Friday, June 15, 2012

Keeping Warm for Winter

It did snow. Only for a day, and I still had to work so it was not as exciting as I would have imagined. Then our bird died so that was sad and a bit depressing... but we'll stop talking about that because we don't need tears right now.

Snow Snow
The only thing I like about winter now is that it's the start of hot pot and spicy food season. Well, spicy food is any season but it's extra satisfying on a cold winter's night.

Spicy Cold Chicken
Spicy Cold Pork
I can't remember the English names of most of the dishes, nevertheless, I don't think they were much more descriptive and helpful like mine, so yeah. 

I love the cold entrees at Daphne's. If I was ever on a budget (which I probably should put myself on) while eating out, I'd just order those two dishes. Probably just ordering the chicken would be enough but I like fatty pork and tend to eat myself silly a lot, so extra is needed. The sauces (the chicken is a slightly numbing szechuan peppercorn spicy sauce and the pork is a slightly creamy and spicy garlicy sauce) are great with rice.
Garlic Gai-Lan
Oyster Sauce Tofu
Ordered two non spicy dishes mostly for my sister because she can't handle the heat well and they were nice. The tofu was very soft and veges were tasty but very expensive for what they were. I could have ordered three chickens for the price of those veges. It doesn't pay to be "healthy" does it?
Hot and Sour Soup, Dan Dan Noodles and Spicy Fish
My two favorite soups in the world (seriously) are tom yum and hot and sour soup. Unfortunately they seem to be the hardest soups to make and not many places get it right. The hot and sour soup here was okay, we had to add more vinegar to it but it was lacking some hot and sour soup basics (bamboo, wood ear fungus... there was a story about wood ear fungus and how it's good for something maybe lungs and miners in china used to have it and something possibly relating to the soups origin but I tune out when the story gets too long so I do not have the full story to tell). Jack even proclaimed that I made a better version and the first time I made that soup for him he didn't even know what I made, so brownie points for me! 

The fish is served on a constantly heated dish so the oils in the sauce don't glug up and I'm not a big fish with bone eater but the tidbits underneath and around the fish that has absorbed most of the juices is divine. Yum.

Noodles were a little soft but my sister ate most of it and she likes soggy noodles so it was a win for her. AND it got her to drink a whole jug of water!

Spicy Lamb Ribs
The last dish to come was Jack's favourite. The lamb was infused with a spicy cumin flavour and the little wonton chips made the dish fun for me.

We don't normally eat Chinese food for dinner because it can get a bit boring and repetitive but Daphne's offers a decent amount of szechuan style dishes that are really delicious and their menu is pretty, with pictures that actually look like the food. Daphne herself (OMG it's her restaurant) is probably the nicest person working in a Chinese restaurant, which is a nice change, but she's probably a bit too nice for her own good sometimes.

It's nine days until I go to Auckland, did intend to eat a bit less to look good in my swimwear but you know... s*$! happens.

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