vickichowder: BURGER

THE ORIGINAL RAMEN BURGER, LOS ANGELES

, by vickichowder

BENJAMIN'S RESTAURANT AND INN, ST. JACOBS

I first came about this restaurant a good four or five years ago. Back then I shared the Reuben sandwich with Mommy, and since that moment, I have been enlightened with the magic of Montreal smoked meat.

*Click* Benjamin's Restaurant and Inn is on Urbanspoon!

Pretty and fresh smelling lavender

If I remember correctly, the menu has been the same from four-five years ago until now. I'm not complaining

Pumpernickel and sourdough bread

We started with bread, but when it came, the bread wasn't warm, and the butter wasn't room temperature (so the butter was remarkably difficult to spread). But the sourdough tasted alright.

Ham and Brie sandwich: with pears, spinach, and a grainy honey-dijon mustard

Mommy and I had a Ham and Brie sandwich. It was filled with everything I love: pear, honey-dijon, spinach, ham, and brie. Oh yes, and encased in multigrain bread *yay*

Curry seafood soup

The there were three daily soups, and we chose the curry seafood one I believe. Of course, I didn't expect any flavours close to the actual curries I've had, but I still didn't like it in the end. They added short noodles, which didn't help the thinness and blandness of the soup ):

Caesar salad and cream of broccoli soup

Daddy ordered a caesar salad, and a cream of broccoli soup. I didn't try any, but he said it was good. I think the bacon on the salad could have been cut up a bit more so it's easier to eat with the lettuce.

Kid's burger with fries

Brother ordered a burger with fries from the kid's menu. It was a rather large-sized burger for a child, so he only ended eating half of it (but yes, he devoured all the fries). The burger came with a side of the three basic burger condiments: ketchup, mustard, and relish.

California wrap

Our friend ordered the California wrap, which I did get to have a taste of. I really liked the ginger-mango chutney, as it gave the wrap that special touch to make me remember it much different from other wraps. And especially like the avocado spread. Then again, I love avocado in just about anything - so I believe I am biased.

This is a comfortably decorated restaurant, with lots of windows to let in the natural light accompany your food. Seating was spacious, and they accommodate large and small parties equally well. The first time I went it was with a larger group of people, and we sat in a beautiful room adorned with branches and white lights on one side, and closed off with a thick curtain on the opposite side.

This has been my third time here, and I've left feeling the service is worth the tip. It's a great place to come have something simple and that fills you for whatever you have in store for the rest of your day.

MUAH MUAH MUAH

VICKI CHOW

P/S

It's less than a month until the start of my trip to Malaysia! Being super excited to go, I've already packed nearly all of my clothes. Now I'm just trying to find things to do to make the day go by faster. It seems as though the afternoon goes by so slowly whenever I stay at home... But thankfully I've been occupied well these past few days *yay*

People tend to like things with smiling faces, no?

A month ago, I made some red bean-filled and coconut-filled buns (made the Asian bakery style way) for a bake sale. I'm not sure how they sold because I just dropped off the 50 buns and left, but having tried both of the buns before handing them off, I can say they are confirmed very legitimate tasting.

Do appearances ever tempt you to buy things you don't want that much?

, by vickichowder

BEEF

ADVENTURES OUTSIDE THE KITCHEN

My best friend/girlfriend/sister and I have sort of an agreement:

THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN BEST FRIEND/GIRLFRIEND/SISTER AND I

I. I, VICKI CHOW, WILL COOK DELICIOUSLY WHENEVER I'M HOME DURING DINNER TIME (EVERY NIGHT EXCEPT WEDNESDAY).

II. I, THE BEST FRIEND/GIRLFRIEND/SISTER, WILL DILIGENTLY WASH THE DISHES UNTIL THEY SPARKLE DUE TO THEIR CLEANLINESS.

And so, I have used these few weeks as a time to brush up my housewife cooking abilities. But besides cooking skills, I have now achieved a natural instinct to wipe the counter and stove top clean. What has this resulted in?

Besides the much cleaner kitchen which I feel much more comfortable in, I have also acquired sand-paper-sounding, forever-dry hands.

Korean dinner for three minus one

OH YES, AND I'VE DECIDED THAT I WILL TAKE CHARGE OF DISINFECTING AND SCRUBBING DOWN THE SHOWER, TOILET AND SINK. YOU'LL HAVE TO DO IT YOURSELF ONE DAY TO FEEL THE SATISFACTION AND THE INTENSITY OF THE CHEMICALS IN THE CLEANING PRODUCTS (I ACCIDENTALLY FLICKED SOME DILUTED CLEANING PRODUCT INTO MY EYE - THANK GOODNESS IT WAS DILUTED).

I MADE A NEW FRIEND WHO I FELT LIKE I'VE KNOWN FOR A REALLY LONG TIME, ALTHOUGH I'VE ONLY MET HER FOR A MONTH OR SO. SHE COMES OVER FOR DINNER QUITE OFTEN, SO MUCH SO THAT I USUALLY MAKE DINNER FOR THREE (I TYPICALLY MAKE FOR TWO) NOW.

I MADE THE ABOVE DINNER ONE NIGHT FOR THE THREE OF US. AFTER JULIENNE-ING THE ONIONS AND SWEET RED PEPPER AND MARINATING THEM, I MARINATED THE THINLY SLICED BEEF WITH THE SAME BULGOGI MARINATING SAUCE.

Beef, sauce, and onions on romaine.

AN HOUR OR SO BEFORE DINNER, I SAUTÉED THE MARINATED VEGGIES AND THEN PAN FRIED THE MEAT. IT WAS A MIRACLE THAT THE SMOKE DETECTOR DIDN'T GO OFF THAT EVENING!

WE ONLY HAD ROMAINE LETTUCE SO I HAD TO STEAM IT FOR A BIT TO MAKE IT SOFT ENOUGH TO WRAP THE MEAT AND TOPPINGS... WHICH BRINGS ME TO MY SAUCE STORY:

A long long time ago (three days before today) I attempted to fashion this meal to be very Korean styled, so I needed the sauce that they eat when they eat this ssambap. And of course, I obviously didn't have the chilli paste and soybean paste needed to make the ssamjang.

What I did have that seemed the closest to what I needed was chilli flakes and miso soup paste. Which is what I used, along with a gooey glob of mashed overcooked rice and minced onion (which made me tear like I was watching a sad drama).

So after half a century (half an hour) of cooking it at a low heat over the stove (to let it thicken), I was faced with success. And the sauce and meat and lettuce lived happily ever after (in my mouth).

~ T h e E n d ~

Omnomnomnom

OH YES, AND HOW COME MY DINNER FOR THREE TURNED TO DINNER FOR TWO? MY BEST FRIEND/GIRLFRIEND/SISTER DECIDED TO NOT EAT DINNER AND ANSWER HER HUNGRY STOMACH WITH A BAG OF CARROTS AND CHIPS (SHE STILL DILIGENTLY CLEANED THE DISHES THOUGH!).

OH, I HAVE SO MANY THINGS TO TELL YOU ALL TODAY! (SO HARD TO CONTAIN SELF SO I SHALL JUST LET IT ALL OUT)

MY FRIEND VISITED US ALL THE WAY FROM MISSISSAUGA AND TOOK US OUT TO EAT. WE FIRST WENT TO EAT BURGERS AT THE WORKS. I'M ALWAYS IN THE MOOD FOR MUSHROOM AND ONIONS AND CHEESE SO THIS WAS WHAT I PICKED:

Beef patty with mushrooms, caramelized onions, a slice of brie, tomatoes, sandwiched between a whole wheat bun.

THE ONE THING I THINK I REGRETTED (OTHER THAN HAVING A BIGGER MOUTH TO EAT THIS) WAS TO CHOOSE A PORTOBELLO PATTY BECAUSE I THINK THE BEEF WAS TOO DRY.

I CHOSE A SIDE OF SWEET POTATO FRIES BECAUSE I LOVE SWEET POTATOES IN ANY FORM (MASHED, BAKED, FRIED, DRIED), WITH A TANGY MAYO DIP.

AFTERWARDS, WE WENT TO THE ITALIAN MARKET, VINCENZO'S, TO SHOP AROUND... UNTIL I DISCOVERED...

Macarons, imported from France

I BOUGHT TWO (AS YOU CAN SEE ABOVE): ONE STRAWBERRY POPPYSEED, AND THE OTHER ALMOND APRICOT. I THINK I ENJOYED THE ALMOND APRICOT MORE CAUSE THE FLAVOUR WAS A BIT DIFFERENT. BUT I REALLY SHOULD'VE LET THEM SIT OUT UNTIL THEY BECAME A BIT MORE ROOM TEMPERATURE CAUSE THE CENTRE WAS A BIT HARDER THAN I HOPED IT WOULD BE.

OTHER THAN THAT, THE SHELLS SEEMED A BIT TOO DRY... BUT THAT SHOULDN'T BE A PROBLEM IF THEY WERE SHIPPED FROM FRANCE CAUSE THEY SHOULD HAVE HAD A SUFFICIENT TIME TO MATURE.

ANYHOW, I STILL HAD A GREAT TIME WITH THEM!

Taking pictures at every angle, hoping that one will score a presence on my blog.

The too happy me - My friends pretended to not know me for about 10 minutes while I laughed and giggled a little bit too much.

Let's not forget the pistachio and lemon gelato that's being neglected now (but not for long!)

LET'S FINISH THIS OFF WITH SOMETHING I LOVE A LOT~

I love salmon, especially the one with lots of fat, but my love with butterfish/oilfish is on another level.

Lots of maki, and seaweed salad

Some inari sushi, spring rolls, more maki, sunomono and edamame

I HOPE I'VE LET YOUR EYES FEAST IN THIS POST. PLEASE CONTINUE SCROLLING DOWN FOR MORE VISUAL MEALS.

UNTIL NEXT TIME,

VICKI CHOW

P/S

Remember how I said that I was going to root my phone because I wanted to?

Yes, I eventually got to doing it! After an hour or so of downloading everything, waiting for the codes, feeling like a hacker, I used a root checker I downloaded from Google Apps, and guess what?

My phone's still not rooted.

So I got frustrated and realized that these technological stuff is definitely not my forte. *waves white flag*

Perhaps I shall consult my friend who seems to have a history of rooting phones to help me root my phone - my phone still has hope! ^^

, by vickichowder

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THE ORIGINAL RAMEN BURGER, LOS ANGELES

BENJAMIN'S RESTAURANT AND INN, ST. JACOBS

ADVENTURES OUTSIDE THE KITCHEN

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THE ORIGINAL RAMEN BURGER, LOS ANGELES

BENJAMIN'S RESTAURANT AND INN, ST. JACOBS

ADVENTURES OUTSIDE THE KITCHEN

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