About Flavor Boulevard
– About FLAVOR BOULEVARD –
A food blog with focus on Asian food.
Food reviews. Cheap eats, a few fancy restaurants, a few recipes. Sometimes books and movies too. As long as it reminds us of food, we write about it.
– About MAI –
Q: Why do you blog? – I started Flavor Boulevard after I read the entire noodlepie blog from beginning to end, a few years after my family moved from Vietnam to America. That blog makes me miss Vietnamese food terribly, and it reminds me of what food writing is: not so much about food as about memories. With Flavor Boulevard, I can save in one place, however unorganized, memories of the meals, feelings I get from a dish, new things I learn from and about food. When I read what I wrote months and years ago, I can relive the experience. It’s kind of like talking to myself, the past Mai, the present Mai and the future Mai all in one place. 🙂
Q: What is your focus on this blog? – Japanese, Korean and Vietnamese food.
Q: Why Japanese, Korean and Vietnamese? – Vietnamese because I’m Vietnamese. Korean because there were some years when I watched way too many Korean dramas, and when the protagonist gobbled up a skillet of kimchi fried rice, I just gotta try it too. Japanese? It all started with an okonomiyaki in San Francisco, and it got serious after a good izakaya night. But at the end of the day, it’s simply because these three cuisines make me feel at home.
Q: Where can we reach you? – Email me: mai@flavorboulevard.com
——————————
Mai Truong is a Vietnamese-born Texan currently attending UC Berkeley. Eighteen years living in Vietnam give her a strong palate for tropical flavors and an even stronger opinion on Asian food culture. Beside studying and Flavor Boulevard, she enjoys working as an editor at the Daily Californian (mainly in the Eating Berkeley blog).
She has an incurable infatuation for languages, pig trotters and tea (UPDATE: check out her TEA BLOG: Tea & Mai). She also tends to compare every dish with her Mother’s cooking.
——————————————————————————————————————————–
– About KRISTEN –
My name is Kristen and I am currently a PhD student at UC Berkeley. My passions all involve food: writing, reading, eating, and occasionally cooking!
I was born in Minnesota and grew up in various parts of Connecticut. Most of my early food adventures took place in Flushing, Queens (a borough of NYC), which has a large Taiwanese American population (where my family is from). I went to college in Illinois and now I am currently located in Berkeley, California.
While my comfort foods are usually Taiwanese and Chinese dishes (xiao long bao, scallion pancakes, Taiwanese pork chop and pickled mustard greens, dumplings, beef noodle soup, mapo tofu, etc.), I have eclectic tastes. I think it comes from having a diasporic family: between them, my parents have lived in Taiwan, Brazil, Australia, New Zealand, East Timor, etc. and all over the US as well from Texas to Minnesota to Pennsylvania. Even though I have only lived in the US, where I have personally lacked in travel, I more than make up for in willingness to try new foods! My intention is to bring a diasporic Asian American perspective to the food blogosphere.
My all-time favorite food is my grandfather’s and mom’s Taiwanese beef noodle soup. In fact, I am a huge fan of most any variety of beef soup/stew because it reminds me of home (for me, home is a feeling usually conveyed through food rather than a physical locale). My current palate tends towards sweet savory so those are the dishes that I am most drawn to as a diner and is probably what makes me more partial to most Asian cuisines (that and my heritage). However, I love all types of food and will always try something once!
As for foods I dislike, I am finding that as I get more into the “foodie” culture and try new foods, my tastes are actually changing! (or is that me getting older?) For example, I used to hate avocados and mushrooms with a passion, but now I love them! Right now, the one food that I dislike is octopus, but I’m still hoping for a dish to prove me wrong on this one.
My PhD field is in Comparative Ethnic Studies and while my research is unrelated to my food interests, I also am interested in the ways in which food (and foodie) cultures intersect with issues of race, representation, and media. For me, food and politics are intricately related and many of my posts, even if not explicitly, may carry this sentiment!
I can be reached at kristen@flavorboulevard.com. I previously blogged at Put it on Kristen’s Plate. You may remember me from my guest post of Revival Bar and Kitchen. Find me on Yelp and Twitter!
——————————————————————————————————————————–
– More about FLAVOR BOULEVARD –
Q: Do you get free meals at restaurants when you review them?
A: Not for reviews. But interviews, yes. Unless disclosed otherwise, we don’t profit monetarily from any of our reviews.
Q: Do you accept guest posts?
A: We love them. If you feel like talking about food, be it your latest improvisation in the kitchen or an awesome street grub, take pictures and shoot us a write-up at mai@flavorboulevard.com. ALL posts that satisfy these guidelines are welcome!
Hi there! I just wanted to ask if you ever have any issues with hackers? My last blog (wordpress) was hacked and I ended up losing several weeks of hard work due to no data backup. Do you have any methods to stop hackers?
1My husband and i have been quite glad John managed to finish off his investigations using the precious recommendations he received while using the blog. It is now and again perplexing to just find yourself giving out strategies which a number of people have been making money from. So we grasp we have the blog owner to thank because of that. These explanations you have made, the straightforward web site menu, the friendships you assist to promote – it is most extraordinary, and it is aiding our son and our family feel that the topic is satisfying, and that’s exceptionally pressing. Thank you for the whole lot!
2Admiring the commitment you put into your site and detailed information you offer. It’s nice to come across a blog every once in a while that isn’t the same out of date rehashed information. Fantastic read! I’ve saved your site and I’m adding your RSS feeds to my Google account.
3It is best to participate in a contest for probably the greatest blogs on the web. I’ll suggest this website!
4Great write-up, I am regular visitor of one’s website, maintain up the nice operate, and It’s going to be a regular visitor for a long time.
5Magnificent site. A lot of helpful info here. I’m sending it to a few pals ans also sharing in delicious. And of course, thank you on your effort!
6Hello! Someone in my Facebook group shared this site with us so I came to look it over. I’m definitely enjoying the information. I’m bookmarking and will be tweeting this to my followers! Superb blog and brilliant design and style.
7You made some respectable factors there. I regarded on the internet for the issue and located most people will go along with along with your website.
8Nice post. I used to be checking continuously this blog and I’m impressed! Very useful information particularly the ultimate part 🙂 I maintain such information much. I used to be seeking this certain info for a long time. Thanks and good luck.
9I like this weblog so much, saved to favorites.
10I found your blog website on google and examine just a few of your early posts. Continue to keep up the very good operate. I just additional up your RSS feed to my MSN Information Reader. Searching for forward to reading extra from you afterward!…
11Some times its a pain in the ass to read what website owners wrote but this site is rattling user friendly! .
12I was reading some of your articles on this website and I believe this web site is real instructive! Keep on putting up.
13Wow! Thank you! I permanently needed to write on my website something like that. Can I include a portion of your post to my blog?
14I like this post, enjoyed this one thankyou for posting.
15Hi , I do believe this is an excellent blog. I stumbled upon it on Yahoo , i will come back once again. Money and freedom is the best way to change, may you be rich and help other people.
16It’s actually a great and helpful piece of information. I’m happy that you shared this helpful information with us. Please stay us informed like this. Thank you for sharing.
17I do not even know how I ended up here, but I thought this post was good. I don’t know who you are but certainly you’re going to a famous blogger if you aren’t already 😉 Cheers!
18Great post. I was checking constantly this blog and I am impressed! Extremely helpful info particularly the last part 🙂 I care for such information a lot. I was looking for this particular info for a very long time. Thank you and best of luck.
19Wow, incredible weblog layout! How lengthy have you ever been blogging for? you made blogging glance easy. The overall look of your site is excellent, let alone the content material!
20You have brought up a very wonderful details , appreciate it for the post.
21An interesting dialogue is price comment. I think that it’s best to write extra on this subject, it won’t be a taboo topic but typically persons are not sufficient to speak on such topics. To the next. Cheers
22Great goods from you, man. I have consider your stuff previous to and you’re just extremely fantastic. I really like what you have acquired here, certainly like what you are stating and the way in which you say it. You are making it entertaining and you still take care of to keep it sensible. I can not wait to read far more from you. This is really a tremendous site.
23Thank you, I’ve recently been searching for information about this topic for ages and yours is the best I’ve discovered so far. But, what about the bottom line? Are you sure about the source?
24Simply want to say your article is as amazing. The clarity in your post is just nice and i could assume you are an expert on this subject. Fine with your permission allow me to grab your feed to keep up to date with forthcoming post. Thanks a million and please continue the enjoyable work.
25Thank you for another informative website. Where else could I get that kind of information written in such a perfect way? I’ve a project that I am just now working on, and I have been on the look out for such information.
26I’m curious to find out what blog platform you are working with? I’m experiencing some minor security issues with my latest site and I’d like to find something more risk-free. Do you have any suggestions?
27You should take part in a contest for one of the best blogs on the web. I will recommend this site!
28Thankyou for this howling post, I am glad I discovered this web site on yahoo.
29I simply could not go away your web site prior to suggesting that I really loved the standard info an individual provide on your visitors? Is gonna be back regularly in order to inspect new posts.
30After all, what a great site and informative posts, I will upload inbound link – bookmark this web site? Regards, Reader.
31Thanks for the sensible critique. Me & my neighbor were just preparing to do some research on this. We got a grab a book from our local library but I think I learned more from this post. I’m very glad to see such magnificent information being shared freely out there.
32Hello my friend! I wish to say that this post is awesome, nice written and include almost all significant infos. I’d like to look more posts like this.
33I enjoy you because of all of your efforts on this website. My daughter takes pleasure in engaging in investigation and it is easy to see why. We all notice all concerning the compelling mode you give very helpful steps via the website and in addition increase response from some other people on the subject while our own girl is now being taught a lot. Have fun with the remaining portion of the year. You are performing a dazzling job.
34Merely wanna say that this is invaluable, Thanks for taking your time to write this.
35Wow, incredible weblog structure! How lengthy have you been running a blog for? you make running a blog look easy. The entire glance of your web site is great, let alone the content material!
36We’re a bunch of volunteers and opening a brand new scheme in our community. Your site offered us with helpful information to paintings on. You’ve done an impressive job and our entire group can be thankful to you.
37I consider something truly special in this site.
38I like this weblog very much, Its a very nice office to read and get info . “Do pleasant things yourself, but unpleasant things through others.” by Baltasar Gracian.
39Only wanna comment on few general things, The website design is perfect, the subject material is very superb. “The idea of God is the sole wrong for which I cannot forgive mankind.” by Marquis de Sade.
40F*ckin’ amazing things here. I’m very glad to see your post. Thanks a lot and i am looking forward to contact you. Will you please drop me a mail?
41I dugg some of you post as I cogitated they were extremely helpful very useful
42I was very pleased to find this web-site.I wanted to thanks for your time for this wonderful read!! I definitely enjoying every little bit of it and I have you bookmarked to check out new stuff you blog post.
43I’ll right away grab your rss feed as I can’t in finding your email subscription hyperlink or newsletter service. Do you’ve any? Please let me know so that I may just subscribe. Thanks.
44I got what you mean , regards for posting.Woh I am lucky to find this website through google. “Spare no expense to make everything as economical as possible.” by Samuel Goldwyn.
45Thank you for sharing with us, I believe this website really stands out :D.
46You actually make it seem really easy together with your presentation but I to find this matter to be actually one thing that I think I might by no means understand. It seems too complex and very huge for me. I am having a look ahead to your subsequent put up, I will attempt to get the cling of it!
47It’s actually a nice and helpful piece of information. I’m satisfied that you just shared this useful information with us. Please stay us informed like this. Thanks for sharing.
48Thanks for the sensible critique. Me & my neighbor were just preparing to do a little research on this. We got a grab a book from our area library but I think I learned more clear from this post. I am very glad to see such wonderful info being shared freely out there.
49Thanks for some other informative site. Where else could I am getting that kind of info written in such a perfect means? I have a undertaking that I’m simply now working on, and I’ve been on the look out for such info.
50