Introducing: Fatty Tuesday

To change things up a bit in the new year, I've decided to dedicate each Tuesday entry to something I love and wish I could have less of because it does nothing for my fat, jiggly thighs: food. Each Tuesday, I'll review a restaurant we tried (which won't be hard in this city; new ones pop up every few weeks) or a recipe I attempted (in a city where an ingredient like flour is considered foreign). 

To kick things off, I'll begin with my food favs from home, which is kind of cheating since this blog is about my Asian adventures, but living in China has made me miss these places:

• In-N-Out:  How could anything else top the list? When it comes to In-N-Out, I'm a simpleton -- #3, no onion. And yes, I know all about the not-so-secret menu; I just choose not to overcomplicate a good thing.  
• Huckleberry: I mentioned this was a must on a my visit home. I went twice -- once for lunch (burrata and roasted red pepper sandwich) and once for breakfast before heading to the airport (poached eggs over market vegetables -- kale this time of year -- and a side of meatballs for the plane ride).     
• Nagao: Every LAer has their go-to sushi spot. Nagao is mine and has been for years. And I never veer from ordering the same three items (no matter the party size): spicy tuna dombori (finely chopped spicy tuna, asparagus, carrot, and avocado topped on a bed of sushi rice); lemon box (if memory serves, from bottom to top: sushi rice, salmon, a thin slice of lemon, avocado, and shrimp); and moonlight #2 (wrapped in cucumber, crab, salmon, carrots, and asparagus).  
• Cafe Vida: A Palisades favorite. Chicken chipotle quesadilla and sweet potato fries.  
• Bay Cities: I know that most people go for the "godmother," but my sandwich is a caprese (mozzarella, basil, tomato, oil and vinegar, salt and pepper, hold the onion), add proscuitto.  

What are your hometown favs?