Restaurant Review: Nitrolado's Latest Location Adds Awesome Food to the Menu!

Sasaki Time was invited to a media preview of the new Nitrolado in Westminster. Already known for their amazing nitro ice cream, signature churro bowls and crafted beverages, this latest location adds a large selection of small bites! With the addition of great indoor and outdoor seating areas, you have a perfect place for a meal and dessert!

Their are comfortable seating areas to make it feel like your new home away from home!

Not only could I not wait to have their nitro ice cream again, I was most interested in trying their new small bites menu! We started with the Honey Butter Sweet Potato Chips! The browned butter, California honey, sea salt and cracked pepper added to the crisp sweet potato chips and the perfect way to start!

We then got the Pho King Fries, be careful how you say that! But you get brisket, gravy, cheese, fresh herbs and house sauce over fresh fresh fries that combine to taste like a bowl of pho! Absolutely amazing and a new favorite!

How to Order a Pumpkin Juice at Starbucks - Instructional Video

Learn how to order pumpkin juice at Starbucks! It is a cool and refreshing drink! My favorite drink of the Fall for sure!

Snacking In The Parks: Secret Menu Item - The Zocalo Burrito from Rancho del Zocalo!

Take a look at this monstrosity, The Zocalo burrito! This is a secret menu item at Rancho del Zocalo in Frontierland. This massive burrito must be asked for and they will put in everything on the assembly line and topped with both red and green sauce! Look at the size of this burrito! It takes up the whole plate and is only $12.99!

Take a look at the video I posted below on my Instagram that shows this amazing burrito being constructed!

Have you had The Zocalo yet??? #disney #disneyparks #disneyland #frontierland #ranchodelzocalo #secretmenu #thezocalo #foodsofdisneyland #disneyfoodie #disneylandfoodie #disneygram #instadisney #disnerd #disneylove #disneyobsessed #disneymagic #disneyfans

A post shared by Jason Sasaki (@sasakitime) on Jul 28, 2017 at 3:28pm PDT

The water bottle in the photo below gives you an indication of just how large this burrito is! One of the best secret menu items in Disneyland and easily the largest! Oh, and it is just as delicious as it looks!

Snacking In The Parks: Late Night Menu at the Galactic Grill in Tomorrowland

Disneyland started a special late night menu at the Galactic Grill in Disneyland that starts at 9pm until the park closes! Now we did not try everything on the menu but here is what we did try:

First up is the green apple lemonade with a glow cube! Now many of you know that I am not a fan of anything sour but I do love green apple! The sour is very subtle and the drink is very refreshing! I would get this again!

Next up was the Lunar Space-adilla, a quesadilla with pepper jack cheese, Ortega chiles, chicken breast and served with a chipotle-ranch sauce. This was really delicious! My friend and I both ate the entire thing and the dipping sauce is a must. There is just the right amount of kick in it for me and I love spicy while my friend Dee does not like spicy but she loved it as well!

We also got the sweet chili sauce Star Clusters, a waffle bowl filled with crispy chicken bites over a blue cheese cole slaw and pickle chips. You can also choose from buffalo sauce if you don't like the sweet chili sauce. The chicken bites are large and flavorful while I wish the blue cheese cole slaw had more blue cheese. I love pickle chips and the waffle bowl was great but too bad it couldn't have been an actual waffle.

Last but not least is the Meteor Potato Bites, tater tots topped with chopped ground beef, caramelized onions, house sauce and sharp cheddar cheese sauce. The best way to describe this is animal style fries from In N Out! Seriously that good!

So a great menu if you are at Disneyland late! Now off to find more food in the parks!

Snacking In The Parks: Lobster Galley Chips from Harbour Galley

Take a look at the Lobster Galley Chips from Harbour Galley across from the exit of The Haunted Mansion! House-fried potato chips with a generous amount of lobster, cheddar cheese sauce, spicy-lime mayo and chives make this a great snack for yourself or to share! This is yet another "Fantasmic!"-inspired snack! These were delicious and cannot wait to get them again!

Copycat Legoland Apple Fries Recipe + Enter the #SoGoodTogether Contest!

I have gone to Legoland California every year since it first opened. From visiting with my parents, to my friends and loved ones, I love this park and they have one of my favorite snack items of all-time in any theme park! Granny's Apple Fries is a treat I discovered in the castle area and is something I get every single visit! After one bite, it will remind you of apple pie and here is how to make this awesome treat at home! I headed off to my local Smart & Final to pick up all of the ingredients.

What you need:

- 4 Granny Smith apples, which was easy as picking up these beautiful Granny Smith's from Smart & Final

- 1/2 cup of corn starch, which I used First Street Corn Starch

- 1/2 cup of sugar, which I used First Street Pure Cane Sugar

- 1/8 cup of cinnamon, which I used First Street ground cinnamon

- frying oil, which I choose to use First Street Vegetable Oil

- whipped cream of choice, which of course I used the First Street Dairy Whipped Topping

Directions:

1. Heat about one inch of oil in a deep frying pot over medium heat

2. Core and peel the apples. Then slice the applies into french fry pieces. Keeping the slices about the same size means they will cook evenly. Then toss the apple slices into corn starch and coat evenly.

3. In a separate bowl, combine both the sugar and the cinnamon and set that bowl aside for now.

4. In small batches, fry the apples for 2-3 minutes until lightly golden. Use a slotted spoon to remove the apples. Drain the apples on a paper towels or a brown paper bag. Sprinkle your apple fries quite liberally with the sugar and cinnamon mixture.

5. Continue frying the apples until all have been cooked and serve immediately with the whipped cream in a small bowl to dip them in. Enjoy!

So Good Together Photo Contest:

It comes as no surprise that Smart & Final loves Summer! What could be better that combining friends, fun, sun and of course food? How about winning a "So Good Together" Photo Contest? All you need to do is take a photo  at your next summer get together and use the hashtag #SoGoodTogetherContest for a chance to win $2,500 in SmartCash Gift Cards from Smart & Final! The picture with the most votes at the end of the contest will be the winner! For more information please 

 Food, friends, fun & sun... What could possibly be better? How about winning a “So Good Together” Photo Contest? Simply snap a pic during your next summer gathering and post it with #SoGoodTogetherContest for a chance to win $2,500 in SmartCash Gift Cards. The picture with the most votes at the end of the contest will be crowned the winner! For more information or to find your nearest location, please visit www.smartandfinal.com.

You can find the official contest rules here: So Good Together Smart & Final Photo Contest.

Eat, Pour, Love - The Wall Restaurant Review Written by: Kristen Nichols

Eat, Pour, Love - The Wall Restaurant Review

Written by: Kristen Nichols

Sasaki Time was recently invited to taste the delicious food and drinks at The Wall restaurant located in Old Towne Orange, CA.  We were lucky enough to sample a wide variety of their food and drink offerings and had the pleasure of speaking with some of the staff about the restaurant’s style and philosophy.  The Wall’s menu offers the flavors of traditional street food combined with the shareable design of tapas.  Their Elote Fries have a great aesthetic presentation while maintaining the flavor of traditional street-cart elote.  The Wall is also known for it’s Frito Pie, the only restaurant in Orange County that offers it, and it’s own delicious housemade Choco Taco.  There is also a specialty gourmet burger that changes with each month.  The burger for June is the spicy Green Chili Crunch burger complete with a bacon and ghost pepper aioli.   

The Elote fries with carnitas are flavorful and shareable...although you may want to keep them all for yourself!

The Green Chili Crunch Burger, burger of the month for June, complete with a Bacon and ghost pepper aioli.  Delicious and spicy!

Frito Pie with an egg on top.  The Wall is the only restaurant in Orange County that offers it!

Freshly made Peruvian Ceviche!  So delicious I made sure to take the leftovers!

Housemade Choco Taco - served with Thrifty brand ice cream, a stout chocolate sauce, and a chocolate stout waffle cone shell!  Amazing!

Generally, I’m not a fan of donuts but these Boozy Crullers with candied bacon and a maple bourbon glaze were probably my favorite thing we tried all night!  Light and crispy perfection!

The Wall boasts 55 beers on tap, the most beers on tap in Orange County.  Currently the servers are doing the pouring but a self-serve format is currently in the works.  The Wall will soon be implementing an electronic wrist-band system that allows patrons to select, order, and have their drink automatically dispensed from the tap.  They offer beers and ciders in 5oz taster, 13oz, or 16oz pours.   Patrons can also assemble their own custom flights comprised of four 5oz tasters.

From left to right: Red Nectar - Humboldt, Raspberry Wheat - Alaskan, Shower Beer - Solarc, Shellmaker - Gunwhale, Chocolate Sombrero - Clown Shoes.  My favorite was the Shower Beer from Solarc Brewing!

The Wall is a casual and friendly place to catch-up with loved ones or just hang out and watch the game.  Grab your friends and family and visit The Wall located at 80 Plaza Square in Orange, CA.  You can also check them out on Instagram at @thewall_restaurant or on Twitter at @thewall_orange.  Thank you so much to The Wall for hosting us and giving us an exclusive look at their delicious offerings!  See you there!

Guardians of The Galaxy: Mission Breakout Inspired Recipes - Ravager Fuel Pizza and Gamora's Matcha Pina Colada by Kristen Nichols

“Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout” - Ravager Fuel Pizza and Gamora’s Matcha Pina Colada

We’re “Hooked on a Feelin” that it’s time for a celebration!  Celebrate National Pizza Party Day (5/19) and get hyped up for the newest attraction at Disney California Adventure Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout, opening May 27th, with these easy-to-make recipes.  This Star-Lord approved pizza and Gamora’s Matcha Pina Colada are sure to please all the Guardians of your Galaxy!  Enjoy!

Ravager Fuel Pizza

This recipe combines fresh veggies, wholesome ingredients, and a classic family favorite to properly fuel any Guardian’s next mission.  The toppings can be varied to suit different tastes and dietary restrictions.  Best of all this recipe only takes an estimated 30-45 minutes to cook, making it a great weeknight dinner option.  “Groot said this pizza is frickin’ delicious...only he didn’t use frickin’.”

Makes 1 12” pizza, serves 2-4

Ingredients:

1 package Trader Joe’s pre-made whole wheat pizza dough*

1 small jar pizza sauce*

*We used Trader Joe’s brand but you can use whichever brand you prefer

1 package shredded mozzarella cheese

1 small zucchini (sliced in half once lengthwise and thinly sliced)

½ cup thinly sliced mushrooms

1 2.25oz can sliced olives

½ cup sun-dried tomatoes (optional)

1 clove garlic (minced)

You’ll also need:

¼ cup olive oil (to coat the baking sheet and drizzle on top of the pizza)

¾ cup flour (for rolling out the dough)

Directions:

1. Pre-heat the oven and prepare the pizza dough according to the instructions on the pizza dough package and lightly coat a baking sheet with half the olive oil (reserve the other half for later)
2. Once your dough has been rolled out to the desired thickness and width, transfer it onto a lightly oiled baking sheet.  Using a fork, puncture the dough several times to prevent the crust from puffing up.  Bake crust for 5-7 minutes.

*Trader Joe’s brand pizza dough does not specify the need to pre-bake your crust once it’s rolled out but we’ve found that pre-baking the dough ensures it is cooked thoroughly.

3. Once the crust is removed from the oven add sauce, cheese, zucchini, mushrooms, olives, and sun-dried tomatoes to taste.
4. Mix 1 clove minced garlic with remaining olive oil and drizzle over the top of the pizza
5. Bake for another 5-7 minutes or until cheese is melted and vegetables have softened
6. Let cool, slice, and enjoy!

Gamora’s Matcha Pina Colada

“If you like Pina Coladas...and Matcha Green Tea!”  My attempt at a song parody may be terrible but this drink is delicious!  This cool take on a summertime classic can be enjoyed on it’s own, as a sweet pairing with a meal, or dressed-up into a cocktail.  The melody is pleasing and so is this recipe!

Yields approximately 2 8oz drinks

Ingredients:

1 ½ cup ice

3 Tbsp Rishi brand Sweet Matcha green tea powder

8 oz pineapple juice

1 cup pineapple chunks

*Pro-tip: 1 20oz can of Dole pineapple chunks yields approximately 2 cups of pineapple chunks and 8oz of juice

4 oz coconut milk

Directions:

1. Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth (yep, that’s it!)
2. Enjoy!

For adults:

Add 2oz white rum

Layer with grenadine to finish

For kids:

Decorate with whipped cream and sprinkles

We hope you enjoy these fun sweet and savory recipes!  Leave a comment telling us how you are celebrating National Pizza Party Day and don’t forget to check out Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout in Disney California Adventure when it opens on May 27th, 2017.  Special thanks to @thehealthymouse for the heads up about National Pizza Party Day!  

Taste Testing The Sake KitKat So You Don't Have To!

I love KitKats and it is time to try the Sake KitKat from Japan! What will they taste like? Will it really taste like sake? Watch the video and find out! Let me do the taste testing so you don't have to!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Recipe for The Big Game! #GameDayGrub

With The Big Game quickly approaching, it is time to start thinking about what is going to be on your table! As a huge foodie, I am always thinking about food and what to bring to my friends party of the Big Game! 

I decided to make my famous Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip! I headed off to my local Smart & Final to pick up my ingredients! I love that Smart & Final always has exactly what I need! Where else can you find warehouse prices and market freshness? Plus, they are running an amazing contest to go along with the Big Game! 

Smart & Final is giving one lucky fan groceries for a year by simply guessing the correct Final Score in the Big Game on February 5th! 

To enter this awesome contest, click the link below:
Smart & Final 2nd Annual Final Score Sweepstakes

And that's not all! Smart & Final will also be hosting a Twitter Chat the day of the Big Game on February 5th from 12pm PST to 1PM PST. There will be a $150 Smartcash card given to a random winner who joins us and uses the hashtag #GameDayGrub during the Twitter Chat!

But while you are waiting for the Big Game let's go shopping for the ingredients for the chocolate chip cookie dough dip!

Now it's time to head home and make the chocolate chip cookie dough dip! 

Ingredients

• 1 8-ounce package cream cheese 
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1 cup toffee bits

Instructions

1. Cream together cream cheese and butter.
2. Add all remaining ingredients and mix until well-combined.
3. Serve with graham crackers or apple wedges.

Notes

Do NOT use reduced fat cream cheese as it may cause your dip to have the wrong consistency. 

The final product! Doesn't it look delicious? Now you can use apple slices, graham crackers or even cookies to dip into this chocolate chip cookie dough! 

Thank you to Smart & Final for inspiring me and sponsoring me to make this recipe! Enjoy the Big Game out there everybody!

To learn more about Smart & Final and their First Street products, visit and LIKE their Facebook page:

Smart & Final

*Disclosure: This is a sponsored post on behalf of Smart & Final*

Wine Review: Antigal Uno Mendoza Malbec 2013 (Argentina)

It is time for another wine review. This time it is for the 2013 Antigal Uno Mendoza Malbec from Argentina. The first thing you notice is the stunning bottle. That alone will give you reason to pick it up and bring it home. Then you open the bottle and are greeted with the aromas of plums, blackberries and spice.

Pouring out a glass and you notice the bold, rich red color. Your first sip brings you flavors of plums, blackberries followed by the taste of cocoa and tobacco. The bold flavors pair perfectly with lamb chops, steak, pork or any wild game.

This is a high quality wine that comes in at a surprisingly low cost of about $18 a bottle. To find out more, please check out their site:

bodegaantigal.com

I received the bottle to review but the opinions are strictly my own.

Snacking In The Parks: Handcrafted Donuts in Disneyland!

Of all the food items that needed to be added to the roster at The Disneyland Resort, it was handcrafted donuts! On Saturday I got my wish. While in a test phase, they are selling out every single day, and in most days, in a matter of a few hours. These donuts are made fresh on property and currently only sold at one place in the resort. You will find these donuts at the coffee cart on the left side of the castle in the Hub.

Let's get a closer look at the offerings!

First up is this Reese's Cup Chocolate Bar. For those of you that love peanut butter and chocolate imagine it mixed with a delicious soft, fresh made chocolate bar donut!

Next up is this frosted donut with M&M's and waffle cone pieces! This is a sugar rush and the crunchy waffle cone pieces perfectly balance with the softness of the donut and the hard candy shells of the M&M's!

Last but not least is my favorite of the three offerings! Behold the fruity pebble bar! I love fruity pebbles and adding it in this dose on top of a bar donut is perfection! I love the sweetness and the crunch of the fruity pebbles!

One more look at all three donut offerings!

A perfect day starts with a fruity pebble donut in front of the Sleeping Beauty Castle!

Hopefully these donuts find a permanent home at the resort! But until then, hurry to Disneyland and get you donuts now!

Giveaway: $25 Olive Garden Gift Card

Enjoy one of my favorite times of the year at Olive Garden! Never Ending Pasta Bowl is back until November 20th! Enter to win a $25 gift card now!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Snacking In The Parks: Fried Cheesecake from River Belle Terrace

My new favorite dessert is found in the River Belle Terrace in Disneyland! Behold the fried cheesecake! This twinkie -like cheesecake is a little bit of heaven!

The crispy batter with that soft cheesecake pairs perfectly with the vanilla cream and cherry pie filling sauce! This is going to be my go to dessert with a cup of coffee! Head to the River Belle Terrace and I will meet you there!