Southern Comfort Food!

06/27/24: Louisville, KY

As my previous post states, I am looking forward to sharing more about San Francisco eateries with you! However, I had to devote a post to one of my favorite food franchises I discovered while visiting the state of Kentucky.

For most of my life, my travels have taken me around the majority of the West Coast of the United States. As I grew up on this side of the country, I am incredibly partial to it and can write at length about what it has to offer in terms of site-seeing and cuisine. However, I have always been curious about visiting the other side of the country, and it just so happens that I had the opportunity to do just that this summer! Throughout this trip, I was on a mission to find some of the most delicious, quintessentially southern foods that I possible could. Out of all the food I tried on this trip, I have to give a special shout out to Biscuit Belly!

This branch of Biscuit Belly is situated in an up-and-coming neighborhood in Louisville, KY called “NuLu”. This area of Louisville has become known for its art galleries, night life, distilleries, and antique stores. For new residents, this is an area that is highly sought after. Biscuit Belly is one such novelty franchise that makes it worth exploring. Offering a modern twist on southern comfort food, I had to indulge in the Edgy Veggie, a breakfast sandwich with egg and fried green tomatoes, and “bonuts” (biscuit donuts) during my first visit. The biscuits themselves were divine–fluffy, buttery, and exactly what I was hoping to experience when I ate the sandwich. They served as a perfect complement to the slight tang of the fried green tomato and umami of the salted runny egg. The “bonuts” were a wonderfully indulgent sweet treat to go along with the breakfast sandwich. On my second visit (yes, I went back a second time!!) I tried the Love Shack, an open-faced biscuit sandwich with berries, pralines, brie, and honey drizzle. I would return for a third time just to get that sandwich alone! Such a wonderful balance of fluffy biscuit and sweetness to cut through the buttery brie.

If you ever visit the South, I highly recommend you try out Biscuit Belly!

A New Chapter: San Francisco

04/14/2024: San Francisco, CA

It has been almost five years exactly since my last post. After a long hiatus, I am excited to resume sharing noteworthy bakeries with you, specifically located in my new home: San Francisco!

After a long Muni ride one Saturday afternoon, I happened to stumble upon one of the best kept secrets on Fillmore street: Tarragon Cafe. From the moment you step inside this quaint corner cafe, you know it is something special. The cafe offers an array of sweet and savory selections such as pastries, sandwiches, salads, flatbreads, and more. I was keen to try the veggie flatbread (one of my go-to’s in any restaurant) and the lemon bar (to get my sweet fix). The veggie flatbread was loaded with roasted tomato, caramelized onion, and a variety of herbs and spices which perfectly balanced the tang of the crumbled feta cheese on top. The chew of the bread was satisfying, and not too thin. I would happily go back just for the flatbread alone.

The lemon bar took my experience to another level. The balance of tangy lemon flavor and sweet from the powdered sugar was nothing short of divine. The crumb was a noteworthy balance of chewy and flaky–a combination that is hard to do well, but was executed with care and balance. To settle my palate, I opted for a matcha latte that was smooth, earthy, and easy to enjoy.

If you have a spare moment and an empty stomach, I highly recommend visiting the Tarragon Cafe.

Link to Tarragon Cafe: https://tarragoncafe.com

Paris, J’taime

4/26/2019–Paris, last day of the trip. After taking our time exploring the French countryside, my sisters and I ended our trip where it all started: Paris. We packed our sight-seeing into two days, taking in everything we couldn’t see during the first part of the trip. On the 28th, we had to bid farewell to this beautiful city. Both of my sisters were gone before 9:00am, which allowed me to spend my day deciding where to go and what to eat before my flight left in the afternoon.

Since it was a Monday, not many stores were open. However, I was determined to review one more French bakery before heading back to the States. After some quick research, I decided to visit a boulangerie located close by called Poilane. This bakery specializes in crafting a diverse assortment of bread loaves and croissants. As I passed by their shop, these delicacies were on full display (see image below).

Everything in the bakery looked so enticing, but I opted to purchase something easily totable. I bought two miniature baguettes from the shop, a cup of coffee from the neighboring convenient store, and headed on my way.

After strolling by a park near the Eiffel Tower, I parked myself on a bench and took in my surroundings. It felt rather peaceful for a city so well known for its bustling crowds. After taking a sip of coffee, I took a bite of the baguette I purchased from Pouline. The richness of the baguette truly caught me by surprise; I did not know a miniature baguette could pack so much flavor. I really shouldn’t have been surprised though–the best baguettes do indeed come from France. The rich, fluffy texture of the baguette left me feeling quite satiated. Although leaving Paris felt rather bitter, enjoying this baguette while taking in the view of the Eiffel Tower was the best farewell I could have asked for. 

Click here to feed your wanderlust

A Glimpse of Southern France

South of France, first trip to Europe. My sisters and I are driving to Font-de-Gaume, a famous historic cave that showcases original polychrome paintings created by the people who resided here around 17,000 years ago. After making the hour-long drive and arriving well before opening hours to secure tickets, we decided that we needed some breakfast to maintain our pleasant moods. We drove to a nearby community called Les Eyzies-de-Tayac-Sireuil, an UNESCO world-heritage site and former commune with incredible cliff-side dwellings.



A photo of the Musée national de Préhistoire

Apart from visiting France to enrich our knowledge of history and feast our eyes on verdant landscapes, we traveled here to indulge ourselves in French pastries. As we strolled through downtown Les Eyzies-de-Tayac-Sireuil, we approached a patisserie called Margot: Pains a l’ancienne Patissierie. Enticed by the scent of freshly baked bread and brewing coffee, we decided to eat breakfast here. My sisters and I entered the shop with high expectations, and this patisserie did not disappoint. On one side of the establishment, a display was set with a wide selection of eclairs, tarts and pies. On the other side, fresh baguettes of varying shapes and sizes lined the shelves.

Every item in the shop looked incredibly inviting, but the soft orange hue of an apricot croissant caught my eye; I decided to eat this for breakfast. Taking my first bite, I was immediately met with the tangy, sweet flavor of the apricot. The flaky, pillowy texture of the croissant added depth and contrast against the prominent flavor of the fruit. Flaky salt dusted on top of the croissant provided more texture and a noticeable enhancement of flavor. Overall, this was one of my favorite pastries that I ate in France. After my sisters and I washed down our pastries with a warm cup of coffee, we resumed our day feeling satiated and content.

For anyone enjoying a quiet getaway in the French countryside nearby, this is the place to visit when you need a quick and delicious pick-me-up.

Click here to learn more about Font-de-Gaume