We were in the city for some work the next day, so today being April Fool’s Day and also Easter Monday, we decided to have a good chinese meal at an authentic chinese restaurant that serves Sze Chuan food. Too many, this must be a very ugly fish, where else, I loved this kinda fish because it reminds me of my childhood where I had to eat the eyeballs because my mom told me that it was the best part of a fish. They delight in seeing me devour the eyes and spitting out the eyeballs after eating up all the jello stuff around the eyes.
The friends looked at me in disgust – hahahaha!
I was invited by some friends to a belly dancing evening in April and I have to say I loved belly dancing and indian food – what a great combination right? Dancing with music and tambourine player I heard to accompany the belly dancer – what more can a woman ask ? My friends and I always think of something interesting to do around town, and if there is nothing to do, we head up to the city and paint the town red. And I anticipated an evening of good fun as the hostess and host are both very charming. I look forward to a full belly and some belly dancing moments.
I think I’m pretty spoiled, I love good food and I don’t like eating leftovers. My wished is to try all kinds of food from all over the world and at this moment I have to say that I have tried quite a lot of food. I’m very lucky because my spouse brings me for most of his business trips and I eat anything I want and buy any kind of food I want to try. I must have done something right in my past life – so my parents said.
It has been a week of continuous eating out for our family and truth be told I don’t like it at all. I don’t think it is healthy for the kids but what can you do when you have friends and family in town. This week had been a really crazy week and I ain’t no cooking for 30 or so people who are in and out our home. And as much as I dislike bringing the kids out to eat every meal – I have to say that the restaurants are proving to be very good with choices for both kids and adults but way too much sugar and salt in my opinion. Hopefully, things will calm down a little next week and we can go back to our routines.
My son asked me if he could drink this ? since it was only 3.3% alcohol, he said to me, but it’s only a cocktail ! but you see in Taiwan the age limit for drinking is different as compared to the West. The spouse looked at him and laughed and allowed him to have a bottle which I frown. While in Canada, you can only buy liquor in an authorized store, in Asia, you can buy them in a grocery store, making it a lot easier for kids to get to them. No wonder we see a lot more drunk driving in Asia than in Canada where I lived.
Located at the South Side of King Street West – we never fail to visit Rodney’s when we are in Toronto. A dozen of oysters with a dash of Tabasco sauce and a squeeze of lemon – that is the start of our evening before we headed towards Massey Hall. And all throughout the show – I was thinking of the 12 succulent oysters that I had greedily slurped. I wanted to go back for more – but my tummy just didn’t think I could stomach it. Another time – another day – Rodney!
Trips to Vancouver usually amazes me how many new restaurants are opened – since the last time we were there – and we do go to Vancouver very often at that. Recently there – we were introduced to some fine dining around Vancouver – by some business associate of the spouse – and food was indeed awesome. With so many restaurants popping up like popcorn in Vancouver, I too want to own a restaurant supplies company in Vancouver, I bet I will make some good money.
This was a Japanese restaurant that we had gone to – I can’t remember the name – but it was at West Broadway – and it was pretty good and will try this restaurant again in the near future.
More sashimi – for us during the evening.
We had also visited a new Chinese restaurant that sold roasted pig – I haven’t had this for a long time now.
Some fried crab noodles for the table.
And for dessert – mini egg tarts. Yummy to the max. I do love going to Vancouver – they have so many nice and great restaurants there – I would love to live there when the spouse retires.
So I learned that there is a re-franchise opportunity in town – after receiving a flyer at home about it. Tempted as I might be – do I really want to fork out $60K from my own pocket and be tied down to a business – I asked myself? If I was a lot younger – I’m sure I would love to take up the challenge. Now if I was in United States – I can also look at credit card factoring for small business venture – for they do help young entrepreneurs with realizing their dreams.
I talked to the spouse about it – and he too think that when we are a little older after he has retired – it might be a good opportunity to look for a franchise like the meat shop. Especially for someone who travels as much as he does – he doubt he can just sit home and do nothing. Looking at the stimulus funding available – it’s very tempting, for one can get up to as much as $250K – now that would be nice. A lot of money to think about – but I think if you had some money to back you up on a new venture – you will have more freedom to hire and expand your inventory quickly. Something to seriously think about in a few years down the road.
Why are they called Belgian fries when they are serving Poutine – I asked the spouse when we were in Vancouver earlier this year. We all know that Poutine is a Canadian dish and I think only the Canadian loves them. I could never stomach poutine – just looking at it makes me feel queasy – but when you are in Rome – you do what the Roman does right? so I ate Poutine – at Belgian Place. But I don’t think it’s owned by a Belgian person – but rumor has it that they have changed hands many times. I didn’t finished my poutine of course – but they weren’t bad at all - the deluxe that my spouse had – had some kind of meat and bacon in them. So give it a try – if you are in Vancouver, Commercial Drive.
Usually we dined at Pete’s Place at the Grand Hyatt because we have a long time friend who works there as the Sommelier – in fact, we met him when he was working in Paris in a tiny cafe there while he did his course in Hospitality industry. Although his interest was in food and wants a Chef or Head Cook Jobs for the future – he ended up being so interested in wine that he is now a Sommelier in the Grand Hyatt. But during his off days, we prefer to go to small cafes out of the city and play catch up.
This chic cafe was recently opened but the chef was definitely talented because we had the most tasteful dessert one can find – and it’s so reasonably priced that we’ve decided to make our weekly rest and relax session here. The coffee, a mexican brand was pretty strong but I loved my coffee this way. I’ve always kept in contact with the people I used to work with in the hospitality industry and am glad that I keep in touch with them because they know exactly where to bring you for the best kind of dessert.
We don’t get many talented chefs or pâtissier around town but in the city, where jobs are a plenty – and if you know your way around – you can get very good desserts and food. So if you have a friend in the hospitality industry – keep in touch with them – you never know when you will find a gem like I did every now and then.
