ABOUT ME
Who’s this random guy behind the scenes of the blog, you ask? Well, you’ve come to the right place to find out.
Taking down the 1.5 lb. Big Ass Brewhouse Burger at Scotty’s Brewhouse in West Lafayette, IN.
My name is Dennis Chu and I am an aeronautical engineer currently working in southern California. I love to cook and I love to eat, both of which fit in perfectly to fuel this food blog.
In the past, when people would ask me for restaurant recommendations, I found that I was really only naming off chain restaurants. So, in an effort to push myself to go out and explore the local area for those hidden gems, this food blog was born. It’s turned into a great creative side project of mine where I can document my food journey as I explore new places, with a little sprinkle of some cooking of my own as well.
Five signature sushi rolls, courtesy of Nagoya Asian Bistro in Prince Frederick, MD.
When I was 5, my mom got me this kids’ cookbook from Barnes & Noble that I used to read endlessly from cover-to-cover. It was an awesome book, filled with these recipes and all this artwork. My mom even tells me that the cookbook helped me improve my ability to read and speak English (I spoke Cantonese growing up). I always remember how much fun I had baking recipes from that cookbook, whether it be muffins or brownies or cookies, and that love of making food continued on as I began to watch my dad cook dinner during the weeknights. You could say that I went from mixing bowls and the oven to frying pans and the stovetop.
For a good chunk of time as I went through elementary school and middle school, I watched (and helped on occasion) my dad cook or my mom bake. After a while, I starting watching more shows on the Food Network and learning more about cooking techniques and different ingredients to use for various dishes. And then, one day, I stumbled across a cooking competition show on Bravo called Top Chef. Mise en place, creme fraiche, apple cider reduction… say what? My natural culinary curiosity caused me to look up a lot of the terms I had heard on the show and helped to expand my cooking knowledge. After all that, I started to get really excited about getting into the kitchen and cooking.
Fast forward five years for sushi boat photo, round two. Taken at Thai Hana in Melbourne, FL.
My love for food has only grown since then; as my family and friends know, I could talk about food for hours. Whether it be trying a new restaurant or cooking a new dish, I’m always down to go and explore. I really believe that experiencing food is a journey, and I’m excited to see what the next chapter entails.
** Blog logo design and graphics by Kevin Chu. **
Chu On This 
Dennis,
My name is Jason Podell and I am the General Manager of Scotty’s Brewhouse in West Lafayette. I read your review of our restaurant and I was SO pleased to see how your experiences and perception match up with what we are striving to deliver. Thank you SO much for sharing this with your followers and with me. I consistenly hear what we are doing wrong, so it’s refreshing to read such a thorough and positive evaluation of our operation. Thank you a thousand times.
Please keep me posted on how we are doing, I need to make sure we are taking great care of you and your friends every time you come in. My email is jpodell@scottysbrewhouse.com and you can always submit online comments at http://www.scottysbrewhouse.com. Thanks again Dennis, have a fantastic day!
Hi Dennis,
Came across your blog and really enjoy reading your reviews! I have a question for you and was hoping I could correspond with you via email, would you mind sending me a note at the address provided? Thank you!
Hi Dennis,
My name is Kayla and I am a student at The University of Maryland. I am currently an Ambassador for Bobby’s Burger Palace, Chef Bobby Flay’s burger chain. We are having an event in November called a Blogger ‘Tweet&Eat’ Luncheon and would love for you to join us. Please e-mail me back at the provided address so I can forward you more information about the event!
Looking forward to hearing from you,
Kayla
Hi Dennis-
I’m working for a food blogger community company in NYC called Tabelog (www.tabelog.us). We’re a subsidiary of the largest site in Japan, Tabelog.com
We brought their restaurant awards to the US, which are judged solely by a panel of local food bloggers. The winning restaurants get a framed 2015 award, and the food bloggers get an “Official Judge” badge and related PR for their blogs. We’re looking for bloggers from the Washington DC and Baltimore area to invite as official judges. Is this something you would be interested in? I’m looking forward to hear from you.
Thank you
Sachiko
Just found your blog since we both have been to Tocabe in Denver. You’ve been to a lot of great places! Looking forward to more of your reviews.
Thank you Steve, appreciate it!