Lunch @ H-Mart

H-Mart is this really awesome Asian market in Burlington, MA (they have other locations as well). Besides being your typical Asian food market, they have a food court with meals made fresh to eat, a bakery, and a lot of little sectioned off kiosks selling everything from toys and Kpop merchandise to beauty products.

I've been there to buy snacks before but they have a food court and bakery which I had never been to until yesterday. Walking around the store, it's hard to not want one of everything just to try (I had to resist spending all my money on candy, tea, and ice cream) and it's the same way when you go to the food court. They have Korean, Japanese, Chinese, and Vietnamese food of all types. While I was there I had some unagi sushi and red bean bubble tea. I love bubble tea so much and they make it almost smoothie like, with chunks of ice. I try to get a new flavor every time I try it somewhere and so this time it was red bean. The verdict? Delicious. The boba were the perfect texture as well. I also shared some dumpling noodle soup with my friend Elle since the portions are so large.

Afterwards I got a slice of sweet potato cake, which was really light and fluffy but also super filling at the same time. I think it actually had chunks of sweet potato in the cake, which might be why I couldn't finish it, despite how delicious it was.

Why Diner Food Is The Greatest and A Review of The Red Arrow

Dinah's 2x2x2: two slices of french toast with strawberries and whipped cream, 2 eggs over easy, and two sausage links smothered in maple syrup @ Red Arrow Diner

Every time my family used to go on road trips, it was mostly about the food, hence why I was a very chubby child. My dad would look online and at guide books for days prior to our trips in order to plan the routes mostly around diners and barbecue joints. I grew up eating a lot of diner food, and consider diners to be one of the greatest things left over from America's past. The employees of diners always have this certain joyful, playful mood about them and seem to genuinely care about their customers, whether they're regulars or first-timers. The atmosphere of diners is something I wish more restaurants had, but I think it's something specific to diners only. I'm just incredibly comfortable when I'm eating at one, and completely in my element. Though diners are becoming a rare occurrence nowadays, which is slightly depressing, every time I find one (and a good one at that), I'm overjoyed.
The very first time I went to the Red Arrow, I was maybe 12 or 13. My dad took us up to Manchester from our then home in Massachusetts, for the sole purpose of having diner food. It was pouring rain and just generally icky out, but the diner was still crowded and we waited a good ten or more minutes to get three seats at the counter. Then again, I should probably mention the place is famous and has a long list of celebrities who have eaten there, not to mention they've won more awards than I can probably count. It's not constantly crowded, that's reserved mostly for weekends, and the longest you have to wait is usually a couple minutes. It's totally worth it anyway.

I know I should be more adventurous and I usually am at most restaurants, but at diners, I tend to get breakfast. 99% of the time, I will get breakfast. I have always been this way and do not see me changing my habits any time soon. Anywhere that has breakfast all-day, 24/7 is amazing in my book. I believe the first time I went to Red Arrow, I got Dinah's 2x2x2 (pictured above) or at least something similar.
Now that I'm living in Manchester, I was absolutely thrilled when I realized the Red Arrow was about a ten minute walk from my apartment. Guess what I got? Breakfast. Dinah's 2x2x2 in fact, and it was just as delicious as I had remembered.  So far, everything I've ever ordered from the Red Arrow has not disappointed. Remember to get some homemade pie!

The Red Arrow Diner is located at:
61 Lowell St
Manchester, NH 03101
They also have another location at:
63 Union Square
Milford, New Hampshire 03055
You can visit their website at http://www.redarrowdiner.com/ to view menus and even order pie / cake online.

Orange Leaf Frozen Yogurt

I'm a certified frozen dessert connoisseur, so I adore ice cream, frozen custard, slush, frozen yogurt, italian ice, popsicles... you name it. I can only recall having a bad ice cream experience once, unless you count eating flavors of Ben & Jerry's that I didn't quite like (but I don't count it since my complaint was usually the flavor was just too sweet, otherwise I probably would have liked it).
I had heard a while ago that an Orange Leaf was opening up in Salem. I had to look up what it was, but when I found out they served frozen yogurt, and all the different kinds / toppings they had, I was really excited. Usually the only time I get frozen yogurt is when I venture into Boston, to Pinkberry, and that's a rare occurrence.

lychee, raspberry, and peach frozen yogurt with raspberries,
slivered almonds, mango boba, and strawberry boba.

Today, while running errands, my boyfriend and I spotted it and noticed they were open, so of course, we had to go inside. The amount of flavors they had was almost overwhelming, but in a good way. It was just hard to decide. Since I get anxious frequently, especially in social situations, I really like that you get to go pick out everything yourself and then they just weigh it to determine how expensive it is. I hate having to talk to people and give them my order, especially if I'm taking a long time to decide, because then I feel rude and rushed, but maybe that's just me.

I'm usually not one to comment on the decor / atmosphere of a restaurant either, but everything was bright orange and green (two of my favorite colors), and the tables and chairs were oddly shaped. The bar stools looked like plastic orange steering wheels. Everything just looked really cool, clean, and spacious. I'm also ridiculous and really liked their spoons so I saved them and they are in my sink, waiting to be washed off.

The flavors of the frozen yogurt were really strong, not in an overpowering way, but in a good way. I think out of the three I tasted, the lychee was my favorite. The boba is unlike the tapioca pearls you get in bubble (aka boba) tea, which is what I was expecting. Instead, they're little balls that pop and gush out flavor when you bite into them. All in all, really delicious. Unfortunately, as per usual, my eyes were larger than my stomach and I ate only about 1/3 of my portion. Thankfully my boyfriend finishes everything I don't eat.

So, while Pinkberry is still number one on my list of favorite froyo places (probably just for the mochi, and it says on Orange Leaf's website that they have that as well, so I'm guessing the toppings and flavors just change frequently), I am definitely going back. I have to try the wedding cake flavored frozen yogurt, after all.

Someone Invent Never-Ending Cups, Please?

This is the best drink I have ever had in my life. I am not kidding. This is a crème brûlée latte from Gulu-Gulu Café.