Restaurant Review: Tamam

I tried Tamam (located at 26 Powell Street)  today for a take-out lunch and WOW! I've never had Palestinian or Arabic Mediterranean before but I really liked what I had and I will be going back for more. 

I ordered  the Sauteed Fresh Talapia with rosemary, garlic, lemon and olive oil    $9.5 that came with Mujaddarah (Lentils and Rice covered with sauteed Onions) and Tabbuleh. My fish was nicely cooked with fresh herbs and I am in love with Mujaddarah. There was so much food that I didn't even get to the Tabbuleh (will save it for Breakfast tomorrow with a soft boiled Egg). Fantastic food at an affordable price. Urbanspoon, please list this as my first Really Like.

* Update - a couple of days after my post--I went back to Tamam and noticed a $5 increase in all the items on the menu.  And then a couple of weeks later I noticed that Tamam closed all together never to re-open. Have to say--this was an opportunity missed.  Gastown has many over-priced restaurants and "diners" in the neighborhood but what Gastown really needs is a healthy, cheap and cheerful option.

Greek Yogurt with Fruit and Muesli

I am not a big Breakfast person but I'll eat this:

Greek Yogurt with Fruit and Muesli

Ingredients

1-2 scoops of Plain Greek Yogurt

1 Banana sliced

1-2 handful(s) of washed and sliced seasonal Fruit (such as Strawberries,Raspberries, Blueberries, Grapefruit, Peaches, etc

1 handful of Muesli

Preparation

Assemble all ingredients to Muesli in a serving plate, or if making to go: all ingredients to Fruit in a container. Keep Muesli in separate container- sprinkle onto Yogurt mixture when ready to eat.

Food Truck Review: Feastro

Fresh Halibut Taco – crispy chickpea battered fresh halibut, tomato/anise chutney with Henry Reed organic greens, tikka masala yogurt, hand cut salsa. $7+ tax

The other day, co-worker told me about Feastro (located at West Cordova at Thurlow)--a Food Truck that specializes in West Coast Cuisine. Still in love the Food Trucks of Portland--I treated myself for lunch.

The name is Feastro, you say? Considering it was a famine rather than feast--why don't they call it Famine-a-rama? I ordered the Halibut Taco and I found it terribly bland. What could be worse? It set me back $8 and I was still hungry afterwards. I did give Feastro another try, a couple of weeks later, this time I ordered the Mussels for $13. Kind of steep considering I got a bowl of cream with a side of Mussels with some fries. Not cool. And it doesn’t look like I’m the only one disappointed:

Vincent C on Urbanspoon  wrote:

This food truck is quite sad actually and I'm surprised at the reviews.
I order a fish taco for about $8 including tax. I think it was local ingredients and all the [novelty] of ordering from a food truck was pretty cool. Now I thought it was kind of odd that I was ordering 1 fish taco, but that's how they were being sold and I figured for $8 it should be a good amount of food and something special. Well I was wrong. Let me tell you what you get:1. A tortilla2. Some mixed greens Lettuce3. Salsa (Not very good, or am I a fan of cheap salsa with tomato paste)4. Some other sauce5. A tiny little piece of lime6. And I almost forget a piece of fish, basically bit sized. I'm still new to Vancouver and this has been the biggest waste of money when it comes to food in the city. I will never eat here again. So far the only decent tacos I've had in the city have been Taco Shack. But if you want the best get in your car and drive to Seattle and go to Chipotle. Amazing! Toronto has 2 of them, the only ones in Canada. Vancouver has zero I don't get it?I hope this review will save you the disappoint that I received. And if you're stuck in the areas needing a bite to eat walk a couple blocks to the food court at Urban Fare.

Sadly, I know I’ll go back to Feastro, again, because I love the idea of Food Trucks in Vancouver. I feel like Grampa Simpson--watching Football for the first time -"If we don't support this thing, it won't last!" I figure, I'll just have to go when the weather is nice and I'm not that hungry. 

Chicken and Dumplings Recipe

The night after I roast a chicken--I like to not waste anything. You can turn left over chicken into the base of many different recipes like basic broth, sandwiches, or Chicken and Dumplings. I love Chicken and Dumplings--it's savory creamy soup with hearty root vegetables and the nice fluffy dumplings.

I am still trying to find the perfect recipe for Chicken and Dumplings or should I say combination of recipes, because all I need is a better Dumpling recipe.  I've tried traditional flour and the Dumplings will come out dense, I've also tried using Pillsbury's frozen biscuits but I didn't like the texture, the best Dumplings recipe I've found to date was a British Dumpling product that I found in the long extinct British food section in Nesters.  What I liked about the British Dumplings was that it incorporated lard into the flour and the results was a satisfying Dumpling you could just eat without the Gravy. In my next attempt, I'll try out Bisquick (but only if I don't have to commit to a massive cereal sized box) and in this recipe I use Dr. Oetker's Pancake/Biscuit mix. 

Dr. Oetker's Dumplings steamed into a nice fluffy texture but a little sweet. Next time Bisquick. 

Ingredients

Roasted Chicken left overs - meat separated from bones and chopped (bones can be used for other purposes i.e. broth)

• 1 swig of Olive Oil
• 3 Celery, chopped
• 1 large Onion, chopped
• 1 Parsnip
• 1 handful of frozen Peas
• 2 Bay leaves
• 1 chicken Bouillon cube
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed Cream of Celery/Chicken/Mushroom soup

Dumplings:

• Dr. Oetker's Pancake/Biscuit Mix

Directions

Heat Wok and add oil. Add ingredients Celery to Parsnip to wok. Cook for several minutes or until the Onions start turning golden. Add Bouillon cube to Wok and stir well. Add water to cover vegetable mixture by 1 or 2 inches. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add chicken meat to the pot. Keep warm over low heat.

Prepare the dumplings: per instructions  

Add Peas and cream of celery soup to the pot and simmer gently over medium-low heat. Taste the Soup--if too flavorful, add more water. If not flavorful enough add Salt and Pepper to taste. Cut the dough into 1-inch pieces and add to simmering soup. Do not stir the chicken once the dumplings have been added. Gently move the pot in a circular motion so the dumplings become submerged and cook evenly. Cook until the dumplings float and are no longer doughy, 3 to 4 minutes.

To serve, ladle Soup and Dumplings into warm bowls.

Roast Herb Chicken Recipe with Red Potatoes and Pearl Onions



I heard an interesting phrase, the other day, it goes: If you want to see a chef's skill--taste her Roasted Chicken. I don't personally think that I'm an above average chef but I do think this method for Roasting makes any Chicken well above average (shiiite, sure beats Nesters and Costco).

Roasting at high temperatures will give you lovely crisp skin and the Lawry's Salt and Herbs will give you that satisfying taste that all Chicken Lovers crave.  You can always change up the recipe--just keep the method. For example, a North African style Chicken: Salt and Paparika with Oil and lemon slices under the skin and wedges in the cavity or you can do a nice Honey Dijon mixture with Thyme. It's all gravy.

Note: If you have room in your freezer buy 3 birds in advance from Costco (you can end up paying as little as $4 a bird as opposed to buying a bird for $9+ at Nesters). Freezing chicken is easy: just rinse, pay dry and store in a freezer bag for up to three months. To defrost: remove Chicken a day before into the fridge. 

Ingredients

1 Whole Chicken (the best you can afford)

Olive Oil (a swig or two)

Handful of each:

Fresh chopped Rosemary, Oregano and Thyme

Lawry's Seasoning Salt and Ground Pepper to taste

Potatoes (any kind) washed and quartered (1 handful = 1 serving)

Pearl Onions (skinned and 1 handful = 1 serving)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Rinse Chicken (including cavity) and pat dry.  In a bowl mix together ingredients Oil to Ground Pepper. Gently separate the skin from the Chicken and massage Oil-Herb mixture (reserve bowl) under the skin and throughout the Chicken. Use remaining Oil-Herb mixture to dress Potatoes and Onions.

Place Chicken in Roasting Pan breast side down and arrange Potatoes and Onions around the Chicken. You may add additional sprigs of Herbs in the cavity if desired. After 30 minutes--flip the Chicken breast side up (this will keep your Chicken moist throughout the bird). Roast until chicken is gold brown and meat thermometer reads 170 degrees Fahrenheit in the thickest part of the bird). Remove Chicken from heat and let rest for 10 minutes under foil tent.

Try one of these Brussel Sprout recipes for a side.
What to do with the left-overs? Make Chicken Noodle Soup or Chicken and Dumplings

Take out Review: Thailicious

What's a Take Out Review? It's a review for places that only do take out, like Thailicious. Over the summer, my co-worker highly recommended Thailicious as a cheap and cheerful Thai. He also recommended getting your meal delivered because apparently the actual Thailicious restaurant is not an easy find.

Since the summer--Thailicious is my regular take out because indeed, they serve up delicious food at good value.  I am a fan of the Spicy Calamari, the Stir-fry Noodles in Sweet Soy Sauce, or the Basil Spicy Noodles, and you can never really go wrong with any of the Curries. Adam loves the Beef with Garlic and Pepper Sauce over rice but beware: when you ask for hot--it's the real deal.  

I find Thailicious is a great alternative to cooking: the vegetables are always fresh and crisp tender, the mains are flavorful and nothing is served greasy. I, also find that the Customer Service is fantastic but the Quality Control needs some work.

The other week—I had an impromptu party of 5 show up at my apartment. I knew that ordering from Thailicious would be a safe bet.  Dinner came unusually late --and with prizes in the form of broken pieces of plastic in the curry!  The next day—I wrote an complaint email and within the hour I got this reply:

Hi,


I am very sorry to hear that.  Normally the food should not cool when it get there.  The broken plastic in the curry container is because the curry too hot and it melt the plastic of it’s cover.  Normally we will make sure the curry will sit a bit before we cover it up so it is not too hot until the cover plastic lit is melt down.  Yesterday may be we were rush to put your order out for delivery so this may happen.  We are very sorry for this. 


We are more that happy to refund your the whole order.  I have to go back to check how you paid last night.  If it is cash we more than happy to bring back the cash to you this evening.  However if it paid by credit card or debit since the process is completed we will credit you the whole amount for your next order.  This is a very rare occasion and we know what is it cause therefore we try to avoid it as we can.  We have to more carful on this both on packing and delivering processes. 


We are very sorry for this happen to you and very appreciate you let us know on what’s happen.  Finally we hope you will accept our apology. 


Best regards,


Thailicious team.

Ok, Thailicious Team, I forgive you, and I'll order from you again. Offering me credit is good business practice but what will keep me coming back regularly is a standard of good food, quick delivery and making sure my whole order is in the bag. I ordered from Thailicious, again, last night and the drop off took over an hour to arrive and what's more or should I write less--my bag was missing the rice I ordered. Shame--the food was great despite the Management issues.

Green Leafy Vegetable #26: Kale Chips with Lemon Recipe

This past weekend I went to a BBQ where I was introduced to the most delicious Kale (#26 on the Green Leafy Vegetable List) recipe I have tasted to date: Kale Chips. Kale is a hard sell for me to eat regularly--the stalks are rough and the whole leaf can be really bitter. However, if you bake it--Kale turns crispy, light and as satisfying as Potato Chips (don't argue--opinions are like assholes, everyone has one).

Ingredients

1 bunch of Kale per serving

Pam

Fresh Lemon Juice (to taste)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking pan with parchment paper. Wash and pat dry Kale. Cut into bite sized pieces--feel free to discard the stalk. Arrange Kale in pan. Spray with Pam. Squeeze Lemon Juice onto Kale mixture. Bake in oven for 10 minutes on each side or until edges turn brown.

For other Kale Recipes click here

Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe

A weekend of non-stop Partying + rainy Monday = Sick Day

Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe

Ingredients (serves 4 or 2 fatties)

Swig of Olive Oil

2-3 diced Garlic Cloves

Handful each of chopped Onions, Carrots and Celery

Bunch of fresh Thyme

1 carton of Chicken Broth (I like Pacific Organic because it has a nice clean taste, you don't need to add any additional salt and you can get it cheap at Costco)

Handful or two of Whole Wheat Rigatoni (or whatever you have on hand)

Handful or two of chopped leftover Roasted Chicken (bones, fat and skin removed)

Black Pepper to taste

Preparation

With medium high heat--swig your Oil in your pot. Add Garlic to Celery. Stir until fragrant. Add Thyme (you don't need to chop--if you remove the Thyme leaves by pulling up the stem and into the pot). Stir until fragrant.  Add Chicken Broth and Rigatoni. Simmer until Rigatoni is cooked and vegetables are tender. Add  Chicken and Pepper to taste.

Restaurant Review: Twisted Fork

Twisted Fork is hands down one of my new favorite restaurants. It takes a bit of luck to get a seat--tried going to Brunch before and the place was packed (which would be ok--if there was other alternative restaurants in the area--but not so much).  Last weekend--Adam and I couldn't get into Cineplex, so we decided to get Dinner on Granville Street without a restaurant in mind.

When I saw that Twisted Fork was basically empty--I jumped on the opportunity to finally try it out. Adam liked the ambiance--relaxed and welcoming and I liked the efficient Service. 

We ordered the:

Scallops and Bacon - Pan seared scallops marinated in thyme and chipotle oil served with caramelized onion, potato puree, double smoked bacon and house  chutney - Delicious! The Scallops were fresh and sweet, the potatoes were the kind you fight to sit next

to at the Dinner table and the Bacon complimented the dish overall 

Halibut Cakes - Nothing special. I couldn't actually taste the Halibut.  Should just be called Herbs Cakes formed with flakes of Halibut

Fresh Mussels - One pound,  with cream, herbs and fresh tomatoes, served with frites - Again, nothing special.  The Mussel were fresh and plump but the sauce was bland and lacked character.  Sauce tasted like just salt and cream

Chocolate Terrine - Frozen dark chocolate mousse layered with raspberry sorbet, 

with biscotti crumbs and raspberry coulis - Sensational! Though there were only two spoonfuls for dessert-- it was all I needed. This is a lovely and rich dish. The velvet textured Mousse paired well with the not too sweet Sorbet. Perfect way to end the meal.

Though I wasn't too impressed with 2:4 dishes of our dinner--there are a lot of things on the menu that I am still curious to taste.  Who knows if this was just a bad night to order Halibut Cakes and Mussels but considering the bill we got at the end of the meal--I can afford to come back and try everything.

Want to make Mussels at home?

Mussel Night

Dinner and a Download: Pasta Puttanesca and the King of Kong

Pasta Puttanesca served with Chicken Breast

Pasta Puttanesca

This was my first experience with this dish that translates in italian to: "Whore's style spaghetti" (Ha!)--I have never heard of it before and was curious to taste how the Anchovies (hmmmmm?) would taste in a pasta dish.  I've heard the secret ingredient to Caesar Salad (yum) Dressing are Anchovies--so, Anchovies in pasta--why not?I liked this dish--the answer to the question of what happens when you use Anchovies in a pasta dish is the fish adds a subtle salty flavor to the sauce. Puttanesca is a salty, spicy and fragrant sauce that I will be using again. You Whores and your spaghetti are alright by me.
• Ingredients
• Salt
• ¼ cup extra-virgin Olive Oil
• 1 Garlic clove, minced
• 1 whole dried Chili Pepper
• 4 Anchovy fillets, rinsed or 1 tbs of Anchovy paste
• 1 (28-ounce) can whole Tomatoes--drained and roughly chopped
• 1 cup pitted Black Olives, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons Capers, rinsed, soaked in cold water for 10 minutes, then rinsed again
• 2 teaspoons Tomato Paste
• 1 pound Spaghetti
• Preparation

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to boil. Heat oil, Garlic and Chili (with seeds) in a large skillet over medium heat until warm. Add Anchovies and continue to heat, breaking up Anchovies with a fork. Add Tomatoes and stir to combine. Add Olives, Capers and Tomato Paste; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened, about 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook Pasta until al dente. Drain Pasta and return to pot. Immediately add sauce and stir to combine; warm over low heat, tossing, until sauce coats pasta well, about 1 minute. Serve immediately.

 The King of Kong

Picking this movie soley on the title--it was everything I wanted it to be. I found something familiar, I was surprised and I discovered a whole new world. The King of Kong is a documentary of one Nerd trying to beat the World Donkey Kong Record and  be accepted by a self-appointed Video Game Authority. Steve Wiebi is the loveable, empathetic, Regular Joe Protagonist and Billy Mitchell is one of the most creepy Antagonists (complete with horrible hair) on screen since Javier Bardem in No Country for Old Men. Sometimes life is more interesting than fiction and this is one the best stories I've seen a long time.

I love to hate these people.

Creepy Friend-O Guy......



....Meet Billy Mitchell



Restaurant Review: Cabin 5555

We have a friend's car until the weekend and last night Adam thought it would be nice to drive to Cabin 5555 for dinner (Kerrisdale can either be a nice 15 minute drive or an unpleasant 45+ minute to a hour commute via public transport from downtown Vancouver).

Several years ago--I stumbled upon Cabin 5555 (located at 5555 West Boulevard- in Kerrisdale) while waiting for Adam's Soccer game to start. Cabin 5555 is self described as a Taiwanese Cafe (Taiwan = Beef Noodle Soup) and so I gave it a go and found some of my favorite cheap and cheerful Taiwanese foods on the menu.

Light and Refreshing Cold Pickled Cucumbers in Garlic and Peppers



Thinly sliced braised Beef with a Hoisin sauce, drizzle of Hoisin Sauce wrapped in a perfectly cooked Chinese Pancake.  A light/savory/satisfying starter that makes you want to order more to take home




                 

              Braised Beef in a dark spicy Broth served with Noodles and Bok Choy topped with Pickled Vegetables

 

About the Beef Noodle Soup, I've noticed that Cabin 5555 has recently changed their recipe by adding vinegar to the broth.  I've also noticed that vinegar has become a trend in Beef Noodle Soup throughout the City. Why? Who knows but I'm not going to complain too much because apparently vinegar is good for you:

The vinegar in your pantry isn’t merely handy when it comes to shaking up your favorite dressings for salads or quick-pickling produce for sandwiches – it may help you break down fat and reduce its accumulation in the body, thanks to acetic acid, an organic chemical compound that gives vinegar its potent taste and scent. In a Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry study, animals given the acid along with a high-fat diet developed up to 10 percent less body fat than those that consumed the fatty fare alone. Of course, upping our intake of vinegar just so you can eat more fatty foods is not our recommended course of action! - Clean Eating Magazine

Spicy diced Chicken served with Peanuts and Hot Peppers in a spicy sauce - lovely over rice (would have ordered it if I wasn't in love with the Beef Noodle Soup)

Adam ordered the Kung Pao Gee Ding set menu that came with rice, sides of shelled Edamame with diced carrots and dried Tofu and glutenous Tofu with Nappa Cabbage and a individually packaged Coconut Jelly that he immediately discarded after opening....(no judgement).

Sometimes the Service is a little hit or miss but for the quality of food and the prices Cabin 5555 is still the best Taiwanese Restaurant in Vancouver. On the other hand, for the Best Beef Noodle Soup recipe ever - click here

Restaurant Review: McLeans Deli

So when does a Deli qualify for a Restaurant Review? When the sandwiches cost around $10+

Back in the day McLean's Deli was Social--an expensive Deli where you could get 1/2 a Focaccia sandwich and a beer for $13. Nowadays McLean's is an even more expensive Deli ($10.75 for half a Focaccia sandwich) with less charcuterie availabilities and they don't sell beer.

The other day I recieved a giftcard for McLean's for $20--I went in for lunch and found the place empty. My only chacuterie options that day were limited to Honey Ham, Black Forest Ham and Proscuitto which is not surprising because the last time I ordered for the office the Deli was again out of most Meats. I left with a basic Ham 1/2 sandwich (surprise, surprise) and what turned out to be a horrible cup of strange watery pea soup that somehow cost me $17ish all in!

I will not be going again--and if anyone wants the $3ish left on my giftcard send me your address and I'll mail it off to you. Want a better sandwich in the area--go to Trees Organic. The sandwiches are pre-made but quite tasty and a reasonable price ($8).

Everything but the Pig

A couple of weeks ago, I was got a different kind of BBQ invitation and thought to myself--could it be?

Am I really going to be able to cross Roasted Suckling Pig off my life's To Eat List ? Sure, it's not a far out idea, but unless your in Hawaii, a Medieval Festival, Lord of the Flies or if you were in that Simpsons Episode where Lisa becomes a vegetarian--an opportunity like this comes but once a lifetime.

And how beautiful Piggy was:

Most of us ate Piggy as a Pulled Pork Sandwich and others ate the rest of him--all of him. Suckling Roasted Pig? Been there; ate that.

4 Days in Portland- Day 4

Day 4

Bean and Rice Bowl

Trio of Tacos

Porque no Taqueria - my last meal in Portland and overall, I like this place: it's fresh, delicious and affordable.  At first I just ordered  Shrimp, Fish and Calamari Tacos.


The best part of the trio was the Fish Taco-- which was fantastic. I could taste all the flavors: pineapple, lightly fried fish, cabbage and cilantro.


Not wanting to missing out on another potentially good dish--I then ordered Bean and Rice bowl--which was sadly disappointing. All the different kinds of mushy textures were a bit of a turn off--but I don't regret trying it out.


On our last meal in the States was dinner at the Boundary Bay Brewery in Bellingham, WA.

I ordered the Pork Chop that came with Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes and Brocolini. A very satisfying meal--the cream sauce was not overwhelming, the Chop was well cooked, the Potatoes were the kind you crave and the Brocolini was tender and lovely (even Adam ate his).  The three others all ordered the Meatloaf with the same sides--and I didn't ask to try any because Meatloaf (yuck) is a turn-off for me.

Pork Chop

Meatloaf

It's been some time since my trip to Portland and I've had some time to reflect. I long to go back. Portland is how I always imagined the West Coast--it's new, laid back and people know how to work to live and not live to work. Portland's it.

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

4 Days in Portland- Day 3

Day 3

Walked past Kenny & Zukes- a couple of times during my stay and it was always packed. Gustavo and I decided that we had to try it out--rain or shine. 

Kenny and Zukes was worth it the wait and the price. I decided to try something new:

Bagel with cream cheese,
pickled onions, tomato, capers
& one of the following........................11.95
· gravlax (cured salmon)
· nova lox (smoked salmon)
· whitefish salad

I ordered a Poppy Bagel with Scallion Cream Cheese and Gravlax. I loved the Gravelax, Capers and pickled Red Onions. Great light brunch to finish off the morning.

I also ordered a Matza Ball soup--I wasn't too crazy about it. It was flavorful but nothing special.

For Dinner we ventured to Trebol- I ordered Garlic Clams with Potatoes and Cilantro and afterwards a Bean and Chorizo Taco- both very good - The Clams were light and delicious and the Beans were smokey and lovely.

For a digestif went to Moloko- tried out the Oolong Ice Tea and liked it so much I had another and another.

Day 1

Day 2
Day 4

Steamed Rockfish with Ginger and Scallions Recipe

 My local market had Rockfish on special  the other day, so took the opportunity to make one of my favorite dishes: Steamed Fish with Ginger and Scallions. I love this dish--it's light, flavorful and easy to make.

Ingredients

1 Rockfish or any white fish (in this meal I used a fillet instead of whole fish)
1 tablespoon of Sugar

2 dashes of Sherry

1 clove Garlic, minced
1 1-inch knob Ginger, julienned or shredded with a microplane
1/2 teaspoon Sesame oil
2 dashes of Soy Sauce

2 stalks Scallions, thinly sliced

Special equipment – Bamboo steamer

Preparation

Clean your fish and pat dry with a kitchen towel. Place Fish on heat-safe plate and sprinkle fish with Sugar and marinate in Sherry for 15 minutes. Add remaining ingredients to Soy to Fish. Fill wok with 2 to 3 inches of water and bring to boil. Carefully set your plate on the Steaner rack, then cover with the lid. Steam for 10 to 12 minutes, depending on how thick your Fish is in the middle. Check for doneness by poking the flesh with a spoon or chopstick at the thickest point; if the flesh flakes off easily, your Fish is done. 

Garnish with scallions and serve immediately.

Attack of the 9lb Paella

A little while ago, Gustavo said to me: I'm thinking of making Paella. I said: I am there! What I love about Paella is that it's social and hands on. What I I didn't know that this wasn't going to be Saturday Brunch but an event, because Gustavo bought a 9 lb lobster!

Truth be told--I got way too drunk to remember his recipe but everyone and their Mother has a Paella recipe so there's plenty to choose from. The best part for me was cracking the Lobster shell with a hammer--we got a noise complaint from the neighbor but bollocks to him. Cheers, Gustavo!

  





Too big to fit in the pot



Simmering away



Green Leafy Vegetable #46: Watercress

Getting back to my Green Leafy Vegetable List:

Sauteed Watercress

Ingredients

Bundle of Watercress

Garlic

Preparation

Wash and chop Watercress

Smash Garlic with heavy knife and mince

Heat  Wok. Add a dash of Oil. Add Garlic and let cook for a minute. Add Watercress, stir and cover for 2 minutes. Add 1/4 cup of water to Wok and cover. Cook until Watercress is tender and dark green. Add  Salt to taste. Eat with rice or noodles. Compliments tofu, fish, chicken and pork dishes.

Extra! Extra! Read All about it: I (still) hate Chill Winston

I don't know why people come to Chill Winston--probably to sun and be seen but I'll tell you what--it's certainly not for the over-priced food or drinks.

A little while ago, my cousin-in-law was visiting, from Australia, and wanted to go to Chill Winston's for brunch.  I thought to myself: What the hell, let's try not to be so picky. I decided I would give the CW Menu another try and ordered the Crab Salad.

It was crap-tacular and what a waste of money. The Lettuce had more flavor than the Crab and the dressing didn't bring out the sweetness of the Crab meat at all but just sort of stayed stubbornly on my palette.

If I must--will drink there but won't be wasting another opportunity of a precious meal if I can help it.