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I was in town on business and wanted to try something different. Thanks to Yelpers, I found this place, and had an idea of what to order. I believe I had cha lua, or gio lua? I read from my phone and asked the women behind the counter, and they pointed me in the direction of what they are known for, and briefly explained how to eat it. They were very nice, and suggested a place or two across the parking lot to buy fresh bread to make a sandwich, and even opened the rolled-up banana leaf package in which the meat was steamed to cut a few slices off the [pork loaf?] to make it easier to manage on the go. I also got a tasty dessert yogurt out of the cooler – It has a different flavor which I really liked. I wondered if my sandwich would normally have something else on it like vegetables or condiments? but it was delicious as it was, and I took it with me to enjoy at the Dallas Botanical Garden. My husband enjoyed the leftovers. Will visit again if in the area.

Orange Leaf Frozen Yogurt – Menu with Prices – 2300 Edgewood Rd SW, Cedar Rapids

Short Version: Probably one of the best Orange Leaf locations I’ve been to. Employees are efficient, the store is clean, the froyo tastes amazing, and the location is pretty and modern. I’d love to see a bit of outdoor seating (other Orange Leafs occasionally have Adirondack chairs?), but otherwise, I have no complaints. Long Version: I love frozen yogurt. Like, a lot. Orange Leaf isn’t usually my favorite chain, but they have this “coffee” flavor froyo that is literally to die for. Other chains have “Espresso” or “Cappuccino”, but you can’t beat the coffee one here. Like, at all. Nice, neat new location. Looks like it actually is recently built. Single-person men and women’s bathroom at the back of the store. Part of a strip mall with other locations nearby such as Coffeesmiths. No exterior seating. Interior seating includes the Orange Leaf tables and chairs (they’re like regular tables and chairs only really close to the ground?) as well as long, 3-4 person couches. Decent amount of seating that should handle a lot of people. Parking lot is kinda a mess, but that’s part of the fun of being in Cedar Rapids. They’re also doing construction on part of the parking lot, so that doesn’t help. It’s not insanely hard to get into, but it could be easier. Lots of spaces, though, so unless it’s super busy, you shouldn’t have any issue parking. I’ve been to a lot of places, and this Orange Leaf is surprisingly great. The employees were very efficient, and they didn’t hover. Both times when I came in, they came out from behind the counter, offered me sample cups, and after I declined, went back about their business until I was ready to pay. They didn’t stand at the register and make me feel hurried or rushed to finish what I was doing (I hate that). The yogurt itself was great. Very smooth and very creamy. The machines are working really well and dispensing very well, and it shows in the taste. The frozen yogurt machines worked properly and easily, and the toppings bar was clean and well-stocked. Very little inter-mingling of the different types of toppings, and nothing I put on my froyo was stale or stiff feeling. Even the brownie bites I put on were soft and chewy – it was impressive. Definitely a great Orange Leaf location. One of the better Orange Leafs I’ve ever gone to, actually.

The Lovin’ Spoonful – Menu with Prices – 2028 Cliff Dr, Santa Barbara

Hands down the best frozen yogurt in Santa Barbara. A wide array of flavors are typically available. The best part is that yogurt doesn’t have an aftertaste. Seriously, there’s no yogurt after taste like you get at a lot of other frozen yogurt places. The range of toppings is absolutely wonderful, but my personal favorites are the wide range of fresh fruits that are available. If want to have your yogurt as a meal, no problem, load up on the fruit. If you want to have your yogurt as dessert, they’ve got you covered and then some. Very clean environment and helpful people up front. There’s really nothing not to like.

Dixie Dharma Tampa – Menu with Prices – 1910 N Ola Ave Suite 113, Tampa

My husband had never been to Armature Works so we decided for a date night! He opted to order some ramen from Ichicoro while I opted for something else. I was really being indecisive and after walking around to a few of the dining places, I finally came across Dixie Dharma. Let me start off by saying that I am not vegan by any means but I do prefer to eat healthy and do enjoy trying new things. When I originally looked over the menu, I thought this was a BBQ place…..not realizing that it’s a vegan BBQ place. So I was thinking when I ordered the Orange Bird that it was pulled pork — I even told my husband that I was getting a pulled pork sandwich (LOL). Thought it was cool that they have a texting system available to where they text you when your food is ready. The server was very friendly as well. I was excited to get my meal — I got it “to-go” so it was served in a nice little box. I ordered Cajun boiled peanuts as my side since I love me some peanuts. The sandwich was sloppy so I opted to cut it up and eat it with a fork and knife. When tasting it for the first time I knew it didn’t taste like pork or any meat….so I thought perhaps it was tofu. Then looked at some other Yelp reviews while eating and talking with my husband then we both realized that it was BBQ Jackfruit. Never have I ever had Jackfruit — it wasn’t a bad sandwich or experience but probably not anything that I’ll ever order again. It was good to experience it but not anything that I walked away saying “wow that was good”. The peanuts were delightful although had too much red pepper sprinkles on them — I’d prefer to have them without those. I also wondered while looking at the menu why they had what looked like a chili-dog named a “Not-Dog”. I even asked my husband wonder why they call it a “Not-Dog”….thinking because perhaps it was served on a pretzel bun and thinking in terms of pretzel knots. Ummm, now I know it’s because it is literally a not-hotdog because it’s vegan.

Storehouse Tea Company – Menu with Prices – 3619 Walton Ave Suite 101, Cleveland

I’m so happy that I finally got to visit Storehouse tea which is a Cleveland business. I first bought their tea at a local store in Columbus. It was an orange blend that lasted a long time. Their teas are only sold online and at differenr stores but on Tuesdays, they open up their warehouse/office for “Tea Tuesdays”. This is NOT a tea shop but it is their office and warehouse. TEAS — The teas are all NON-GMO and ORGANIC. The teas are loose leaf instead of in a tea bag which is better for the environment but they do sell a tea bags (sachets). They have about 50 different flavours of teas to choose from so you will definitely find a tea that is perfect for you. They have black teas, white teas, green teas, and herbal teas. Some of their teas have more caffeine than others. You can buy a box of loose leaf tea for $11 or save $5 and get 3 boxes for $28. I ended up buying 1 box of tea, the Blueberry Hibiscus white tea which has a very light flavour. I can’t wait to try the sample teas that I got (see attached photos). TEA TUESDAYS — You can come here on Tuesdays between 10am – 5pm to sample their teas and buy teas. This isn’t a tea shop so please note that the sitting area is a very small space. You will enter the building where they package their teas and essentially manage their business. The little office space has one red couch and 2 chairs. When I visited on 7 May 2019, I sampled (drank) 2 different teas before choosing which one to buy. Paula and her sister even gave me 4 samples of loose leaf tea to take home and my friend Chelsea got some samples too. SERVICE — Paula (owner) + her sister Jill are amazing. Paula is the owner and Jill helps out one day a week. I had the pleasure of talking to them both when I visited. Overall, I recommend buying Storehouse tea or visiting their business office on Tuesdays. They are involved with their community by hiring 2 Refugee students to help them package their teas. **** – 77 total reviews in 2019 – 286 total Yelp reviews – Reviewed on 12 May 2019

Bambu Desserts & Drinks – Menu with Prices – 3920 Rainbow Blvd, Kansas City

A great place to get desserts, cold drinks on a hot day, or warm coffee on a cold day. The che, a sweet Vietnamese dessert/beverage, at BAMBU definitely satisfies my sweet tooth. This location, the only one in Kansas City, is actually quite large with a good amount of seating. It is located in a newer building and it shows inside. It is always super clean here which is definitely a plus. Parking is also easy and is located in the rear of the building. Note that there is an entrance in the back of the building as well as the main entrance along Rainbow Blvd. Not all BAMBU locations, at least the ones I’ve been to in California, have Banh-Mi, a Vietnamese sandwich. I was happy to hear that the KC location would be serving them. I have tried their Banh-Mi a few times and have been very satisfied. The french bread is flaky and tasty. The grilled pork is my favorite but the pork belly is also quite good but a bit too fatty for me. I do wish that they’d include more of the fillings inside (pickled carrots/daikon). It’s also nice that they have bahn-mi + drink specials every now and then. The Taro Lover che here is my go to. They do not skimp out on the amount of taro in the drink so that is a definite plus. I do recommend telling them to place the ice on the side as I find it much easier to eat this way. The Smashed Avocado is popular at BAMBU and is great for avocado lovers. Pro tip: if you’re wanting che but not too fond of sweets, get the ones with coconut water instead of the ones with coconut milk. BAMBU is great because it caters to many different people. I find it amazing that they can manage so many different types of drinks here. Kudos to you BAMBU because I love you.

Xiang’s Hunan Kitchen – Menu with Prices – 1032 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston

While I’m a *very* weak spice eater, I’ve grown to love Xiang’s Hunan Kitchen, which serves delicious and authentic Hunan dishes. Lots of options, great portion sizes, reasonable prices, and easy to get to (right on the green line, plus plenty of parking spots around). My favorites so far: [M7 – Sweet Sticky Rice Cakes] Dessert for appetizers, yes! Warm, sweet, and sticky, super tasty! [C5 – Stewed Tofu with Duck Yolk & Pork Floss] For non-spicy and spicy eaters alike, this is hands down everyone’s favorite dish every time I go! The savory duck yolk and slightly pork floss add both flavor and texture to stewed tofu that has a texture that’s almost cheesy. [S1 – Steamed belly with Preserved Veggies] A salty-sweet and slightly spicy dish that goes really well with rice as well as the steamed buns that you can order for a small additional fee. Make your own pork bao! [S4/S5 – Steamed fish with Chilies] They are two versions of the most classic Xiang dish. If you like fish filet, order S4; if you can handle a whole fish and can deal with fish bones, order S5 which gives you larger portion and IMO more flavorful. Spicy Xiang food might not be for everyone, but if you are tired of Szechuan food, come try Xiang’s Hunan Kitchen instead!

Phnom Penh Restaurant – Menu with Prices – 1010 N Minnesota Ave, Sioux Falls

We have not been to a Cambodian restaurant before, so Phnom Penh Restaurant caught our attention. In this case their menu also includes Chinese and Thai dishes as well. But my focus was on the Cambodian Cuisine as I don’t remember any back home. We’ve had plenty of Chinese and Thai food and while there are some similarities, it’s not like any dish I’ve had before. After a long day on the road we decided to get takeout to enjoy in our hotel room. Since we noted many photos on Yelp, my wife ordered the Khmer Style Chicken Curry Soup with Noodles. I decided to try Steamed Amok with Minced Pork with Steamed Rice based on the description as there were no photos. We also ordered a Steamed Pork Bun just because. The Chicken Curry Soup was put in a sturdy plastic container with the Noodles packaged in a separate container to be added before serving. The Steamed Amok was in a plastic container on top of the Banana Leaf it was steamed in with the Steamed Rice in a separate container. I thought both were excellent and not overly spicy although you could request more spice if that’s your thing. Both dishes had a bit of a sweet taste and the curry taste was subtle and not overpowering. Since we didn’t eat at the restaurant, I can’t comment about service. The young lady who took our order was friendly and professional and answered any questions we had about the menu. Our order came out after about ten minutes and nothing leaked on our drive to the hotel. Oh, and clean restrooms!

Gia Dinh Pho and Vietnamese Cuisine Menu with Prices Suite #A1, 549 W International Airport Rd, Anchorage

Stopped by on my way from the airport to the hotel around 6pm on a Tuesday. Right on Airport Rd so it’s easy to get to. It faces the road in a set of identical strip mall like buildings, so I passed it but the parking lots adjoin so was able to easily drive back to it through the parking lot. Very helpful hostess took my to go order for a bahn mi grilled pork. I was able to add jalapeños which I love. I bought a soda and she provided me a to go cup with a lid and straw that fit it perfectly – much easier than an open can in the car. I did hear a microwave go off, so hopefully just reheating the meat. Bahn mi are sometimes small so I asked if they were 6 inch as they usually are but was told they are closer to 12 inches. Chairs are comfortable and the space is nicely decorated and very clean with music in the background. Service was friendly and prompt, my sandwich was ready in about 5 mins. They included a fork and napkin in my to go pack. The sandwich came with a salad of greens, carrots and cucumbers with some cilantro and a nice mild dressing. I asked for jalapeños but there were none on the sandwich, a disappointment. I took off 1 star for that, would have been 4. The sandwich otherwise was great – nice French roll, carrots , cilantro and daikon. The meat was some of most tasty grilled pork I’ve had – crunchy bits mixed with a sweet tang. The portion was generous with lots of meat and the sandwich was about 10 inches, so with the salad I didn’t feel like I needed two of them. It is disappointing that they use styrofoam for the salad and plastic straws, I hope they switch to more environmentally friendly items. I’d go back for another bahn mi, and I would check it before I left to make sure the jalapeños were on it!

Quoc Bao Bakery – Menu with Prices – 3419 W Walnut St #104, Garland

This place is so amazing that I went two days in a row, and I live 30 minutes away so that’s saying a lot! What really stole my heart was their Vietnamese coffee. For $3 (the sign says $2.75), you’ll get a tall cup of iced deliciousness that even Starbucks can’t replicate. Seriously the best Vietnamese coffee I’ve ever had and that’s coming from someone that grew up on Vietnamese coffee. Now on to the banh mi. I’ve definitely had a lot of banh mi in my lifetime, but I will say that the sandwiches from Quoc Bao are one of my top favorites due to the generosity of the meat portions, flavor, and the pricing! For less than $15, my boyfriend and I got 4 sandwiches and one iced coffee. (On a previous visit we also had Thai tea but I didn’t think it was that impressive, definitely go for the coffee). The bakery has a buy 3 get 1 free deal for the sandwiches so we took advantage of that offer. We ordered the rolled ham, meatball, grilled chicken, and roasted pork. All were delicious and had great flavor. The bread was crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside and the meat was perfectly seasoned. If I were to rank them, I would say the rolled ham was my favorite because it’s reminiscent of my childhood, second favorite would be the roasted pork, third would be the grilled chicken, and least favorite would be the meatball. The meatball sandwich wasn’t really filled with meatballs, but rather chunks of ground pork instead of uniform meatballs. The rolled ham didn’t have as much meat as the other sandwiches but the flavor profile makes up for the lack of meat. The other sandwiches had large portions of meat packed with great flavor, which I appreciate. I recommend ordering ahead of time by phone as the bakery is always packed and cranking out orders, so it will definitely reduce waitintime. When you place an order, it’s easier to order by the menu number than the name of the sandwich (ex: say you’d like a #1 instead of saying rolled ham). It will make the ordering process so much smoother. I also recommend asking for the veggies on the side to avoid making your bread soggy. I called to put in my order and they told me it would be a 20-25 minute wait so I’m glad I called beforehand. If this is your first time trying Banh mi, I recommend either the roasted pork or the grilled chicken for sure! You won’t be disappointed.

CherryBerry Self-Serve Yogurt Bar – Menu with Prices – 5107 S Louise Ave, Sioux Falls

Alright so let’s start off by a disclosure of stating that me and my wife enjoy our frozen yogurt one of my favorites is salted caramel it’s so good so anyway we go to Cherry Berry tonight who walk-in we’re both adults and children of our own it was just me and the wife tonight looking for some frozen yogurt to soothe our bellies we walk in and we see all the different flavors of yogurt now and it normal person that walks into a yogurt shop doesn’t always necessarily know exactly which flavor of yogurt they want to get so you get a sample cup like any other yogurt shop in the United States you get a sample cup so that way you can sample the yogurt before you buy the yogurt at $0.45 an ounce which is incredibly expensive you would think they can afford a sample now if you have people that are abusing the samples for employees serve the sample cups but don’t take the samples away not for anything but you just lost $60 tonight between myself and my wife that’s on you and if you continue this fashion just like all the other yogurt shops that have shut down in Sioux Falls your shop will be next so anybody looking for frozen yogurt don’t go here because if you don’t like what you get you can’t return it

The Pumping Company – Menu with Prices – 1463 W Leland Ave, Chicago

This is the sister delivery company of Chicago Grilled Cheese and Mac Factory. Ordered take out and it was fast. Placed order online at 5:35 pm and the guy was at our door at 5:55 pm. Order the following: Pulled Pork Sandwich with French Fries for Dr M – pork was really good, nice and tender. Good BBQ flavor, wasn’t swimming in sauce (which I hate). Nice size sandwich…bun was toasted. Fries were hot and seasoned. Pot Roast (Dinner) for the Heiress Apparent – this was a big entree. Lots of potatoes and gravy on the bottom and a big pile of meat on top. Again the meat was tender and potatoes were good. I am bias when it comes to potatoes, so you really have to f*ck them up for me to not like them. She also got a Cookie Skillet with ice cream. Cookie came in a separate container and was warm with a side of chocolate sauce. Ice cream was in a separate container. Standard dessert. Steak Wrap with mashed potatoes and gravy – I got this. Veggies were fresh but not a lot of meat in the wrap. It was light and had a good flavor, but I would not order this again. Overall this was a solid performance and I would definitely order from them again. I will consider upgrading the review once I try something else.

Chuanyu Fusion ???? – Menu with Prices – 7011 W Hefner Rd, Oklahoma City

Yay!! Finally a Delish Szechuan restaurant in the north side of Okc! This place is a hidden gem! It’s new, only been opened a few weeks but my hubby and I have already eaten here twice in one week. First impressions are everything. Our first time eating here, we came in at 3pm on a Wednesday, so it was a bit dead. Not a problem. Just means our meals will be coming faster. Our waitress was very attentive and sweet. Place was nice and clean. Bathroom was very clean! You can have big Barrie’s here too. It’s cozy and plenty of seating. Parking isn’t too bad either. 1st visit: As for food, we ordered what we normally order at a restaurant that serves Szechuan style food. My favorites are: cucumber dish, cool chicken and steamed bacon. The chicken dish, I would say, was a bit different that what I’m use to… there were peanuts on it and the chicken was a bit bland. It could have used a bit more flavor… the cucumbers, did NOT disappoint. It was soooo yummy! If you love cucumbers, you must order 2! Steamed bacon was a hit too. Flavor was on point, it was nicely thinly sliced, and wrapped in a cucumber. We all ordered the minced pork noodles thinking this was a stir fry dish, bc the picture showed a dry noodle dish and it also said stir fry, but when it came out, it was soup. I was a bit confused, but if you read closely on the menu, it’ll say that these pics are for reference only. ? We did enjoy the soup tho. Flavor was all there. 2nd visit: this was 2 days later when we tried it again. Friday night. Same waitress. Super sweet. We ordered our steamed bacon, cucumbers, and a braised pork belly dish because my husband loves this kind of stuff. Well, when it came out, it had 3 homemade steamed buns with it… ok a fan of homemade, so o was happy to try it. Sad to say, we did not like the taste of the braised pork. It has a weird herbal taste to it… had was not tasty. My took one bite to try it and didn’t eat it again. My hubby took several bites and did say it was not what he was looking forward to. It just lacked flavor… from other restaurants, this dish is never left w any leftovers. With our meal, I had a avocado smoothie w boba… and they got I down with their smoothie. I was very impressed. So I will def try other drinks next time. I would also like to try their desserts too. This is my honest review of what we had here, we enjoyed it very much, and will def be back. Overall, I give this place a 5 bc it’s new and they impressed us!