Bistro Review: Kita No Donburi

Yesterday I decided to get some take out from Kita No Donburi, at the bottom of Seymour Street. I was on my way back to the office and was looking for either something quick/cheap and cheerful or quick/value for money.

I noticed that Kita No Donburi opened a couple of months ago, was meaning to try it out but the only thing stopping me were all the bad reviews. Bad reviews and maybe also the plastic food on display (I'm like Colin Ferrall in the movie In Bruges--he has an unhealthy fascination with midgets; I have an unhealthy fascination with plastic food). Decided to try it out myself and I have to say that it's true the service is bad but it's honest. Also, the food portions are fair, the quality is lacking a bit and the prices average.

I ordered the Chicken Katsu Curry around the same time someone else ordered the same. She got her to go order within 2 minutes but I was still waiting 5 minutes when the hostess came over to me and showed me something in a bowl (not a to go container) and asked me if that's what I had ordered. It wasn't what I ordered and for the record, even if I was I would have said "no". I am not about to eat an upside down curry. The hostess then came back and asked me to what I ordered and if I had my receipt. I showed her my receipt, to which she said, "Oh, Chicken KATSU Curry!" and proceeded to yell my order, again to the open concept kitchen. Another staff member then told me I would have to wait two more minutes. The total wait time was around 15 minutes (even with all the hiccups), so I'll give them that Kita No Donburi is quick but not efficient in service.

When I got back to my office--I opened the box and it was a nice portion of chicken, rice and pickled vegetables.  The curry was a bit bland for my liking and the chicken was a little lost in the breading but I wasn't put off by the food.  All in all, I don't hate the place. Next time I'll try the Agedashi Tofu Don and see what happens.

That Conversation We've both been Avoiding

Hi, this is awkward. I know I haven't written in a while and then I kept on putting it off. Finally, I was just embarrassed to even bring myself to Blogger.  Today I'm recovering from my work out yesterday and I'm home alone, so I'll put in the effort and see what happens.

Since December, I went on a Gym kick (40 minutes of cardio and strength training 3-4 times a week) and have been committed ever since. And anyone who works an honest living and goes to the gym regularly knows: work + work out + shower = one tired and cranky girl.

Most times I  don't even want to think about cooking--let alone blogging about it. Often I'm so tired I don't even bother to eat with utensils. Rice, veggies, whatever--just get in my mouth and replenish me!

I'm still trying to find my balance between eat to live and live to eat but one thing's for sure: if you want to eat as much fried chicken as I do--working out regularly is a must.

I don't know how much weight I've lost/gained because I don't own a scale (and sometimes wish I didn't own a mirror) but I can definitely tell that I look a hell of a lot healthier.  And more importantly--I feel a lot better.

You know, a way to make a tired and cranky girl feel appreciated? A natural face mask. There are loads of recipes available on the internet but I discovered some real gems.

Egg Face Mask

A basic mask great for re-hydrating your skin after laps in the pool. The Egg white draws out the oils in your skin and the yolk moisturizes. 

Ingredients

* 1 Egg

Preparation

Wash and dry face. Separate the Egg white and yolk. First, with the Egg white spread it across you face and neck with your fingers, cotton pad, brush or spatula. Avoid Eye and mouth areas. Lie down and relax until the wash has hardened.  Wash Egg white off your face and pat your face dry.

Second, spread the yolk the same way you applied the whites (you may want to scramble the yolk a bit).  Lie down and relax until the mask hardens.  Wash yolk off with a wash cloth and warm water. End with a slash of cold water and pat your skin dry with a towel. To seal in the moisture, add your face cream/moisturizer.