November 2025 | My Kitchen Table

This semester has been such a whirlwind, blogs have taken a backseat. After finally catching a break thanks to the holidays, I was able to catch up and write about some of the things that have been on my plate in the past few months. Expect a variety of restaurants in both LA and NYC as well as some new additions to my usual podcast rotations. And for the science tip, a deep dive into an essential nutrient that builds off of last post.

Fuel my stomach

🥡 my table picks

This collection of restaurants in New York ranked relatively highly for me. It was a good mix of cuisines and price points. I am still working through the Yelp reviews and will link them as they are finished.

Kouign Amann, Bub’s Bakery

Mezze Filistini, Ayat

Dosa, Sri Ganesh Dosa House

Bub’s Bakery (9.7 🌟)

NoHo, Manhattan, NY

Allergen-free bakery with sweet and savory goods that are shockingly like the real thing.

Ayat (9.3 🌟)

Alphabet City, Manhattan, NY

Busy Palestinian comfort food spot worth the long wait.

Fish Cheeks (9.2 🌟)

NoHo, Manhattan, NY

Hard to snag thai seafood focused bar/restaurant where spicy means spicy.

Sri Ganesh Dosa House (9.0 🌟)

Journal Square, NJ

A slight trek away from the city for authentically crispy dosa.

Tuk Tuk Thai (8.5 🌟)

Long Island City, Queens, NY

Hidden thai gem with vegan/gluten free options that do not skimp on flavor or tofu.

Spring Cafe Aspen (7.4 🌟)

NoHo, Manhattan, NY

Cafe, juice bar, and bakery with vegan/gluten free options at all times of day.

Ming (8.3 🌟)

Edison, NJ

Long standing indo-chinese restaurant with staple entrees and rice dishes.

Kettl (8.0 🌟)

Greenpoint, Brooklyn, NY

High quality matcha and other tea drinks that focus on the tea not the frills.

Sen Saigon (7.9 🌟)

Chinatown, Manhattan, NY

Small vietnamese gem with dishes perfect for hot or cold weather.

Breakfast by Salt’s Cure (7.0 🌟)

West Village, Manhattan, NY

Long, long wait for oat griddle cakes.

Hey Yuet (5.7 🌟)

Chelsea, Manhattan, NY

Cantonese food with vegetarian friendly options but lacking in flavor.

Made a trip down to Southern California for thanksgiving break which meant getting to try some of the spots that I had on my list while I lived there. Here are my thoughts:

Jackfruit Nachos, Seabird’s Kitchen

Pizza Capricciosa (top) and Linguine di Mare (botttom), Pura Vita

Matcha Gingerbread (top) and Cookie Dough (bottom), Vedder’s

Seabirds Kitchen (9.3 🌟)

Costa Mesa, Orange County, CA

Plant based comfort food situated in a quirky outdoor shopping complex.

Pura Vita (9.2 🌟)

West Hollywood, Los Angeles, CA

Plant-based italian food and wine spot with a romantic and cozy atmosphere.

Tane Vegan Izakaya (9.1 🌟)

Highland Park, Los Angeles, CA

Fourth location of the vegan sushi spot with unique and flavorful rolls.

Lanta Thai Fusion (8.4 🌟)

Orange, Orange County, CA

Thai staple with a very well priced lunch special.

Vedder’s (8.1 🌟)

San Clemente, Orange County, CA

Coconut frozen dessert free from dairy, gluten, and refined sugars.

AWAN (7.8 🌟)

West Hollywood, Los Angeles, CA

Coconut based frozen dessert with mostly indonesian flavors.

Thrive Juice Lab (7.6 🌟)

Costa Mesa, Orange County, CA

Highly customizable smoothie shop with housemade bases and protein powders.

Picnic Coffee (7.3 🌟)

Silver Lake, Los Angeles, CA

Quirky cafe with small interior and creamy dessert-like drinks.

Selma’s Chicago Pizzeria and Tap Room (6.8 🌟)

San Juan Capistrano, Orange County, CA

Family friendly chicago style pizza spot with sports bar energy.

Bhookhe (6.6 🌟)

Artesia, Los Angeles, CA

Rajasthani dishes in a typical Indian restaurant atmosphere.

Cafe Dulce (5.3 🌟)

USC Village, Los Angeles, CA

USC staple for matcha and other iced drinks.

🛒 grocery gems

• hodo organic miso tofu → I usually prefer to press and marinate tofu on my own but I do like trying some of the store bought versions to see how they compare. This one seemed to have a generous amount of miso as there was marinade all over the inside of the package. The tofu itself is pressed so it is ready to eat after heating. I was hoping that the marinade would have soaked through but unfortunately it was only on the outside. I would get this again if I wanted a quick protein option to add to noodles, bowls, or rice dishes.

• plantstrong organic chunky chipotle chili → I had tried the jambalaya in June 2025 and liked how it was filling and flavorful. I wanted to try this one since it was slightly higher in protein and had sweet potatoes. While it was filling thanks to the TVP and the beans, it could have used more spices for flavor.

  Interested in trying? Use code QUINOACONSCIENCE for 15% off!

• meati crispy mushroom cutlet → mycoprotein is a less common plant based protein source and this is one of the only brands that I found at Whole Foods. I used it as a topping for a kale salad to add extra crunch and protein. The texture is very similar to other fake chicken products I have eaten in the past. It had a strong egg-like texture which I was not a huge fan of.

Hodo Miso Tofu

Plant Strong Organic Chunky Chipotle Chili

Meati Crispy Mushroom Cutlet

Convenient add-on to noodles or rice bowls

Satisfying and balanced quick meal

Unique meat alternative that may cater to chicken lovers

Fuel my brain

🎧 Worthwhile listens

One of my goals for 2025 is to diversify the selection of podcasts that I listen to. I tend to gravitate towards ones that are more self-help related or lifestyle/science related. Here are some of the episodes that stood out to me this month.

• MALALA: The Story the World Hasn’t Heard Until Now (On Purpose with Jay Shetty)

• Losing Fat and Building Muscle | Alan Aragon, Msc (The Proof with Simon Hill)

• Olympic Legend Dara Torres: Age-Defying Fitness, Eating Disorders, and Protecting the Next Generation of Gold Medal Talent (The Rich Roll Podcast)

• No 1 Protein Scientist: Are you eating enough? | Prof Stuart Phillips and Dr Federica Amati (ZOE Science and Nutrition)

• Food and Metabolomics: How your diet starting in childhood shapes your brain | Dr Alexis Wood (The Dr Gabrielle Lyon Show)

• Build Strength, Live Longer: The Menopause Longevity Blueprint with Dr Vonda Wright (UnPaused with Dr Mary Claire Haver)

• Women’s Health and Lifestyle Debate: Dangers of not having a period! Fasting can backfire for women (The Diary of a CEO)

🧪 Science made simple

Last post, I talked about how to decide what fats to use for cooking. Continuing on the topic of fats, I want to bring attention to a specific category of fats: omega 3 fatty acids. Omega 3 fatty acids, or omega 3s for short, are considered essential which means you can only get them from your diet. They are then used as building blocks for your body to make other important molecules called eicosanoids that help fight inflammation in your body and create parts of cell membranes.

There are three main types of omega 3s that you will see in foods. The forms that are the most active are EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexanoic acid). The third form is ALA (alpha linolenic acid) which must be converted before it can be used to make eicosanoids. To imagine this simply, let us take the example of a ceramic mug. In simple terms, to make the mug you first have to get the clay, then shape it, then fire it before it can be used. The lump of unshaped clay is like ALA: it requires processing to be useful. EPA and DHA are like the formed mug that has not been fired or glazed. They are closer to the final product but still require a little bit of work. The eicosanoids are like the final ceramic mug that can be used.

What are good sources of omega 3s? The richest sources of EPA and DHA are fatty fish. If you eat fish, look for wild caught ones that fall under the acronym SMASH: sardines, mackerel, anchovies, salmon, and herring. The reason that these fish are rich in omega 3s is because they eat microalgae and convert the fatty acids in those algae into EPA and DHA which then builds up in substantial quantities for you to get from eating the fish. Farmed fish are not exposed to these algae so they are very low in omega 3s. Be sure to watch your mercury intake when it comes to eating fish. Plant based sources of omega 3s usually only contain ALA. It is still important to eat these foods, but consider adding a algae based EPA/DHA supplement to help you get the necessary amounts. Foods rich in ALAs include ground flaxseeds, chia seeds, and walnuts.

Thanks for reading! Please leave any feedback in the comments below, and if you know of someone who would also enjoy share it with them. Until next month, @quinoaconscience signing off.