20 May 2008
Some pig dog stole my trainers from the gym. I left them there by accident and went back the next day and they were gone. How desperate must you be to want to wear someone else's skanky trainers?
Met up with some of the old Saigon bunch after not seeing most of them for about 12 years. It seems like another world. Everyone looked happy and healthy so that was good but they were loud. Acting people are just plain loud or excruciatingly introverted and trying not to be. I fall in the latter category.
Went to Alan Yau's new venture twice last week - the long awaited Cha Cha Moon. I'm sure it was going to be a Szechuan restaurant originally but now it's a Chinese noodle bar type place.
The decor falls between Wagamama and Busaba Eathai - long wooden benches but darker, more subdued lighting. The venue feels subterranean although it's not and the cooling system, which lets out a menacing hiss every now and then, kinda makes you feel like you're in a gas chamber - not so conducive to a casual meal out.
The menu is short at the moment and the prices are low for a few weeks - £3.50 for all food dishes. I'm sure they'll tinker with the menu as they go along. Noodle dishes hail from everywhere which hasn't been covered by Waga and Busaba - so China, HK, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore - not Vietnam. Zhajiang mian was an interesting inclusion and is pretty tasty, although not a patch on good old Esquire Kitchen's version in Malaysia - I've never had a proper Shanghainese version, so can't comment there. It came with a small bowl of soup which was a nice touch and an extraneous dish of chill oil - I like my food spicy but that was one step too spicy. Chow kuay teow was decent with pieces of lap cheong (Chinese salami they call it)and fishcake but not the clams that were advertised in the menu. Guo tie were juicy and flavourful though a trifle chunky, lobak ko tasted okay but a bit squidgy and the Chinese flowering chives were a little old but tasty and extremely garlicky.
The shibuya lychee martini cocktail thingy is a must. Very refreshing.
Portions were small the first time I went but were bigger the second time. I kind of wish they would keep the portions and prices small, then you can try a whole lot more stuff.
Will go again in a few months to see how it develops.
Oh - must mention the queues. I went on the first night and got in fine. Second time a few days days later, there was a massivo queue out the door. If you just want to eat and not socialise, go on your own and you'll be seated straight away (pretty much).
Met up with some of the old Saigon bunch after not seeing most of them for about 12 years. It seems like another world. Everyone looked happy and healthy so that was good but they were loud. Acting people are just plain loud or excruciatingly introverted and trying not to be. I fall in the latter category.
Went to Alan Yau's new venture twice last week - the long awaited Cha Cha Moon. I'm sure it was going to be a Szechuan restaurant originally but now it's a Chinese noodle bar type place.
The decor falls between Wagamama and Busaba Eathai - long wooden benches but darker, more subdued lighting. The venue feels subterranean although it's not and the cooling system, which lets out a menacing hiss every now and then, kinda makes you feel like you're in a gas chamber - not so conducive to a casual meal out.
The menu is short at the moment and the prices are low for a few weeks - £3.50 for all food dishes. I'm sure they'll tinker with the menu as they go along. Noodle dishes hail from everywhere which hasn't been covered by Waga and Busaba - so China, HK, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore - not Vietnam. Zhajiang mian was an interesting inclusion and is pretty tasty, although not a patch on good old Esquire Kitchen's version in Malaysia - I've never had a proper Shanghainese version, so can't comment there. It came with a small bowl of soup which was a nice touch and an extraneous dish of chill oil - I like my food spicy but that was one step too spicy. Chow kuay teow was decent with pieces of lap cheong (Chinese salami they call it)and fishcake but not the clams that were advertised in the menu. Guo tie were juicy and flavourful though a trifle chunky, lobak ko tasted okay but a bit squidgy and the Chinese flowering chives were a little old but tasty and extremely garlicky.
The shibuya lychee martini cocktail thingy is a must. Very refreshing.
Portions were small the first time I went but were bigger the second time. I kind of wish they would keep the portions and prices small, then you can try a whole lot more stuff.
Will go again in a few months to see how it develops.
Oh - must mention the queues. I went on the first night and got in fine. Second time a few days days later, there was a massivo queue out the door. If you just want to eat and not socialise, go on your own and you'll be seated straight away (pretty much).
4 May 2008
I have a goopy cough and cold. Why does it always happen on long weekends?
London is, however, pleasantly quiet. Drove over to the middle sis abode and there was hardly any traffic. It made the roadworks everywhere practically bearable.
I was just thinking on the bus the other day that it must be quite nice being a bus driver in London at the moment. They don't have to stop at any bus stops due to them all being Out of Use due to the roadworks that have sprung up everywhere. Our bus stop is out of service indefinitely even though there are no roadworks around it for at least 30 yards.
I really wish I would win the lottery....
London is, however, pleasantly quiet. Drove over to the middle sis abode and there was hardly any traffic. It made the roadworks everywhere practically bearable.
I was just thinking on the bus the other day that it must be quite nice being a bus driver in London at the moment. They don't have to stop at any bus stops due to them all being Out of Use due to the roadworks that have sprung up everywhere. Our bus stop is out of service indefinitely even though there are no roadworks around it for at least 30 yards.
I really wish I would win the lottery....
