JANUARY - First ramen of the year...Hakata Ikkousha's Mentaiko Tonkotsu is still our favorite local option

Seriously, we are enjoying every slurp, especially with the thick noodles. Taking out is almost as good as eating there if we apply the right amount of heat. Consider this a reminder that "Stay at home" isn't THAT bad.

FEBRUARY - Valerie won a few prepared meals from a service called Simple Feast...and this was the third and final meal in that series. Ironically, this is also the first meal I am photographing with my new phone, Samsung's Galaxy S21 5G.

Valerie asked me to take photos today, but I don't share her passion for plant based meals like these. I actually preferred the previous two offerings...because they were spicy.

...from Hakata Ikkousha. This time I am picking up Spicy Miso Tsukemen...the first time we have ordered their dipping ramen. It's being offered at a 25% discount this week, so Valerie and I decided we should give it a try. Unfortunately, we found this selection disappointing. The noodles weren't as thick as we expected and, even worse, were overcooked. The broth didn't have enough substance to work as a dip and it lacked umami...certainly not on the same level as the stellar Mentaiko Tonkotsu broth we usually order.

Valerie prepared a plate of Valentine's Day treats a week early...practice for something she'll be doing next week.

My new phone has 3 rear facing lenses that are captured by three different sensors...one of which can provide telephoto images by cropping into its 64 megapixel sensor, but not when shooting RAW in "Pro Mode". I'm still trying to understand the relationship of each of these sensors and the more automated camera modes...because the devices sometimes decides to upscale rather than crop (and I loathe digital zoom)

When viewing these telephoto images on the phone, they appear sharp and detailed. On the computer, especially when viewed 1:1 with its pixels on a large screen, I observe signs that these images may have been upscaled.

Valerie knows how to start VALentine's Day...I love her famous strawberry waffles

I am not the only one who is going to enjoy her waffles this morning

I don't mind that Valerie sometimes shares yummy goodness with others...the stack is tall enough that I will still have leftovers

The heat is on...feeling pressure to not overcook these premium rib eyes

Twilight falls and the moon is just a sliver

The thickness of these steaks varies significantly...starting to sweat

Thanks to this week's T-Mobile Tuesday offering, we have each gotten to enjoy "free" chicken sandwiches from Popeye's...not more convenient since a location opened at the base of the hill

Since the "free" deal still requires a $5 purchase, Valerie and I have decided to try their new fried fish sandwich...essentially the equivalent of the chicken sammy, but with flounder instead of fowl.

We shouldn't be at all surprised that it is good...because it is mostly the same sandwich (albeit with fish and a tartar sauce base). That said, the fillet appears flat compared to the chicken and feels less filling...which means the less expensive chicken sammy seems like the better overall deal. After taking a bit of the chicken sammy, Valerie and I agree that it also tastes better overall. So the fish sammy deserves a nod for adding some variety to Popeye's menu, but chances are we will rarely order it.

Valerie and I haven't eaten much sushi (or any sashimi) during the pandemic, but King Poke's poke bowls (which we take out quite often) definitely help scratch that itch #TakeOut #SupportLocalBusiness #SupportSmallBusiness #Poke #LocalGrindz #Ono

Seriously, this combination of fresh fish, imitation crab, fish egs, avocado, rice, noodles, spicy ponzu sauce, cilantro, fried onions, fried garlic chips, and hot sauce is so damn good that we never get sick of it (heck, we have little interest in changing the combo). That said, if we have some ripe avocados at home, we can't resist adding a bit more to the mix...and we will today!

MARCH - Making the rounds today #TakeOut #Vietnamese #Bun #SupportSmallBusiness #SupportLocalBusiness #Tesla #ModelX

Whose NSX is this parked by Saigon Dish? #TakeOut #Vietnamese #Bun #SupportSmallBusiness #SupportLocalBusiness #Acura #Honda #NSX