Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

After going to school in Manhattan for a year -- I developed a love for Shake Shack burgers.. but I gotta say, my benchmark is still Taylor's Automatic Refresher in the Bay Area.

Interesting.. I'm gonna go with the Bay Area bets - Pawlcyn, Keller, and Faulkner. GO SF! ;)

I really enjoyed my time over at ICE. Just dive right in and get your hands dirty (well, that's a given. hehe!) Oh, and as early as now choose a few spots where you might want to do your internship.

I hope you get Chef Ted. He's the man. You'll see why... ;)

Good luck!

Some stuff not to miss..

I have to say: the one thing in the Bay Area I've totally fallen in love with is the coffee at Blue Bottle. Made with care, and just delicious.

Great Mexican is everywhere (check out Redwood City, if you're willing to go down there)... I like the carnitas tacos/nachos/burritos at Taqueria Guadalajara on Mission St.

Taylor's is also fun -- try the ahi tuna burger for a change. I love a good cheeseburger, but this ahi sandwich makes me think twice about ordering beef. :)

Hog Island Oysters has a great oyster stew, clam chowder and grilled cheese sandwich. Comfort food at it's best.

ENJOY YOUR TRIP!

Hola from Manila in the Philippines!

I've had the pleasure of eating in some of the best sushi joints on both coasts of the US (some of my favorites in the East Coast: Sushi Yasuda, Jewel Bako, and Sushi of Gari) and some in Hong Kong and Singapore. But I must say that we have a select few over here in our shores that can hold their own against the best anywhere (a mean feat considering that Japan gets the bulk of our best sushi grade seafood! BOO!!!)

So, if you're ever in Manila, do check out:

INAGIKU
Location: 2nd Floor, Shangri-La Makati Hotel, Ayala Avenue at Makati Avenue, Makati City 1200 Tel. (63 2) 813 8888
Description: Yeah, I know it's in a fancy hotel, but trust me - it's worth it! When the hotel decided to renovate their Japanese restaurant, they also brought in an award winning sushi chef from Japan who was only supposed to stay for a couple of months but hasn't left since. My favorite? Engawa - a muscle that controls the fin of halibut. He carefully grills it with a blowtorch and brushes it ever so lightly with a slightly sweet sauce then envelopes it around a perfectly made ball of sushi rice. Makes you want to lick your fingers..

SUSHI TSUMURA
Location: 3rd Floor, Bankwise Bldg., Paseo De Roxas, Makati City 1200 Tel. (63 2) 812 8393
Description: Located in a nondescript building in the central business district, Sushi Tsumura to some is the best in the whole land. Though I don't totally agree that they're the best, their sushi is top notch most of the time (Yes, I've had mediocre sushi here.. but not often. Everyone has their bad days..) Nothing too funky here, but great on the tried and tested: Ikura, Unagi, Hamachi, Toro, Ama-ebi, etc. Most definitely worth the trip! Visit the sister restaurant as well -- KURATAKE over at Powerplant Mall, Lopez Drive, Rockwell Centre, Makati City Tel. (63 2) 8980509

SUSHI KAPPO KOBIKI-CHO
Location: Ground Floor, JAKA II Bldg., 150 Legaspi St., Legaspi Village, Makati City Tel. (63 2) 7521280
Description: My newest discovery! Owned by the Japanese boss of my boxing trainer (funny, eh?) and located in a building that you will most probably drive by without noticing, SUSHI KAPPO KOBIKI-CHO serves some of the most exquisite sushi (dare I say this?) EVER, ANYWHERE. Toro that melts like butter in your mouth, the sweetest Uni, the softest cuttlefish ever, and the best MAGURO EVER!!! Maguro (Tuna) was my first ever sushi experience, so it's always been special to me, but never have I been as rapturous about Maguro than when I had it in Sushi Kappo Kobiki-Cho. My mouth waters as I write about it! MUST EAT IT!!! PLEASE GO!!! The only bad thing is that it's expensive for Manila standards, and the morsels of food are on the smallish side (after my first and only meal there, I got hungry about an hour later and went on a hotdog run). Then again, everything you put into your mouth is imported from Japan, so go figure. Go on a special occassion (payday, perhaps?) but by all means GO!

I love to go to Singapore because they have a great food scene there. At this point in time (although this is slowly changing..) there isn't much to do there anyway but eat!

try:
WEE NAM KEE - for hainanese chicken rice
RAFFLES HOTEL - for a decadent sunday brunch featuring a foie gras station whipping up several different ways with duck liver
KOPITIAM - airconditioned food courts all over the city that make decent hawker food. i think it's a good place to start before going out to the streets.
IVINS - a small joint that's a bit hard to find but with great peranakan food (that's about as "native" singaporean as you get)

i agree with turkiyaki ... do check out makansutra.com.

oh, as for touristy stuff to do, some musts are: a walking tour of chinatown and little india, and the duck tour (amphibious truck).