Eating the Globe: Tonga

This was a heavy, heavy meal. I just woke up from an uncomfortable nap, very thirsty.

I got the 3-item combo.

The creamed spinach with canned corned beef was my favorite. The key ingredient, I suspected, was mayonnaise.

I also had a teriyaki turkey tail. I couldn't eat more than three bites of it because it was almost all completely fat. If you choose turkey tail as a part of the 3-item combo, you actually get two turkey tails. But when the owner Katalina was about to put the second one in my styrofoam container, I turned it down.

The third item was lamb wrapped in taro leaves. It was delicious but had a lot of little bones and gristle.

As for starch, you could choose from taro, sweet potato, or green banana. I opted for the more familiar white rice.

The owner was extremely gracious. She explained to us everything about the food, the Tongan community in the Bay Area, and the history of Tongans in the United States. She wanted us to try everything in the steam table so she gave us a "New Zealand sausage". It was mild and made in Los Angeles. She then started scooping out corned beef wrapped in taro leaves for us. We had to yell at her (in a friendly way) to insist that we had more than enough food.

We washed our meals down with this huge container of otai. It consisted of pieces of mangoes and coconuts.

I'm going to wait for a couple of months before my mind and body will be ready for a Samoan meal.

East Bay Express review here.

Countries tried so far:


Africa: Egypt, Ethiopia, South Africa


Asia: Afghanistan, Burma, China, India, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Lebanon, Malaysia, 
Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, Yemen


Europe: Bosnia, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Lithuainia, Sweden


North America: Canada, El Savador, Mexico, USA

South America: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru, Venezuela

Oceania: Tonga

Eating the Globe: Progress Map

Not bad! 38 countries so far.

Eating the Globe: Canada

Canada was easy. I just had to find a place with decent poutine. I found it at a bar in San Jose. The secret-- duck fat.

What made it even more enjoyable was the company. Blake Rong was in the Bay Area to review a tiny Kawasaki motorcycle. We had a blast over some beers. That guy had some stories.

Today, I go for Tongan!

Countries tried so far:
Africa: Egypt, Ethiopia, South Africa
Asia: Afghanistan, Burma, China, India, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Lebanon, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, Yemen
Europe: Bosnia, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Lithuainia, Sweden
North America: Canada, El Savador, Mexico, USA
South America: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru, Venezuela

Eating the Globe: Lithuania

I've been looking forward to this. We had a late morning appointment in Alameda, the Island That Rust Forgot. So for lunch, we hit Mama Papa Lithuania Restaurant. I had a drive to San Jose after lunch, so I passed on the beer and got a bread kvass instead. It's a non-alcoholic drink made with fermented rye bread. It's slightly sweet and has the texture of beer. Very refreshing.

We started with the appetizer special, fried pirozhki(sp?) with cheese and mushroom inside. The dough was thin and flaky and the filling was perfect. The dipping sauce was ketchup. Weird.

We split the stuffed cabbage entree (meat, rice, sausage) and the staff was kind enough to serve it on two plates. It was all kind of bland, as I expected of northern European food, but there was a spicy aftertaste. I couldn't tell what the spice was. Perhaps paprika. The sides were potatoes, dill pickles, and marinated garlic.

Countries tried so far:
Africa: Egypt, Ethiopia, South Africa
Asia: Afghanistan, Burma, China, India, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Lebanon, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, Yemen
Europe: Bosnia, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Lithuainia, Sweden
North America: El Savador, Mexico, USA
South America: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru, Venezuela

Rocket launched from new cosmodrome in Vostochny

Sanchez: Is Kazakhstan worried that Russia will completely stop using Baikonur?

Baikonur latitude: 46 degrees
Vostochny latitude: 51 degrees

Legos battleship

His poor wife.

Torque from 1000hp Celica sheers off lug nuts

Skip to 3:30.

Francisco's 3000GT VR4 Spyder on BAT

This car is bonkers, and beyond clean. Auction link here. Good luck! My write-up here.

Ford Shogun!

I definitely lusted after this car when it came out in high school.

Watching this video has me pining for back issues of Car & Driver. Specifically, I'm looking for a complete paper collection from 1988 to 1992. Anyone have any ideas on how I can get my hands on them?

Bolivian cholitas climbing mountains

Hyundai Genesis used to write message for space station

Food in Tonga and Fiji

I found three nearby Pacific Islander restaurants. One is Tongan, one is Samoan, and one is Indian Fijian. And in my research, I found this BBC series that's on YouTube called Cooking In the Danger Zone.

Here is the episode that covers Fiji and Tonga. I learned that the typical canned corned beef in Britain has 10% fat. The canned corned beef sold in Tonga has 25% fat. New Zealanders won't eat the fatty belly of mutton, so it is sold as cheap meat in Tonga. It was such an unhealthy food, Fiji banned its import.

I can buy this canned corned beef in the Fijian market next door to the Fijian restaurant. Do these brands look familiar to you New Zealanders and Australians?

American versus Soviet fighter jets

Before a race at Red Bull Racing

The day after a race at Red Bull Racing

How do vending machines work?

CCTV Africa

Finding video news about Africa is difficult. France24 is in French. No traditional American media outlet has a presence there. Al Jazeera sometimes has decent stuff. And Vice videos are a bit too dudebro for me.

CCTV Africa fills the void, a bit. You've got high def cameras, which actually give you a glimpse of what these faraway countries look like. Most of the stories are benign so there's no overt propaganda going on. Give it a try.

Iggy Pop, Candy

Iggy Pop just turned 69!

Red Bull F1 factory tour

Tesla Model S alternatives

Last Thursday and Friday, while out and about in San Francisco and Walnut Creek, I spotted more than 30 Model Ss on the streets. The area is flooded with them. I know they're supposed to take sales away from large luxury cars like the Mercedes S-Class, but I just can't imagine Model S owners buying S-Classes instead if the Model S never existed. I would have thought they would go for something more modest, like a 5-Series BMW.

So I am going to ask Model S owners what they would have bought instead of a Model S. I am putting my findings on the right-hand column of this blog. So far, one Model S owner said he wasn't going to get another car at all, and another said he would have gotten a Nissan Leaf instead.

My goal is to ask 100 Model S owners on the street/in the parking lot.

What do you think they would have bought?

CNET's Brian Cooley reviews G63 AMG

Cooley is a funny guy. Did I mention that I saw him at this year's Anti-Football Run? He's tall.

Good guy Canadian PM

At Jarry metro today with @JustinTrudeau - a broken escalator makes it hard for some to get to their metro #cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/J0OSXbpTZb

— Adam Scotti (@AdamScotti) April 16, 2014

Paper airplane machine

View post on imgur.com

737 engine chair

Eating the Globe: Argentina

Very proud of this. A friend and I finished this Parrillada for Three. It's from a food truck next to Fisherman's Wharf, of all places. The meat was tender, juicy, and full of flavor. The proprietor even said if we were still hungry after eating the platter, he'd give us more!

From top left, clockwise: Filet mignon, short ribs, skirt steak, pork ribs, Italian sausage, chicken.

Countries tried so far:
Africa: Egypt, Ethiopia, South Africa
Asia: Afghanistan, Burma, China, India, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Lebanon, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, Yemen
Europe: Bosnia, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Sweden
North America: El Savador, Mexico, USA
South America: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru, Venezuela

Space shuttle wiring

Eating the Globe: Nepal

This was bad.

If you ever had the fortune of sitting across from me and watching me eat, you'll know that I will eat anything and I will finish everything on the plate. 

Not this time.

The menu said this goat curry was a traditional Nepalese dish. Everything was so bland. Plus, the goat had so many little bones, it became a chore to eat.

On Thursday, I'm going to eat at an Argentine meat place.

Countries tried so far:
Africa: Egypt, Ethiopia, South Africa
Asia: Afghanistan, Burma, China, India, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Lebanon, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, Yemen
Europe: Bosnia, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Sweden
North America: El Savador, Mexico, USA
South America: Brazil, Chile, Peru, Venezuela

Surviving the Darien Gap

A bit overly dramatic and obviously the guy had a support crew, but this is the most well-made depiction of the Gap.

Johnny Depp is sorry, Australia

He and his wife brought two dogs to Australia without reporting them to customs. His punishment was making this video.

Egyptians playing Russian anthem

1. My 7th grade band was better.
2. Putin looks displeased.

Bahrain GP behind-the-scenes photos

Thanks to Tarlan for these. The photos of the happy marshals/fans are almost more fun than the photos of the F1 drivers (from the present and the past).

Photos of North Korean metro

Hat tip to Chris.

More here.

Whom to root for in F1

Nico Rosberg is having a great run. He has won the last six races overall and the first three races of the season. I still think Hamilton is going to win the championship. But if Nico clinches it in 2016, I will have to find a new underdog to support.

In looking at the current roster, here are the candidates:
Most wins without a championship
Rosberg (17)
Massa (11)
Ricciardo (3)

Most podiums without a win
Grosjean (10)
Bottas (8)
Perez (5)

Cheesy Chinese New Year Singapore Pizza Hut ad