Did it Hurt? Just a Little - Dine & Dish no. 7 Like a Virgin

Did it hurt? Was it painful? Or was your first time every bit as glorious (!) and amazing (!) as all those books said it would be?

I’m talking about dining out ;) For the 7th edition of Dine and Dish, Like a Virgin, we all went out and tried something for the very first time, whether it was a new restaurant on the scene, our first visit to any restaurant, or our very first foray into uncharted cuisines.

For this summary, I have decided to to make this fun for myself and probably a little bit disturbing for the bloggers and readers, I have decided to use some choice quotes out of context from each blogger’s post to answer the very important question, “How was your first time?”

No more beating around the bush. Let’s just get down and dirty.

So… how was your first time?

“I think I end up comparing all my experiences to my first.”
- Joan of a Hungry Girl’s Guide to Taipei

If you’re hungry, and happen to be in Taipei, then use A Hungry Girl’s Guide to Taipei. This month we’re guided through the wilderness to Suntory (everytime I read/hear that, I giggle, thinking about Lost in Translation). However, Joan was totally dismayed to find that the Fried Rock Lobster Glazed in Caramel that had lured her there in the first place wasn’t being offered. No worries! She makes her own quasi-set meal. In the end, though, Joan says “you can get just as good food for half the price at other upscale Japanese restaurants.”

“the first time experience never really met the expecations from all the hype leading up to the real thing”
~ Mia from The Skinny Epicurean

Unfortunately Mia, like so many others, was disappointed. She decides to splurge on expensive Inagiku, but finds that “it was worth one visit, just to experience for myself, this seemingly ‘unaffordable’ restaurant but honestly, this is like a one-night-stand; I will be finding myself a new lover.” That's right, girl. Brush off, and move on!

“it certainly didn't suck”
~ Culinarily Curious

Let me tell you that for your first time, the counter is sort of awkward and uncomf…Oh, um. Uh, never mind. But if you’re trying The Counter Burger for the first time, that’s a different story! Culinarily Cusious visits the newly opened Counter in Palo Alto for a couple of burgers…in bowls. And though I pulled a somewhat misleading quote, her overall meal ensures “I'm quite sure there will be a next time.”

“I barely tasted it and swallowed it quickly”
~ Janet of Consumer Machine

Well, it looks like the first time at Piknic was a good enough time for Janet of the Consumer Machine that she went back a second time. In fact, it was so good, she made Piknic a three-peat. Gotta love Janet’s strange obsession with their seating…

“it tasted fishy”
~ DJ Deer, janet’s companion at Consumer Machine

As if eating at Piknic three times wasn’t enough, Janet heads over to Pinkberry, quite possibly the most hyped frozen yogurt since, well, frozen yogurt. The original is in West Hollywood, but with the opening of a Westwood location, hopefully the nasty letters left on windshields by WeHo residents has curbed. “Pastels and plastic - very appealing to my Asian girl sensibilities.” Good one, Janet, or shall I call you Bianca. ;)

“rather overwhelming at first, but soon dissipated to an imperceptible nuance”
~ August Gloop of Grab Your Fork

Augustus Gloop is quite possibly one of the most faithful Dine and Dish-ers (not that it’s that difficult since there have only been seven). AG goes all the way and makes it a threesome – AG, fellow foodblogger Saffron, and of course, Bagan, a Burmese restaurant in Sydney. In fact it was a veritable orgy of ordering a little bit of everything!

As a side note, I tried very hard to restrain myself from using the phrase “down under,” as AG predicted.

“consisted of things we have never seen before”
~ Julie of a Mingling of Tastes

Julie is off to try South Indian Food at Woodlands. She may have eaten her fair share of curries and naan during her study abroad in London, but there was a lot for her to learn about Southern Indian cuisine, which is geared toward a vegetarian diet. My guess is that even the hardest core canivore would be impressed by the gorgeous batura!

“though it was very flavorful and prepared well, the fatty parts were a little rich for me”
~ Kate of Pie in the Sky

I couldn’t resist that quote, soooo out-of-context. So going to the restaurant Applewood is a first, but dining together with her husband sure isn’t, since Kate and her husband were celebrating their two-year anniversary. Everyone say it with me now… “awwww.” Oh and the fatty parts? From Kate’s pork belly over pickled red cabbage and housemade pancetta.

“I’ve never been a big fan of meatballs” and “I’m not complaining, but a whole one of these would be overwhelming.”
~ Paula of Mango and Lime

Alright, so Paula and friends head over to Sheba, her first time there, and her first time with Ethiopian food, and was “No awkardness, no discomfort, mostly sublime.” Trust me, Paula, I know. It was like that for me too when I tried all those delicious vegetables, stews and bread for the first time last year.

“But I wanted to!”
~ The Happy Sorceress

The Happy Sorceress is funny, for I love a girl who loves her innuendos, but who knew Mr. Happy Sorcerer was funny, too? Since Stephanie reports that King Tut Grill was "the best dining experience of [their] lives that night," I guess it wasn't quite what Mr. Happy Sorcerer was expecting from a virginal experience, "somewhere not very good, chosen in the heat of the moment despite considerable advance planning, and where we'll regret having gone almost immediately."

“I want to see a whole loaf. “
~ Stuart on his Stuart Blog

Her name was Lola, she was a dancer, but in Cleveland, Lola was the most anticipated restaurant opening in Stuart’s memory. Stuart heads back to Chef Michael Symon’s restaurant after the recent grand reopening, and it sounds like he’ll be going back again and again because it “lived up to all the hype.” I don’t know. French toast with bacon ice cream?

“pointing and smiling will get you pretty far”
~ Foodie Universe

For all the studying of Spanish she did, Foodie Universe hadn’t yet tried Peruvian food! Luckily, a first-time visit to Fina Estampa has now made her a woman. Who knew that Peruvian food was influenced by Japanese and Chinese cuisines?

And finally, I, your not-so-humble and very-much-so-tardy, hostess…How was my first time?

“let the porn parade begin”
~ Sarahlicious of The Delicious Life

It's not my first time there, and certainly not my first time with sushi - I guess that means I'm Nelly Furtado. However, it was my first time in Sasabune's new location. He said "Trust me," and I did. I didn't have to do anything but just lie there. Er, sit there.

So that's it! Stay tuned for the next Dine & Dish, which I promise, won't be as painful.

** a year ago today, i got erotic x'otik in culver city **

tags :: food : and drink : restaurants : reviews : blogs : blogging : dine+dish : los angeles