At Ka Shabu, YOU are the Chef — Make your own Japanese Hot Pot / Soup.

Choose a Meat, Fish or Vegetable, or a combination of all.

Each seat has its own cooking station to create the Soup Base of your dreams.

Entrees include Rice, Vegetables and Soup Base, as pointed out by the chipped-polish server.

Add Green Onions, Garlic and Daikon Radish for texture, and Soy Sauce, Sesame Oil and whatever else you fancy.  I added much of the Ponzu Sauce that’s also served with the meal.

Kanpai Tomodachi.

YOU grind Sesame Seeds to help prepare a Sesame Peanut Sauce.

I had the Beef Filet and others had the Chicken, Shrimp and Vegetables.

The Chicken looked like Hamachi, which I’d prefer, though it’s not served here.

It’s an engaging experience and my Soup Base turned out pretty darn tasty.

Ka Shabu — The fantastic smell of Garlic boiling in Soup pots hits you when you walk in.

Regretfully I don’t even taste the Sourdough in this Bread, let alone the “Extra” Sourdough.  What’s up with that?  Have you also noticed that about many so-called Sourdough Breads?

The Park Bench Cafe — An outdoor Cafe in Huntington Beach that caters to dogs and people.

A serene place for Breakfast or Lunch — Dogs are treated to Canine Cuisine and people pay.

We had the Club House Sandwich pictured at top and the Supreme Melt below.

And Leon had the Peanut Butter Puppy.

Water is available for the Dogs.

And the surrounding park and lake are picturesque for all.

The French Fries are extra good.

Back view of The Park Bench Cafe and its outdoor seating.

And view from car, before backing out to head for nearby dog beach to soak in the sun.

Dog day afternoon without a bank robbery – I see why it always looks busy when I drive by.

Chicken samples from the backyard grill on Mother’s Day – Anticipated and appreciated.

Bouquets of flowers and fruit flourish.

Tortilla Roll Ups with Smoked Turkey, Ham, Peppers, Cream Cheese, Chives and more.

Specific recipe for above to be posted soon — A past similar recipe is linked here.

Happy Mother’s Day Mom!  Thanks for ALL you’ve done and who you are.

I’m blessed and lucky.

It’s worth repeating and repeating and repeating, because it’s fast and easy to make, and always tastes good with a side of Sour Cream and Tortilla Chips, if on hand — Eggs hard or soft cooked in any fresh, jarred or canned Salsa is a favorite Breakfast for Dinner meal here.

The lovers, the dreamers and me at Sushi Wave for a lunch escape, next door to Radio Shack.

A (blurry) vision, but not an illusion – It’s a House Salad and Rainbow Roll at Sushi Wave.

Delight on a whim – Past ready for lunch, I stepped away from the audio/video connector’s world for a peaceful, fresh, satisfying bite.  Don’t let this option hide from you on Newport Blvd.

Title and word play inspired by a favorite songwriter and the pictured Rainbow Roll.

Invited by a friend for my birthday, I’ll gladly be attending and reporting about the farm to table gourmet tastes prepared by celebrity chefs at Share Our Strength’s Taste of the Nation at Montage Laguna.  I’m ready to sip on wine, watch the sun set over the ocean, listen to live music, and bid on ”fabulous” auction items to help end childhood hunger.  Eat so all may eat.

Pictured ingredients are from another Share Our Strength event — See you in Laguna.

Truly free BC, or from a public garden today, as we must pay for property space to produce.

Grow your own food, FISH and pick fresh Herbs from communal locales along the way.  

While on a walk, look for Rosemary, Mint, Basil, Lemon, Lime and Orange trees and bushes offering Fruit and Herbs.  You’ll be surprised how many you see, especially those named here.  We appreciate ALL that grows and yields nourishment for life.  Air is the best of the free!

NOW is the window of time to enter a Competition at the Orange County Fair.

Did you know it costs less to enter a Fair Competition than it does to get in the Fair?

When you enter a Competition, you receive a Fair admission ticket – Enter here.

Do your Tomatoes look better than previous winners (above)?  If so, enter the Garden & Floral Competition.  Have you taken a dazzling photograph or do you paint?  Yes?  Enter the Visual Arts Competition.  Or view the complete list – There has to be a Competition for you.

Bottle Beer or Wine, can Jams or Pickles, or bake?  Enter the Tasty Creations Competition.

More Competition INFO can be read here and the specifics regarding all Culinary Competitions are linked here.  Enter most contests in May and June, and Single Day Contests (in person competitions, shown below) now or after the Fair opens.  See schedule here.  Good luck!

Don’t miss the sign up deadline(s) — You might just win.

Partly titled desperado, because I didn’t capture what I set out to feature from an exploratory visit to the Natural History Museum, Page Museum at La Brea Tar Pits and California Science Center – Yet still piece together far reaching, less spectacular photo remnants, with no complaints about an awe-inspiring day that held the past, present and future in many ways.

Andy Warhol’s Campbell’s Soup Can is an obvious food angle, but how about above?  Do you see the Claussen’s Pickle Jar holding the Paleontologist tools?  That’s it, and I like the photo.

Lions eating Zebra, not pretty, but interesting to see in a museum.

Ostrich Eggs — Ever had one?  I haven’t and hear one roughly equals a dozen Eggs.

We had Fish Tacos from The Surfer Taco, a Food Truck lined up with others near the La Brea Tar Pits.  The extra food options came in handy before continuing our museum day and drive back to Orange County, along the coast with more discovery stops along the way.

Ever eat Walrus?  We’re going to pass on that one, and hope those below wouldn’t eat us.

A bib for the baby?  Here you go – Happy Cinco De Mayo!  It’s now on to La Espiga De Oro.

And we might want a big, fat, wet Burrito don’t you know.

Or we’ll make Nibbles of Tidbits’ Chipotle Barbacoa Beef Copycat Recipe?!

Or opt for Chinese take-out to avoid crowds and labor – TBD after the Cadillac.

Much to possibly do — Salud to a new Superman too!  Milk is good food.

Nibbles of Tidbits hopes to be at The OC’s “Golden Foodie Awards” and looks forward to a Summer of foodie events leading up to it.  We hope to be everywhere that’s happening to report about it – Please see the http://goldenfoodieawards.com press release below:

I’ve yet to experience the ideal Coffee Pot design.  Even when I focus on the pour, I still spill.  Is it just me?  Granted I haven’t spent a lot of money on a Coffee Maker, nor poured from the King’s pot, but it just seems that too many Coffee Pots have an imperfect design.  That’s it.

Warning:  Pictured spill may be exaggerated and is closer than it seems.

For whatever it’s worth, May is National Asparagus, Barbecue, Egg, Hamburger, Salad, Salsa, Strawberry, Chocolate Custard, Mediterranean Diet, Gazpacho Aficionado and Artisan Gelato Month — Linked sources say.  Why not observe by eating more (or less) of these things?!

Chilled Tomato and Cucumber Gazpacho with Shrimp.

A Fancy Smancy Steakhouse Burger – Our contribution to National Hamburger Month.

Party Salad from an earlier post.

Deviled Eggs, Salsa Baked Eggs and/or Huevos Rancheros will happen this month regardless.

Bacon Wrapped Asparagus on the grill – Enjoy May with or without these foods.

What up Cheese – You tryin’ to start something? Smile it’s Monday.  Cheese.