[Food Review] A Wah's

Remember the time when Lils and I walked circles in search for a hole in a wall? It's about time we gave that place a real visit.

[Food Review] Return to Hou Yi

A friend and I decided to meet up after missing out on stuff last year. Coincidentally, we decided to meet up for hot pot again. When the wallet is a little thin and you're dying to eat a lot, an AYCE deal just might be our best option.

[Movie Review] The Assassin [Food Review] New Mandarin Court

I must warn you that The Assassin is a very artistic film so it is not recommended for all viewers. I brought my mom with me to watch it and she didn't like it at all. For her, I think she had the preconception that it would be something closer to a commercial film. For me, I think it's definitely a film that requires their audience to think after they watched it. I thought it was curious that director Hou Hsiao-Hsien picked such a strange aspect ratios for the film. Don't expect the film to be in 16:9 widescreen, guys, but don't worry, there's color.

Review: Hou Yi Hot Pot

It's been a while since I ate out. Today I will be reviewing Hou Yi Hot Pot. I was discussing with a friend the night before where to go. She suggested we try hot pot and asked around the best hot pot places in the city. They recommended Hou Yi Hot Pot and I took a look at the address. It was kind of on the edge of Chinatown where not much people walk by. How do they conduct business in such a place? They are competing with Favor Taste 88 and I'm wondering what is it that makes the two different.

99 Favor Taste, What a Waste

This is the fourth time I've been to 99 Favor Taste and it really disappointed me. To me the crowded restaurant is a facade to deceive you. I was meeting up with a very good friend of mine, Will, who I haven't seen for a year. We bonded through food and food will be our bond. We agreed on an AYCE hot pot for the prices were reasonable.

Malay Cuisine at Nyonya

Walked around Chambers Street.

 To satisfy a friend's pho craving, we went to Chinatown originally looking to go into Nam Son, a pretty authentic restaurant for Vietnamese cuisine. We picked a poor day for Nam Son because it was packed and a lot of people waiting. Instead we changed our mind to go for Shanghainese until I said out of the blue that I wanted to try Malay food. My friend remembered seeing a Malay restaurant on the way so we went there instead. It is called "Nyonya" located near Little Italy on Grand Street. From my previous research, the manga Addicted to Curry, I learned that nyonya is a cuisine conceived from the fusion of Chinese and Malay flavors. It was packed with people as well, but there were empty seats for us.

Gorge and Fill

I am having post school stress release syndrome. I am sick and tired of school and I am glad it is over. It is a glorious event to celebrate immediately the day after with a good friend of mine. I had originally opted for a Korean BBQ place, but decided in the end to do an All You Can Eat Hotpot. Weather was gorgeous and the place we went to (99 Favor Taste) wasn't packed. We could be sure that we wouldn't get kicked out in less than two hours of being seated. As soon as we sat down, we ordered. My friend had a tomato soup base and I decided to try an herbal soup base. I usually go for the traditional pork bone soup base, but it's about time to try something different. My friend jested me for having "old" tastes for a young person. The herbal soup base had some goji berries, 2 dates, ginseng, and another herb that I recognize but am not too sure it's called. When you try this soup base, do not imagine it as a medicine. Think of the herbs as spices to flavor the soup. It adds a very unique dimension and doesn't destroy and overpower the ingredients you cook it in.

Yum Cha, Beheading Orcs, and the Freezing Cold

So far, this Wednesday and Thursday has been quite amusing and possibly the most active I've been during my break.  Needless to say, I was sick two weeks ago and that pretty zapped most of my energy then.  In addition to that, there was a lot of sitting around and eyes glued to an illuminated screen.

Wednesday was dim sum day.  I was looking forward to this day very much.  I went out with two friends, Lily and Lisa, to Chinatown for a lunch.  We ordered 11 or so items and our bill totaled up to roughly $26.  Our bill practically shrunk from the last time we ate together which is pretty cool.  The restaurant we went to was emptier than usual because it was an extremely cold day; 23 degrees Fahrenheit with windchill.  Our food came very quick after we ordered which was a good thing.  I was practically dying for restaurant style food because I hadn't eaten out for at least two months.  My two friends ordered a congee which they remarked that it wasn't piping hot like it should be.  Here's my review of the food.  All English names associated with the foods are my own loose translations or accepted translations.