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Roast pork slider on King’s Hawaiian Sweet Roll with Shiso Leaf.

Sliders!

Happy Mouse. 🙂

Enjoy. Eat well.

The Mouse

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Vegan Won Ton

Sunday lunch with our chi master friend and his wife.

Vegan Won Ton Stuffing

 

Vegan Won Ton Soup

Not sure about the ingredients, I think I posted about this before. Surprisingly tasty being vegan, lots of ginger. Downside was an hour later we were kinda hungry. Oh well.

Enjoy. Eat well.

The Mouse

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The Mouse’s New Year’s Day Adventure

Thought to start the new year with some new adventure.

A couple of weeks ago, bought a Global paring knife (a Williams-Sonoma exclusive) as a “travel” knife (part of The Mouse’s knife roll). Received it dull as can be, the dependable Spyderco sharpening system had nada effect. Thought it was going to end up as an expensive butter knife.

Paring Knife

As last resort contacted Grey Wolf at Cutting Edge Sharpening. Extremely professional and skilled. I have a functional paring knife. Big smile.

Checked out Chef Zone.

Sign

Kinda like a Costco for the restaurant industry, currently open to the public. Half the warehouse is like a regular warehouse full of industrial sized food items and restaurant supplies, the other half is the chill room. As a courtesy to customers, store lends insulated coats for the chill room.

Before entering the chill room

Cute yeah?

The journey was mostly to look around, a little “reconnaissance” for the new year, jus’ being niele. Hee hee.

The Mouse’s Provisions

Not too much, just some everyday groceries. Ketchup (no high fructose corn syrup), wakame seaweed, loaf of bread, lemons, mandarin oranges (fresh, not tinned), and blueberries. Not sure we can return too often (the volume is a little bigger than our needs), but, sometimes, just for fun. 🙂

Checked out a Chinese restaurant reviewed by the local newspaper, nearby Chef Zone, airport area.

Outside

On the premises of a motel. Go figure.

Interior

Kinda like entering a time warp in the nineteen-sixties. Weird (in a good way).

Menu is very American-Chinese, American-Chinese food, local selections, burgers and fries. Something for almost everyone.

The Mouse ordered …

Char Siu and Roast Pork on Rice

Mmm! Roast pork skin like thin shattered glass, so crispy. Char Siu wasn’t bad either. A little choi sum included to round out the plate.

And since the menu was “American-Chinese”,

Hamburger Deluxe

In celebration of the year of the rooster. No relevance at all but … hee hee!

Also in the area, tried finding a stationery store, missed. Ended up at the old 99 Ranch Market location.  Two pleasant “finds”.

Hamachi Sashimi

Since we were eating Friday night’s leftovers, picked up a tray for The Cat to commemorate the new year. And…

Flamingo Express

I’ve written nostalgically about the “demise” of the local “diner” including Flamingo Restaurant. Apparently they are still hanging on. Maybe another trip here is warranted to check them out.

So, that was The Mouse’s new year day adventure. How did you spend the first day of the lunar new year.

Enjoy. Eat well.

The Mouse

 

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(Chinese) New Year’s Eve Dinner

Ok, I misspoke, thought the B-Day parties were the last eatin’ events in January. Forgot Chinese New Year (those sneaky Chinese, The Cat and The Mouse included) move the dates around every year, must be a conspiracy to confuse. I know solar calendar vs lunar calendar, but conspiracy is more exciting.

Disclaimer, The Cat nor The Mouse picked the restaurant (although, The Cat did think the food was really good there at one time, plus, we think it’s one of the few places in SPAM land to have Hainan Chicken rice on the menu). The Cat’s relative picked the place.

So, onward to S_______ Cafe in Chinatown (named masked to protect the …).

Crabmeat and Fish Maw Soup

It was … okay. The maw was a little crunchy/chewy, not sure if that’s the perfect texture. Had fish maw at other places that were softer in texture.

Country Style Rice Noodle

This was okay, not bad, added a splash of shoyu or vinegar to up the taste. The Cat’s relative couldn’t/wouldn’t touch it, she believe she cannot eat shrimp, crab, lobster, fish, chicken, beef, and a whole list of things, kinda Alanis. So, she couldn’t/wouldn’t touch the soup either.

Duck and Dried Pork Skin Pot

Hmm. Duck a little overcooked, the pork skin either not hydrated or not cooked long enough. Something definitely off on this dish. And such potential too. Now, to be fair, since it was Chinese new year eve, maybe the kitchen was overwhelmed (the tables were full). I dunno. One of two dishes The Cat’s relative “touched”.

Capital Pork Chop

The second of two dishes The Cat’s relative “touched”. I hope The Mouse doesn’t get “Morris” in his old age. The pork chops? Not bad, The Mouse prefers pork belly to chop, not bad for the chop cut of meat tho’.

Hainan Chicken Rice

The Mouse thought this was pretty good, especially the rice, cooked in chicken stock and fat. Mmm. The Cat thought the dish was better before. The ginger and chili sauce sets off the cold chicken well. One of two favorite dishes for The Mouse for the night. Better be since The Mouse ordered it. Hee hee.

String Beans with Pork and Preserved Vegetable

Again, “something” missing, dunno if the flavor was well distributed or just overwhelmed kitchen. Sigh.

Egg Tarts

From the morning dim sum service. A little something sweet to end the dinner. 🙂

Hope your Chinese new year celebration went well.

Enjoy. Eat well.

The Mouse

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A Teaser

Still resizing the pics from last night’s dinner. For now, pic of yesterday’s breakfast. From the campus cafeteria.

Scrambled Eggs and Fried Rice

Fried rice, it was Chinese new year’s eve after all. Hee hee.

More to come (dinner).

Happy Year of the Rooster y’all! 🙂

Enjoy. Eat well.

The Mouse

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