Lou MC Yelps a Lot

At the end of 2019, Dwight Sung, President of Asian Pacific American Heritage Association (APAHA), reached out and invited me to join their Board to build community engagement with restaurants in Houston’s Chinatown. Since I often promote businesses in Chinatown with my quarterly foodie meetup event, Chinatown Crawl HTX, I gladly accepted the offer.  After the Lunar New Year Festival in late January, I met with Xfinity Indirect Sales team member Hong Sang who coordinated outreach efforts with local sales teams at area Chinese supermarkets. Unfortunately, this year’s Festival had a lower turn out due to public concerns of the Coronavirus outbreak in China and the possibility it would also come to Chinatown. Additionally, distressed shop owners were sharing how business has gone down in their stores. When I heard this, I was a bit skeptical because I usually visit Chinatown stores during the middle of the week and I didn’t notice any change in foot traffic.  I decided to l...

Tainan Bistro serves lots of delicious Taiwanese food. Unless you read Chinese, you can't understand what's on the menu hanging on the wall. So, let me break it down for you. There are 5 panels: Side Dishes (check the cooler for availability) Noodles Dumplings Pot Stickers Rice Dishes Beverage & New Items Noodles (2nd Panel) Noodles Panel 牛肉麵 $6.95 - Beef Soup Noodles 牛肉蓋澆陽春麵 $6.95 - Beef Topped Noodles 榨菜肉絲湯麵 $6.00 - Preserved mustard with pork strips soup noodles 雪菜肉絲湯麵 $6.00 - Preserved vegetable with pork strips soup noodles 番茄雞蛋麵 $6.00 - Tomato scramble eggs over noodles 鮮蝦小餛飩麵 $6.75 - Shrimp won ton soup noodles 豬排麵 $6.95 - Pork chop soup noodles 雞排麵 $6.95 - Chicken Steak soup noodles 魚排麵 $7.75 - Fish Steak soup noodles 切仔麵/米粉 $5.50 - Minced Pork Plain Noodles /Rice Noodles 凉麵 $5.25 - Cold Noodles (dry) 全家福 - Family Portrait - Fish, pork 砂鍋牛肉粉絲湯 - Clay pot beef strips rice noodle soup 蝦炒麵 $6.75 - Shrimp Chow Mein 雞炒麵 $6.50 - Chicken...

Past weekend was the final week of HAAPI Film Festival. It was my pleasure to attend the screening of MELE MURALS and meeting the film director Tadashi Nakamura. I'm a big fan of his work. I watched his earlier film Jake Shimabukuro: Life on Four Strings on Xfinity on Demand in April, when it was available from CAAMFest sponsorship . So glad to pose with my favorite Asian film director, Tad Nakamura I couldn't believe he is a fourth generation Japanese American lives in LA and never lived in Hawaii. But he was able to bring the best of his ability to help the audience to experience the actors' reality. Both movies are based on true stories with a documentary format. However, it requires more knowledge about Hawaii when you watch Mele Murals. I asked someone after the movie as if she knew certain cultural references. But without those Hawaiian terms, the movie will not make sense. Tad was at CAAMfest in SF. So...Same feeling with Kumu Hina from last year's sc...

3 years ago when Brian D hosted his first meetup at Xinjiang BBQ, I already set my eyes on hosting an UYE (Unofficial Yelp Event) myself. This is not a remake. Instead, this unique traveling experience will take your taste bud around the western, northeastern and northern regions of China. Today's cuisine is from Xinjian to Dongbei to Jiangsu. Geographically speaking, Xinjiang is in the far west of China (light brown shaded area on the map) It's close to Mediterranean. So, the food tends to have more spices, but not pungent like Sichuanese food. Charcoal grilled skewers are made popular in this region. Let's begin our journey with two of each  Lamb Skewer  ($11 per 10) 新疆羊肉串 and  Beef Skewer  ($11 per 10) 烤牛肉串 per person. I do not recommend eating every skewer flavor on the menu. Because it lacks variation with spices. It will be extremely boring at the end. Trust me. I don't want to disappoint you as I did this before. Instead of a typical stir fried...

This is for my guests at  Hotpot Year of the Rooster UYE @ 75 Yummy Kitchen .  Today’s menu is based on a popular hotpot style in Beijing with Sichuan spices. It’s only available at 75 Yummy Kitchen. In Chinese 羊蝎子火锅 literally means “Sheep Scorpion Hotpot”. No worry, there's no scorpion in our food. But the shape of goat spine resembles scorpion.  Sheep Scorpion hotpot menu at 75 Yummy Kitchen The chef at 75 Yummy Kitchen prepares the goat meat by the pound and cook up the soup with Sichuan spices. Our guests can indulge in a hot pot with the following ingredients: Fresh vegetables like: Napa cabbage, lettuce, shredded potatoes, chrysanthemum 茼蒿, cilantro, dried tofu skin, enokitake mushroom, youzai 油菜, black fungus 黑木耳, button mushroom, sweet potato slices, lotus root, konjac 魔芋, taro, lunch meat, kelp, tofu cubes, daikon,   We can order additional meats: duck's gizzard, intestine, shrimp, sheep, beef, fish ball, shrimp ball, pork blood pudding 猪血, fi...

Yummy Kitchen 柒伍龙虾 as known as 75 Yummy Kitchen is our featured restaurant of #ChinatownCrawl UYE on Friday, December 9, 2016 . The following is the menu items we selected to fit the #NightMarket style street vendor dishes. Red doodles are the selected menu items. I first discovered Yummy Kitchen was when it changed ownership. That was when I met Sherry, the owner. I told her about Yelp. And, I quickly wrote a review and posted photos on Instagram. Initially, they only serve Malatang, all-you-can-eat buffet and crawfish in 4 different flavors. Then, she found a different way to attract customers. She hired two reputable chefs "flown" in from Sichuan in June. She invited me to try the new menu but I was travelling. I met her last Friday to discuss my idea of night market 夜市 food crawl. I want my guests to try their trademark item Sichuan Grilled Fish 四川烤鱼 with Spicy Garlic Sauce as a centerpiece. She said they use striped bass 鱸魚, not tilapia because they want the int...

As much as I love Yelping with my app, I have to slow down on checking in everywhere. Because check-in slows me down with my daily routine. First, I have to take time to pull out my phone. Second, the moment I turn it on, it started to use cell phone data. Third, I don't mind using phone data much but some apps start to synchronize to their servers (such as Google Maps app), which slowing me down. Moreover, I'd rather spend time enjoying life than getting distracted with the apps. I can live without technology when I really don't have the time. This was captured a year ago.  As you may have seen I claimed so many baronies before. At one time, I had 8. Now, I only want to focus on Baron of Chinatown. It's the neighborhood I know best and the area I explore often on my days off. I want to be the go-to person or the Local Guide in Chinatown. If Yelp offered an ambassador position in Houston, I would apply. Starting 2017, I have a few projects lined up to help ...

For many year, I was a champion in fundraising for United Way at work. I decided to share my idea on how to manage a coffee stand to raise money. The idea is to "bring the cafe to your desk" - save your colleagues' time from going to the break room to get coffee and cookies. To further your profit, you may use supplies from your break room. For the most part, I go to  JKS Houston Restaurant & Equipment Supplies  for serving stuff and Kroger Store in Spring Branch for baked goods. I have used this logo on all communications. Supplies Needed: Ground coffee about $5 per bag; Cookies from local bakery ($10 per dozen); Foam cups and lids from restaurant supply store ($5); Containers of sugar, creamer and sugar alternatives ($5); Hot chocolate package ($1.75/box per 10 bags) Hot cider packages ($2.00/box per 10 bags) Energy bars ($3/box per 18 piece value pack) Napkins ($2/ pack store brand) Stirrers ($2/pack from dollar store) Material Needed: ...

Here is a collection of all of my Time for Taiwan experiences in 2016. In order to appreciate Time for Taiwan Restaurant Month, I created events on Yelp in Houston and Dallas . I carefully edited out incorrect information and add what I know to post. Making it easier for Yelpers to simply click on the restaurant link and proceed to check-in or whatever they want. This is my 2nd year promoting Time for Taiwan on Yelp.  I didn't have enough time to recruit my Yelper friends to do the same in their cities. It's a very time consuming process and organizer made the announcement so late. They used last year's date to be the special promo day. It should be July 17, not July 11. There are so many restaurants in Houston, but not many serve Taiwanese food. Every weekend I visit one restaurant: 7/16 - Boba Lounge  - I tried Guaboa 割包 and Oden 關東煮. 7/23 -  Star Snow Ice & Teriyaki - I tried tofu soup 豆花 and braised pork over rice 滷肉飯. 7/29 -...

The story about Jing 5 is posted on a mural outside of restaurant. But it's all in Chinese. I've decided to translate the entire text for your convenience, instead include it in my review . It's better than sitting outside looking at the wall and use Google Translate app tor translate word by word. You can find a mission statement posted on the interior of walls. “Wang Songlin’s First Jingwu Duck Neck Store” was established in 1991. It was located at the corner of Jingwu Street in famous Hankou. The store operates under the philosophy of first in quality, first in sanitation and first in reputation. It obtained a chain-business model and built a unique food factory base and sales network. There are over 200 stores, Wang Songlin’s “Jingwu's First Store” was the first to participate in the 8th Annual China Food Fair in 2002. It became China Food Fair’s designated supplier. “Jingwu First Store” received a registered trademark in 2003. It was awarded for Food Qua...

In a preparation for another Chinatown Crawl, I want to sort the business names in a manageable fashion. The following businesses are currently the occupants at Jusgo Plaza 百佳廣場 in Chinatown. Businesses at Jusgo Plaza Jusgo Plaza and Metropole Center are separated by a thin strip of cement. The roof tiles are similar. There isn't an official sign for Jusgo Plaza. Oh well. # Business Name Formerly 9288 Mandalay Dental 9284 Thanh Noi Sandwich Shop 9280 Jusgo Supermarket  百佳超市 9264 Lucky Dragon  新龍圖飯店 龍圖飯店 9262 Lai Lai Dumpling House  來來餃子館 9260 Xin Jiang BBQ  新疆燒烤 9258 Eastern Foot Massage  東方足浴 9256 Olympic Chinese Bakery  世運餅家 9252C Szechuan House  老成都 9252 Yang Win Gift Shop  珠成 9252A Star Snow Ice  明星冰谷 Clinic Related:  http:...

In a preparation for another Chinatown Crawl, I want to sort the business names in a manageable fashion. The following businesses are currently the occupants at Metropole Center 新都城商場 in Chinatown. As of June 1, 2016, these are the occupants at Metropole Center. I personally hate to read reviews at wrong businesses. Chinese characters are added for reviewer's conveniences. Last column shows formally known name from previous owner. # Current Business Formerly 9398 Chef Liu Restaurant 重慶餐館   new Ding Ding HK Tea House   德輝茶餐廳 9390 Central China Restaurant   滋味湖南 中央飯店 Tailor  洋裁 9388  King's Salon   黃志仁喜倫美容院 9384  Six Ping Bakery   六品西點麵包店 9380   Yuan Ten Restaurant   雲天燒臘麵家 9358   ANL Express   新干线快递 9356  Healing Foot   9354...