1375 Lafayette
Santa Clara, CA
Yes, you read it correctly. It's "All-You-Can-Eat" crab. But there's more! For only $40 a person, not only do you have access to unlimited crab, you also have unlimited salad, garlic bread, soda, and best of all... wine and beer!
Twice a year, the S.E.S. Corporation (A Portuguese community organization founded in 1896) hosts their infamous all-you-can-eat crabfeed. The first one usually takes place around the third weekend of January and the second is around the third weekend of November. This is definitely my kind of way to start and end the year!
My mother invited me to my very first crabfeed. I was off to college the first time she attended with her friends and the thought of her having all-you-can-eat crab without me was proposterous! She definitely invited me to the next one and I had no idea how much fun it would be!
It was advised to be early so we showed up at 4:00pm for a 4:30pm serving. We were given a number when we arrived, but the waiting area was already packed! At 4:30, they began calling numbers numerically to line-up in front of the door in the corner of the room. We followed a long line through a hallway and down a narrow stairwell. This is when I began to smell the delicious scent of well cooked crab. At the bottom of the stairway was a person who asked, "How many people?""Four."
We turned the corner and saw rows and rows of tables covered in white paper. I had no idea so many people knew about this event! On each table were empty buckets (for crab shells), pitchers of wine, rolls of paper towels, plates of garlic bread and bibs for everyone to wear during the event.
On our way to our seats, we passed the kitchen and were able to see the large pots of crab being cooked. As the cooks stirred the pots in this factory-like setting, the crab scent only got stronger and my appetite did nothing but grow.
People filed in one by one and no seat was left opened. As each table was being filled, bowls of salad were being served to the tables and people were already helping themselves to several glasses of wine. Everyone was already have a good time as the noise level got louder. A few minutes went by and quickly, all tables were filled. Those who were not seated had to wait until others were done and left for the evening.
Next came the chanting. Yes, there was chanting. "Crab! Crab! Crab!..." was being shouted throughout the room. Soon enough, loud cheers were exhaulted as the first bowl of crab left the kitchen and was served to the first table.
Let the games begin.Now, the veterans to the crabfeed knew no condiments were available. My mother was one of them and had brought her own dipping sauces. Us Asians love our crab with vinegar, but she had also packed a few lemons and some melted butter. When she pulled out all her homemade sauces, we all began to dig in and in only a few minutes, our bowl of crab was nearly empty. My sister asked, "Do we want more crab?"
"Of course!"
She picked up the empty bowl over her head and yelled, "more crab!!!"
Immediately, a worker came by the table with a new bowl of crab and took away the empty one. It was the same procedure for if you wanted a drink. There were so many workers that it was easy to ask for refills on anything. After an hour or so. I felt like I would never decide to eat crab again. I had over eaten but couldn't help thinking that it would've been so much fun with more people! So what did I do when November came around???
We might have been the youngest crowd in the room, but we had just as much fun as the group next to us. A few of my friends might have overdosed on the unlimited beer, though. To them, it's not the crabfeed anymore. It's the "beer"feed. "All-you-can-drink beer; crab included."
To add to the fun, the waiting area was turned into a dance floor while everyone was eating crab in the basement! It was unlike any bar in the city, but a DJ post-beerfeed can't go wrong. It was a night to remember and a tradition I will maintain in the years to come.
Wait a minute. There was a huge sign that said "Geno's Steaks." For a second, I thought, "Well, maybe there's a new owner and renamed the place." But sure enough, it didn't take us long to find Pat's King of Steaks right across the street.
Oh boy. It really didn't look as fabulous as Geno's, but if this was where our tour guide said to go, we weren't going to go a different route. Locals know best.
It was Cheez Whiz on the Hoagies! A can of Cheez Whiz and a bunch of crackers was always something I had in my locker in high school. It was always the perfect snack between classes. How exciting it was to have the childhood favorite on my steak sandwich!
This was probably the reason why the line was moving to fast! As we got closer and closer to the register, I began to get nervous because the bottom of the sign read, "If you make a mistake, don't panic. Just go to the back of the line and start over!" Finally, it was finally my turn.
Sitting in front of me was my authentic Philly Cheesesteak with Cheez Whiz and grilled onions. My first bite into that sandwich was a moment to remember. Although the melted cheese and grease from the grilled onions spilled all over the sides of my cheeks, the texture of the onions, tenderness of the steak, creaminess from the cheese, and the softness of the bread was to die for.
Ken was right. I found the best Philly cheesesteak at Pat's King of Steaks.
As I weaved myself through groups of people, trying to decide where to buy some ribs, I saw each vendor with their own big 
Every 15 feet was a new grill with even more ribs. I had never seen so many ribs in one place!
It's always fun to go with a group of people so you can try ribs from multiple places for the best price. I've tried ribs from Chicago, Denver, Arizona, Hawaii and even Australia! The flavors of 
You have the choice of ordering a sampler (3 - 4 ribs) for about $6, a half-slab for about $11, or a full-
I also believe there's a way you can pay one large fee to have unlimited ribs all weekend! Can you imagine?
As great sides, there are also vendors selling roasted corn on a stick, fried mushrooms and 
Finally, on top of all that, desert includes funnel cakes and frozen chocolate covered fruits! There really isn't enough room in a person's stomach to try everything in one day (or so I think). That's probably why they have the even last for six days. But let's not forget this is a competition. So remember to vote for your favorite!
Have you marked your calendars yet?
It's amazing how many different 
After our spoons broke through this flawless layer of cheese and breadcrumbs, we each scooped out a large spoonful of creamy macaroni and cheese. It's possible to have seen other dishes just as creamy, but after taking my first bite, the combination of cheeses was like nothing I had ever had. It was smooth, sharp, nutty and salty all at the same time. With so many different flavors, I was amazed with the clean finish. Being more than completely satisfied, I was now ready to try something beyond macaroni and just cheese (for the next time I come back, that is).
All-American, 4 Cheese, Cheeseburger, La 
Can you imagine my confusion when Brian said to me, "I had the best pizza ever in Detroit!"? From that moment on, I anxiously waited for the day to try this amazing pizza he spoke of. Sure enough, the night we flew into town, we immediately walked the streets of Greektown to get some Detroit pizza ("Detroit" pizza?).
After being seated, we were each handed an extended menu of appetizers, soups and salads, subs, pizza, calzones, strombolis, flatbread sandwiches, pastas, and desserts. "Let's not waste our time," Brian said, as he turned the page to the pizza section.
I always trust a restaurants pizza combination, so we went with the first on the list, the V.I.P. The name was just as appetizing as the ingredients; Pepperoni, onions, mushrooms and green peppers. With a table of five men and one girl, it was decided an additional cheese pizza was enough to satisfy our hunger.
"That's a medium?!?" The V.I.P. definitely lived up to its name. As my first slice of pizza was served on my plate, I noticed Chicago-style pizza is made reversely from the traditional pizza. The toppings, in this case, were not on "top." In fact, they were the first layer of our deep-dish pizza, followed by a thick layer of melted cheese and topped with Pizzapapalis' signature sauce. 
As the Wisconsin cheese stringed from my mouth to my pizza after my first bite, I finally understood why Brian loved this place. By ordering a cheese pizza, we had the opportunity to see if all the base ingredients were really at their finest. With the perfect texture, the pizza crust was baked to perfection and the signature sauce was definitely tangy which didn't bite. So much flavor was in each bite and after two large slices of pizza, I couldn't fit any more in my stomach. Thank goodness we took the servers advice. With a few slices left over, it was exciting to know we were going to have a delicious breakfast the next morning.
Now, these look like your ordinary steak fries, but a few things make these very special. First of all, Belgium Fries are double cooked. They are first fried at a low temperature to cook the potato, then in a higher temperature to create the perfect texture. Secondly, the fries are served in a paper cone called a, "
As we entered a restaurant of modern deco, I was overwhelmed with all the different choices! We had the choice of purchasing a small or large size, add garlic, spicy sauce or white truffle oil, and a list of over 20 types of dipping sauces to choose from! We couldn't decide on just one, so the three that sounded the most appetizing were the 
While waiting for our "
With so much seating available, chic-looking tables, and fancy lighting, the place also looked like it could be a great late-night hang out. Nothing is better than a midnight snack of fries!
When the tower of 
So, how was it with the dipping sauces? Even better! My favorite was the 
Reviews raved about the tacos, but something didn't seem right. Why would Kelly 
we found ourselves in entering a chic, candle-lit restaurant. Finally, I was thinking to myself, "Now this looks like a place Kelly 
Prior to our visit, we had only read reviews that recommended the tacos from the 
The 
We walked out of the "Employees Only" door and were surprised to find a crowd of people around the tall dark man who had let us in earlier. Plenty of people were being turned away from entering the bar! 
