tweet at me with your full name and guest (http://twitter.com/kats9livez) @kats9livez
3 ) Post a comment on my Facebook Fan Page (http://www.facebook.com/foodiextraordinaire) with your full name and guest



Entries will end at 8:00 PM on September 11th.  The winner will be chosen at random and be announced on September 12th.  Please check back after September 11th to see if you have won the tickets.  If you would like me to email you, please leave your contact information along with your entry.  All tickets will be held at Will Call under the winners name.

Please feel free to contact me via email, Twitter, or my Facebook Fan Page if you have any questions.

Best of luck to all my readers and may you always lives be filled with yummy lobster to eat!

It is my favorite time of the year again! My birthday is right before it and believe me that the wish I will be making is to eat all the yummy food in the world and I will definitely be doing this on the weekend of September 14th-16th.  I am organizing my foodie group so I can get my grub ON!!!

As always, I am going for the grilled corn and all the delicious goodies that Lobster Festival has to offer! Some shopping and some fun activities for the whole family! Don't forget to load up your wallet so that you can purchase tons of extra lobster tails! I only had 4 last year and that was definitely not enough.  I am uping the game back up to 5 lobsters for this festival! =) Come join the good eats and fun!!

What better place to find the Lobsta Truck than at the Lobster Festival at Port O'Call? They started to bring trucks to the festival ever since last year and this year there is a truck ring! When I heard that the Lobsta Truck was going to be there, I was extremely excited.
There wasn't a long line to order and they are pretty fast at making the orders. They also offer a special of a whole lobster out of its shell for $18 at the festival. Believe me, if I wasn't so prepared for the lobster mania I would have taken them up on the offer! lol
Of course the reason I was here was to try out their Lobster Roll with Mayo, $12. I am a sucka for some delicious lobsta! They put a decent amount of lobster on the toasted bread. Maybe I have been spoiled by too many tasty lobster rolls or I had too high of an expectation that I built up my hopes just to be dashed. The taste was just meh! Could have used a little more flavor or salt. Personally, my favorite right now is still the one at Thermidor in SF. Ms. Lin said that the truck did remind her of the famous lobster roll in NYC, but just not as tasty. Sigh! Live and learn. At least I can say that I have been there and done that now. Luckily, I had 4 lobsters waiting for me at Lobster Festival!

It is my favorite time of the year again! I have my lobster claws/mitts ready from last year to break out and play with while I enjoy some of the freshest lobsters around. Time to break out those seafood crackers and wet naps as you come down to Port O'Call for some massive amount of steam lobsters. Although I want to try and eat more lobsters each year, I think 5 lobsters is the max for one day! lol That doesn't mean I can't come back on another day to have another crack at it!

This year will be bigger than ever. I can't wait to stroll around the grounds and shop for some fun goodies as well as stuff my stomach full of great treats. First things first, grab your many plates of lobster and then start trolling the stalls for your next fix! I have my eye on the yummy roast corn as always! Be sure to mark your calendars this year. Lobster Fest will take place from September 16-18. Bring your family and friends to share in the delight of lobster!

After a hugely DISAPPOINTING week of Orange County Restaurant Week, I needed some stress relief with tasty food. I am just that crazy to drive up to LA during traffic hour just to satiate my hunger for great food! It was fate that Gourmet Pigs and I were on the same page and both wanted to try La Cachette's Dine LA menu. Greeted right out in front I had a little personal one on one time with the Chef. He saw me taking pics and we were testing out the different lighting areas but to no avail so I had to use flash, but still dark. When Gourmet Pigs turned around, I was nowhere to be found and she didn't know what happened until I returned back. It's a very cozy restaurant with a French flare.
They were super busy so each dish took a while to come out. I munched on the bread for a bit before the dishes arrived.
The main reason I had to come here was because they offered the best appetizer choices! I had my heart set on the Sauteed Foie Gras with Dates, Black Currant Jus, and a Frisée. How can you turn down any restaurant that freely offers up a succulent piece of duck liver that just makes you salivate at the thought? The foie was nicely seared a decent size. I like how the date was so sweet and flavorful that accentuated the savory flavor whereas the frisée cut down the oiliness.
Normally I would NEVER share foie gras but another tantalizing appetizer selection was the Stuffed Zucchini Flowers with Ricotta, Warm Lobster, Artichokes, and topped off with a White Truffle Oil Dressing. OMG I was so torn and tempted to order TWO dinners just for myself so I can taste more! Luckily I always dine with a good partner and we opted to share the appetizers.. reluctantly. lol There was a decent amount of lobster, more than what I expected actually. They were succulent, tender, and flavorful. I found the salad refreshing and flavorful. Almost felt sad when I saw the empty plate! The zucchini flowers stuffed with ricotta was, IMHO, the best way veggies should be eaten... stuff with cheese! =D
For the main course we differed on what to order and nothing was sad about sharing. I will have to admit that I wasn't too excited about the main course because everything seemed like it would be overcooked for my taste. In the end I chose one of their signature dishes, the Braised Beef Short Ribs. It seemed to be the them of the night to make healthy food unhealthy by stuffing cheese inside. The beef came with Piquillo Peppers, drizzled with Crème Fraiche, and topped off with a Coffee Cabernet Jus. At first I thought the beef was lacking in flavor but I broke apart all the meat and soaked more of the jus in to fix that problem. The braised beef varied in tenderness among each piece and was not bad, but I have to say I wished they had dishes that weren't braised for a long time.
Look at that massive bone! I wish I had a tiny puppy so I could bring that big bone home and take tons of pictures of a tiny puppy holding the big lamb bone in their teeth! The Lamb Shank with Couscous, Carrot, Apricot, and Lamb Mint Jus was also a slowly cooked dish. My short rib was much more tender but the lamb definitely had more gamey and flavorful. I love having mint to cut down the gamey taste and accentuate the natural flavor of the lamb.
We chose to share the desserts so we can try more. The Organic Carrot Cake with Candied Pecan, Cinnamon Sauce, and Ice Cream was just alright in my opinion. I thought the cake was on the drier side. Don't know if it was because this was an "organic" cake but there was just no oomph, pow, or wow in flavor. I normally adore carrot cake but this one failed to impress.
Luckily we had the Warm Dark Chocolate Chip Divine Cake with Whipped Cream to compensate. This was so chocolaty and heavenly. The cake was moist, rich, and full of flavor. Since it was not milk chocolate, you don't get over sweeted after many bites. The cream that they gave must have freshly house whipped. It was super heavy and would cut down any sweetness. A little to heavy but still a great cream. I wish we had ordered 2 of the dark chocolate chip divine cake.
Found a little surprise in the bathroom. Just had to share it with everyone. (Hey MBA this will be the start of bathroom reviews? lol) A little weird... quirky maybe... but still charming to find this nostalgic French set up... in the bathroom! The table faces the mirror. Can I order a cafe au lait in here? Then look at myself in the mirror or at the Eiffel Tower poster? =)
All in all I like this place and I think the Chef is funny. The whole time I sat there I kept staring at their Charcuterie menu and was drooling. Duck Prosciutto... duck sausage... duck everything! I was determined to get this but then debated on taking home, but decided that I will leave this for another day. I hope the next time I come will be in the day time to take awesome photos and try more dishes. Sure, I may not have been that impressed with main course and dessert, but MAN those appetizers were MAG-NI-FI-CENT! O=) Maybe I am biased because I got almost all of my favorite ingredients in there, but Mmmmm goooood! They have a pretty great lunch prix-fixe menu of a 3-course menu for $15... something to think about. O=)

La Cachette
1733 Ocean Ave
Santa Monica, CA 90401
(310) 434-9509