June 16, 2009
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Song of the Day
其實我多希望…
上帝或佛祖給我多一點平靜…
少一點擾人的事情…
少一點擔心的事情…但我知道這是很難做得到…
一個人總需要遇到很多考驗…但我還會不斷的奢求…
奢求那一點平靜…
Long Distance Phone Call from HK…Mom: What have you been busy doing over the weekend? I can never got hold of you. Did your roomate tell you that I called?
Me: Not really. Oh, I was just out watching a basketball game at a friend’s house. (Gosh, I better not say I spent the weekend at my bf’s place.) So, is everything okay?
Mom: Which day did you treat your brother to his birthday dinner? He must be pretty happy, huh? Only you two dined?
Me: Oh, it was Saturday night.
After a series of interrogation, it appeared that her anxiety has finally subsided and I have answered her questions in a satisfactory manner.
Mom: By the way, I just heard from your aunt that cousin Josie flew over to LA for business, she may call you guys when she’s got some spare time. I hope you guys can meet up for dinner or afternoon tea.
Me: Oh sure, thanks for letting us know.
(So, I guess that’s part of the reason why mom has been trying to reach me. I know that she has my mobile phone number for really urgent matters, therefore, anything of secondary importance she will call me at home.) After that, mom went on and mentioned how boring life has been, doing the same old chores everyday, the house is so quiet since our last visit in December 2008. I know I know, it’s about time to pay another visit to keep them company, but I said the earliest would be this coming Christmas. I wish we could see them more often. Well, I just wish I could live closer to home…..
Sunday, after breakfast at Three Squares Cafe , we went to a ‘mini’ Farmers Market near W’s place. We arrived a couple of hours
before closing time. Nevertheless, we managed to pick up some strawberries and cherries. (Thank you my dear W for some of the food photos).
Irregularly shaped strawberries, but very sweet and juicy…
Breakfast at Three Squares – Fresh Salmon Tar Tar with poached egg, toasted muffin and greens…
Omelette of the Day with assorted vegetables…Not a pretty looking omelette at all…
Dinner at the Fig Restaurant , Santa Monica, where they claim they are the “seasonal bistro with an emphasis on
organically grown and locally sourced ingredients”…
First up, one piece of pan roasted fig for each diner…mini French bread and pistachio flavoured butter…
Curly Endive – Soft Poached Duck Egg, Crispy Pig’s Ear, Cider Vinaigratte, Toasted Bread…
Pacific Mussels in Chablis and Tarragon, with Baguette on the side…
Kurobuta Tenderloin – Artisan Polenta, Spinach, Peppered Honey Mustard…
Arrgh…someone had his hands out…Steak Frites, Eight Ounce California Prime, aged 28 days…
Chocolate Pot au Creme with Berries and Sable Cookies…
Strawberry Shortcake with Berries and Whipped Cream…
Since we are allergic to alcohol (unless I take some medication beforehand), only still water was allowed on the table.
Overall, three of us shared the salad, mussels and dessert, we had two orders of steak and one order of Tenderloin.
The tab came out to be approximately US$175, pretty reasonable for a birthday dinner, right?Ding Tai Fung – during the weekend of the Dragon Boast Festival, I was hungry for 粽子, sticky rice wrap with pork fillings…
Mini pork dumplings…
RING of dumplings…
“Siao-lone-bao”, juicy dumplings with pork and crab fillings…
Small cut-out Carrot signifies the bao’s have crab meat added as ingredients…
Last but not least tastiest – Pork Chop with Fried Rice…
Lunch with mostly starchy contents cost approximately US$36 which is quite pricey for just four dishes.
Nevertheless, it was a very satisfying meal particularly with the 粽子!Back at home Sunday, we had duck breast for dinner. Pan fried duck breast sauteed with orange marmalade sauce.
Five minutes on each side, medium heat. Then add marmalade sauce onto the duck breast, sides of steamed rice and asparagus.
The Chardonnay costs around US$11, has an overpowering oak flavour, probably will save the remaining for cooking.
Comments (35)
Sounds like Mom is fishing! Maybe you should give her some of those mussels!
lol at your mom’s questioning… one of these days, you seem to be pretty good at evading her. I love those dumplings and I want to try some of those mussels. I’ve never tried duck breast before. I’ve always seen it served rare to medium rare and that makes me a bit nervous. I can eat medium rare but not duck.
I hope you get a chance to go home sooner. It must be tough on you and your brother.
alot of food, I love it. thanks your great food pictures.
“irregularly shaped” strawberries. Funny that there is some expectations by shoppers that berries would have perfect symmetry.
Sounds like your mom miss you or at least very curious, hope she does not come to “surprise” you by knocking on the door! Mom has known to do that before, lol. All those yummy pictures make me hungry, that is so not fair,
.
Looks like someone been busy eh? Bombared tons of foodie pics all in one post =P You want to give me heart attack? HAHAHAHA jk jk
@CareyGLY -
Haha~~I just hope it’s that easy! You know how all mommies are!! LOL
@ElusiveWords -
Duck is mostly served medium rare unless I asked them to be well done. I learned my lesson when I got sick eating medium rare meat. Regarding HK, I wish I could visit at least twice a year!
@totoro2000 -
I hope the food porn would give you some sort of food orgasm? jk jk
@christao408 -
In fact, the strawberries I saw at the Ferry Building are better in shape. Should have got a few cartons. Lately, I had some ‘mutant’ cherries which grew out a ‘twin’ cherry on the side, resembling a buttock.
聽著你節錄的歌曲: 情人知己, 一份感想湧上心頭, 竟然有點心傷啦…^__*
“平靜”在乎你的心, 只要心靜, 人自然會靜~ ^__^
@stevew918 -
Haha~ Thanks for the ‘heads up’, I’ll start monitoring mom’s travel plans from now on. I don’t want any surprise visits of course! I hope my food photos will give you a little bit of food orgasm as well! LOL
@zozoyork -
Too much food? I have to keep up with you, my dear. I hope you’ll get some sort of 快感 from my food porn! =D
@uyyt -
Thank you for the advice, Alice. By the way, ‘情人知己’ is one of my favourite songs of the 80′s (or 90′s?). I have a collection of classics from Sam Hui, Alan Tam, etc.
after just reading this post, i think i have decided – we have the same taste in food.
@curry69curry - That’s my main complaint about the Ferry Bldg Farmer’s Market: too much emphasis on that overly-perfect looking Whole Foods type produce. Very expensive and not necessarily any tastier. Go to the Alemany Market instead: http://www.sfgov.org/site/alemany_index.asp
I’ve been sitting here working on other stuff but keeping your site open because I like this song so much.
@JonasApproved -
Oh, that’s good, maybe you can tell me where to find a good sit-down restaurant near your area?
@christao408 -
Thanks for the referral, Chris, I’ll sure check it out next time! Yeah, that 1 lb cherry @ Ferry Building costs US$7, which is quite pricey.
Oh, this piece is by R.Sakamoto “Put Your Hands Up”, I found this great to listen to as background music. I have Yurima’s pieces too and they are just as soothing to the ear.
I didn’t think their crab meat dumplings are all that, but their fried rice sure is good…
It’s a bit Japanese style though…
So I take it you are not out to you mom, right?
How about your brother?
@curry69curry - Actually, according to the player at the top of your site, it is a piece by Sally Yeh. But it is a piano piece that reminds me a Sakamoto. Very nice. I’d like to find a copy of it.
@Wangium - Yes, ask Curry about his handsome brother!
Great food pictures. I am glad you were able to talk to mom. I think you had qualms about talking to her about yourself last year before you went home. You better talk to her soon, or else like all Eastern mothers, she will pick someone out for you before you visit her next christmas. lol.
@Wangium -
You guessed it right, Jason! My brother is cool with that though! By the way, I wonder what makes the Ding Tai Fung fried rice tastes Japanese?
I think it’s the way they cook it
They use butter
and the rice is different…
It’s more…covered in oil/shiny and more moist inside each grain
@curry69curry - this is first time I heard from this….
hope a chance to try 
will let you know result. kakaka…
@ZSA_MD -
Haha~~I hope not but don’t mind her doing the picking since this will keep her busy for a while!
You are a funny man.
oh wow Gary, I must add Fig to my list of restaurants to try when we’re next in LA
@AppsScraps -
Yes Brent, I like the casual ambience and friendly people in that place. Highly recommended!
I think other than steak or lamb, I will not have rare to medium rare meat in HKG, just last Jul I had a bad experience after having the Shanghainese Fried Pork Chop noodle which the meat was not thoroughly cooked….and I havn’t had sashimi or raw fish sushi for some time even in Vancouver…..
I guess sushi and sashimi should be fine, but I’d heed you advice on eating anything other than steak or lamb. I got sick too after having medium rare duck meat!
are you from toronto??
I’m from LA – Los Angeles.
wow, i haven’t xanga-ed in so long!!! good to see you are still updating, gives me hope! hahaha
anyways, are you on facebook? this is me: http://www.facebook.com/devonho
I started cooking a lot too, and i love your photos on food, ugh, and chinese music!!!!
Here is my food blog.http://gorged.blogspot.com/ hear fr. you soon! =) gosh i miss xanga.
@mrho71 -
Thanks for stopping by, Devon. I’ll check out your pages soon. Bon Appetit!