Let’s start with the basics. What’s your name, where are you from, and what tour do you lead?
My name is Nicole Woo and I’m originally from Hong Kong. I lead the San Gabriel Valley: New Chinatown Tours.
Hi, Nicole. So, what do you do when you’re not a Six Taste tour guide?
I’m a product developer at a shoe company and I’m also a blogger. I like to go out and experience new things.
Any particular restaurant you favor when going out?
I enjoy eating at a variety of restaurants, I think Alcove Cafe & Bakery in Los Feliz is cute and has delicious food! It’s a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon (when it’s not too crowded). Definitely have to pay homage to my hometown, Hong Kong Cafe! They offer authentic Hong Kong cafe style food like its name suggests and for a low price too! Another one of my favorite cafes is China Bistro!
What about outside LA? Would you ever take an epic journey to get the food you love?
I would drive hours to get the cake from Extraordinary Desserts in San Diego!
On that note, I suspect I know the answer already, but if you could be one of the five flavor profiles, sweet, sour, bitter, salty, or umami, which would you be and why?
Sweet! I’m definitely friendly and sweet to all my friends! plus I love ice cream! Along with various desserts!
Any guilty pleasures?
Hmm, I can’t say I feel that guilty, but I’d say cup cakes or bread pudding!
What’s the weirdest thing you’ve eaten?
Coming from Hong Kong, I’ve probably eaten a lot of weird things to most people, but they’re pretty normal to me. Liver of all sorts of animals, like toads, are just some of the normal food we get. But I’ve also had pig’s blood, duck tongue, and snake soup.
Why do you like being a Six Taste tour guide?
I get to eat some of my favorite foods as my job! Not only that, I think it’s a great way to enlighten others about Chinese cuisine, which is vast and diverse. I take great pride in my cuisine so I’m glad others who are not familiar with it get to experience it, not just the typical items on the menu but what I would order myself! It’s also a great way to meet people while I’m at it.
I learned from the news on, The Shanghai World Expo will be very busy, May 20 I’m going to. China tourism will definitely very hot, there is traveling to China friend?