2009-12-31 NYE @ Chez Buddha

ADDRESS :  Buddha Family Kitchen

PHONE #   :  xxx-xxx-xxxx

It's NYE 2009!!!  As I mentioned previously in one of my post, my mother-in-law is somewhat a party animal.  It's an annual thing for her to throw a Christmas Party AND a NYE Party, PLUS a New Year's Day Brunch the next day...OMG!  Buddha Boy and I found it stupid that most of the people are her friends, but during the party, she would go into a room with three ladies to play MJ (before and after dinner).  We don't even know these people but we were left to entertain them!!!  Anyways, this year, we told her that if she wants to throw a party, then no MJ because we are not going to entertain her guests.

 

 We had a total of five pots going.  This was the "oldies table" with three pots.

 

 To make things easier, I divided the meats into three trays so they don't have to pass the trays back and forth.  The big trays had sliced pork cheeks, sliced pork shoulder, sliced pork loin, sliced chicken, and sliced lamb.

 

We also had two types of fish (can't remember what types), chicken feet, quail eggs, and various types of fish balls and meat balls.

 

 We even had five different types of veggies!

 

 Kids table - two pots!

 

 Our friends made the desserts for us...can't remember what's in this one...

 

 Lemon Tarts and Cranberry Sugar Cookies!

 

  Again, can't remember the name of this dessert...

2009-12-25 Christmas @ Chez Buddha

ADDRESS :  Buddha Family Kitchen

PHONE #   :  xxx-xxx-xxxx

It's Christmas!!!  Every year, we always have a Christmas Party right on Christmas Day since most places are closed and people are just looking for a place to hang out.  We're not Christians nor Catholic, in fact, we're Buddhists, however, we treat it as a holiday to get-away or to be with family and friends!

Appetizer/Cold Platter - tofu noodles, shredded seaweed, conch (sea snails).

Poached Pork Belly with Garlic Sauce - used Taiwanese thick soy sauce and garlic for the sauce.

Century Egg Tofu - this dish is usually presented in two ways: 1) mash regular tofu and century eggs together and add in the soy sauce, green onions, vinegar, and sesame oil, then topped with cilantro and green onions; or 2) plate a whole cube of regular tofu with the century eggs cut in wedges and sprinkle the ingredients.  But I found using an egg cutter for the century eggs and cut them in slices was so much easier and great for presentation.  I sliced the egg tofu and placed a slice of century egg on top of each tofu slice...then I sprinkled Japanese light soy sauce (less sodium), lime juice (instead of vinegar), sesame oil, and green onions.

Simple party finger food - Cocktail Shrimps - bought from Costco.

Vietnamese Salad Rolls - Vietnamese ham, Vietnamese sausage, vermicelli, basil, and shrimps.

Buddha Boy's Honey Garlic Wings!

My request - Hot Wings - Caution!  They are HOT!

Buddha Boy's attempt to make Salty Egg Stir-Fried Deep-Fried Pork Chop (known as Gold Sand Pork Chop in Chinese)...work in progress...not bad for his first try!

Of course, Buddha Boy's famous Taiwanese Crispy Popcorn Chicken!

For spicy lovers - Spicy Shredded Pork - the picture don't look spicy, but...it's SUPER SPICY!

My Braised Pork Belly

Buddha Boy's attempt to make...can't remember the name of this dish...

Again, by request, my Pork Pasta Sauce.

Buddha Boy's Coconut Curry Beef - great with rice!!!

2009-11-19 Dinner @ Bubble World (Burnaby)

ADDRESS :  4300 Kingsway, Burnaby, BC

PHONE #   :  604-434-5551

Some colleagues asked me to join them for dinner at Bubble World in Burnaby.  Since most of them knows Buddha Boy, I have asked him to join in.  This place is always busy!  The prices are quite reasonable, but unlike other BBT shops...you do have to pay taxes on top of the prices because it's a dine-in restaurant where service is provided.

Satay Lamb

I ordered a Passion Fruit Green Tea with Coconut Jelly...oh btw...just for your info...about 70% of the coconut jelly out there are NOT made from coconut and lychee...instead...they are made from agar-agar with coconut and lychee flavoring...just FYI...

 I ordered Twice-Cooked Pork.

 

 Buddha Boy's Three-Cup Chicken.

 

 Of course...Buddha Boy must order his Taiwanese Crispy Popcorn Chicken - these were not crispy enough and the chunks were too big...also tasted quite fatty...

 

 Satay Beef

 

 Taiwanese Beef Noodles

 

 Deep-Fried Fish

2009-10-28 Day 13 @ TPE to YVR

ADDRESS :  Going Aboard with Buddha Boy & Buddha Girl

PHONE #   :  xxx-xxx-xxxx

Day 13...our last day in Taiwan...wow...time flies when you're having fun!!!  This trip was planned five months prior to the day we left YVR...and now...we're heading back!!!  Wish we could stay longer!!!  The funny thing was...our flight was at 11:55pm...so basically we still had the whole day...but we did not go anywhere today...instead...all four of us stayed home and packed...lol!!!  Aunt F and Aunt V were busy asking my mom more questions about their family fortune and luck...so Buddha Boy and I went off to the nearby food street to pick up some lunch...

One great thing about where my mom lives was the convenience of food and transportation...MRT (skytrain) was a block away...tons of food all over the neighborhood...and she also lives about one block away from a street market...we love it!!!  We picked up some Pork & Chive Dumplings from the noodle house across the street...

Then we head over to the food street right by my mom's place...Buddha Boy picked up an order of Chicken Cutlet...but it's just not the same as the one as Haw-Da in Shilin Night Market...

Some veggie...

Some kind of fried-rice...

Honey Glazed Ham...

Oh yea...we also picked up Century Egg Tofu from across the street...

Marinated Pork Hock

Taiwanese Rice Noodle Soup...it's kinda like Cantonese Lai-Fun but thicker...

Taiwanese-style Tempura...it's basically oden with sweet sauce...

Iced Black Tea

For dinner...we came to the Japanese restaurant that's about one block away from my mom's place...a close friend of Uncle Ping co-owns the place...according to mom and Uncle Ping...this place used to be packed...and with no reservation, you may need to wait up to one hour before you can get a table...but it took a hit during the economy downturn...

Side dishes...

Look at the color of those yolk...wow!!!

Can't remember what type of fish these were...

Potato and Corn Croquette

Shrimp Tempura

Aunt F's Hot & Spicy Ramen.

My combo...

It had some raisins and goji with the rice...the light sweetness was quite nice!