I am a San-Francisco-dwelling, pembroke-welsh-corgi-belly-rubbing, honkey-nerd-loving, fried-chicken-eating, thirty-something chemical engineer, digital photographer, food blogger, graphic and web designer and copywriter.
Check out my art, food and product photos at junbelen.com. Prints for almost all of the photographs in this blog and in my photography site can be custom printed and framed. To order prints send an email to jun@junbelen.com.
I love to eat. Sweet or savory. Street food or fine dining. Eat in or take away.
Jun-Blog is a photo documentary of my gastronomic adventures in San Francisco (and beyond) and my successes and mishaps in recreating these adventures in my own kitchen. Jun-blog is a collection of essays and photographs about city dining and homestyle cooking.
Why Jun-Blog?
My dear old friend Stuart gave me my pet name Jun-bug many years ago and ever since it has just caught on. And when I was thinking of a name for my blog I thought Jun-Blog would be splendid.
The name Jun-Blog is actually inspired, too by one of my favorite films: the Amy Adams independent film Junebug. In this touching family drama set in the South, Amy Adams’s perky but naive and very pregnant Ashley utters the line “I’m gonna name my son, Junebug!” And so I thought “I’m gonna name my blog, Jun-Blog!” Silly, isn’t it?
I am a pembroke-welsh-corgi-belly-rubbing, honkey-nerd-loving, fried-chicken-eating thirty-something scientist, chemical engineer, digital photographer, graphic and web designer and writer. 
Hey Chris,
If you ever have a craving for roast pig (like in Hawaii) Tastebuds is in San Bruno, very close to you!
Jun
Thank you Chris, Jo, Christa, Liren, Jean, and Malou!
I’m so glad to find friends in the blogosphere who share the same excitement seeing and eating Filipino food! Thanks, ladies!!
Jun
Hey Malou,
I’m definitely up for a mEAT up! So many good places to try here in the Bay Area!! Looking forward to meeting you!
Jun
Ooh I think this is the definitive post on purple sweet potatoes! Thanks for sharing this with me! One day when I have the energy, I want to make a whole Filipino dinner and I will definitely make these little pies.
Since you love food like we do, I have some exciting news about a great opportunity for you to grace your palate at a once a year extravaganza, SFChefs 2010!
SFChefs 2010 will be held at Union Square in San Francisco, August 13th-15th, 2010 and is celebrating the local flair and regional flavors of San Francisco. This premier food, wine and spirits event will offer opportunities to interact with notable chefs, mixologists and culinary personalities. Participating chefs include Gary Danko, Tyler Florence and Thomas Keller, among others. SFChefs 2010 will support the Golden Gate Restaurant Association Scholarship Foundation, which grants financial scholarships to students from the Bay Area entering culinary and hospitality programs.
Do pre-sale tickets and front-row seating sound even more appetizing? If you have a Visa Card that simply says ‘Visa Signature’ across it, you could be one of the millions of Visa Signature cardholders who are eligible to receive exclusive ticket savings of over 20% to SF Chefs 2010 and much more. To learn more about this event visit http://www.sfchefsfoodwine.com/
We look forward to seeing you there.
Vivian Yu
Visa Outreach Team
P.S. To learn more about additional food and wine events, including Sonoma Country Wine Weekend, please visit: http://visa.com/signaturefood.
im THISCLOSE to licking that picture of lechon.
daaaaammmmmmnnnnnn. *salivate*
After seeing those pictures and your food options in SF, I’m beginning to think i immigrated to the wrong city.
Hey Iya,
Go ahead and lick the screen! No one’s looking!
J
Max’s fried chicken with banana ketchup and white rice ohhmygaaahhh *tulolaway*
Sarap to the bones!!
Happy Blogiversary, Jun!
Happy 1 year anniversary, Jun! In a very short time you’ve managed to create something beautiful for us to enjoy. Thanks for your beautiful images and posts with substance. Blog on!
Congratulations, Jun! Your blog’s a great addition to the local food scene.
Happy anniversary Jun. you are doing so well. Love your blog
Happy Blogiversary, hope you’ll celebrate many more!!!
and the cupcake looks soooo delicious!
Happy Birthday to your blog! Love your latest entry. I too remember helping my Mom shred the chicken for pancit — such fond memories. Maybe it is a rite of passage? Anyway congrats again!
Your photographs are sublime, and your words are always so evocative, full of emotion, memory, and thought. I could get lost in the narrative alone. Thank you for all that you’ve contributed to the food world and the Filipino community!
happy 1st jun-blog!way to go!
Congratulations on your first year!! I can’t wait to see all the beauties that the next one brings
Happy blog birthday, Jun!
You are a joy to read and this was a particularly beautiful post. Best wishes for an even better year ahead!
Julie (opedible)
Jun Blog , happy birthday !!!! just keep blogging hahaha! Have a Bless Day!
Happy Anniversary, Jun! I am so glad I found you and your blog! I get so excited to see your new posts, especially your awesome food shots that make me just want to eat the LCD screen!
Jun,
here’s to knowing you more thru the blogs that you write, the food that you cook and the beautiful pictures that you post… cheers!
xo,
malou
Congratulations for taking the plunge, reinventing yourself and creating such a welcome addition to our food community. Salamat.
Those cupcakes look like the perfect way to celebrate your anniversary. Congratulations and what wonderful snips of memory…
Oh Jun! Happy anniversary! Congratulations on your first blog milestone. Can’t wait to see the next year!
Happy blog anniversary!! Your post made me nostalgic about food and my life and memories. Thank you for sharing yours. Stunning photos and great recipes!
Ahh, my best friend has a Corgi too, he’s very cute and funny. Stanford looks like quite the adorable fellow.
Yes, he is adorable, indeed! Thanks again for the wonderful recipe I found in your lovely blog!
Hi Jun – lovely post – the first part also brought me back to Manila. When people ask what I miss most in the Philippines I always say it is the food! Happy Blog Anniversary – looking forward to more great posts – even if I only just discovered yours recently.
I just found your blog today…and I wish it had been sooner! You take such great photographs and write such fun posts. Your sweet pooch is adorable, and I love these homemade treats.
Ahhh! I am having Filipino foodgasm! I have not had bibingka since I flew back to the Philippines to show off Boracay to my husband. You are so lucky to have Tribu Grill. I mean there are a few options here in LA but not really authentic. OMG, I am drooling.
weeee! happy anniv!
magpa-cake ka naman! nomnomnom!!!
Thank you, Kathy for stopping by. And I don’t mean to rub it in but the bibingka was really really good!
Have you checked out the couple of Filipino street food vendors down there in LA? I’ve heard great things about them.
Jun
Looks yum, Jun! You are too funny – picking out all the Lup Cheong from the fried rice!
Thanks, Chris. The Lup Cheong is the BEST part!! I love the sweet smoky flavor!!!
wow ,my favorite pancit bihon !i must try it with shitake mushroom ! yummy thanks , brother ….
mmmm i love the addition of the shitake mushrooms into your bihon. and those shrimp, it looks like you didn’t make tipid on them huh hahahah. great looking bihon jun… nom nom nom!!
that looks so good! I’ve never seen this dish, it looks fresh and delicious and all of my favorite ingredients. Happy happy!
Yum, I can eat this everyday and never get tired of it. Sounds like your mom makes it just like my mom does. Wow, I would love to have some right now…with kalamansi, of course.
Congratulations Jun on your Ist year anniversary. You really have gone a long way. I’m really so happy and so proud of you. You don’t have any formal studies in culinary arts but look at yourself you know how to cook and bake. When you come home for a visit don’t forget to bake carrot cake for us coz it’s my favorite. Love you so much Jun! Keep it up.