Yesterday for lunch we were in the mood for Dim Sum, but the parking lot at Oriental Tea House, where we wanted to go, was soooo full that we didn’t dare try to get a table. Instead we decided to drive on MacArthur Ave. and try whatever we found. That turned out to be a shack called “Giant” that offers burgers, hoagies, sandwiches and shakes.
I went for the chicken hoagie (~$4.50) and Mike decided on the hot links hoagie (~$4.50 too). We both got cokes which were overpriced at $1.20 for a 16 oz fountain one.
The hoagies were OK, I didn’t like the taste of the chicken in mine (it tasted like canned, though not quite) but its taste was overwhelmed by the sauce, cheese, onions and tomatoes. In all, it was tasty enough though too rich to eat it all. Mike was disappointed that his hoagie, which was supposed to have cheese, onions and mushrooms, came instead with lettuce tomato and onion (no cheese or mushrooms). He did like the links, though, which were nice and spicy.
Giant is just a shack with a take out window overlooking the parking lot. They have a small counter inside with bar stools if you want to eat there, however.
They didn’t have a take out menu and I can’t tell you exactly where it is – it’s not even clear to me in which city it is, as it’s located in the 1/2 block between the “Welcome to Oakland” and “Welcome to San Leandro” signs. I can say that it’s on northeast side of MacArthur, northwest of Oriental Tea House, on the same side of the block.
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Last night we went to our friend Regina’s house for dinner. I had gotten her the Les Halles cookbook for Christmas and she made a meal out of that. The main dish was “pot au feu”. She had been hesitant to make it as the concept (boiling meats and vegetables together) just didn’t sound good. But many people have told her how much they loved the dish so we figured there might be something to it and it was worth trying.
It turned out to be pretty much what we expected, boiled meat and vegetables in a thin broth. It reminded me very much of Argentine puchero, which is pretty much the same thing with a less sophisticated name. The meat was very tender (of course) but pretty insipid, though it was helped by mustard. Iggy liked it, though, probably because he grew up eating boiled foods so there was a comfort element on that. And indeed, my mom used to make puchero for my sister quite often, so she, at least, likes it. The rest of us will skip it next time.
Lola also made some pot-au-creme for dessert and I thought these were really yummy, though they didn’t seem to like them as much. To each their own.
A couple of nights ago I made the Lomo de Cerdo al horno con Cebolla & Puerros recipe from the Delicioso Spanish cookbook. It’s a very simple recipe from Catalunia, but unfortunatelly it wasn’t very good. The pork loin, roasted surrounded by onions and with some white wine, wasn’t very flavorful and it was a bit dry. The mixed onions were delicious, however. Still, I won’t be making it again.
Our friends Charlotte & Daniel got us a bottle of Stonehouse “Olio Nuovo” for Xmas. This is a very fresh olive oil (pressed two weeks before we got it) and it’s delicious. It’s taste is actually much fresher than that of regular olive oil and I like it more. Mike doesn’t seem to like it as much, which is great as it means there is more for me! I’m using it just for dipping, though I imagine it could also be used on salads.
http://www.stonehouseoliveoil.com/
I really like the Asiago Cheese from Safeway. Actually, most of their premium (and non-premium) breads are pretty good, but the Asiago one is delicious. It’s not cheap (about $3.50 I think), so I don’t see it as an every day sort of bread, but once in a while I really crave it.
Another small bottle that Mike got was for Disaronno liqueur. It’s an amaretto (though you wouldn’t be able to tell that by looking at the bottle) and Mike didn’t like it for straight drinking, at least. I’m sure I’ll find something to use it in, however.
We got a number of small liquor bottles as stocking stuffers. As I don’t drink hard alcohol even when I’m not pregnant, Mike is the one who ends up with them. He already tried the Tangueray Dry Gin (straight) and he liked it quite a bit, it had a nice and subtle lemon flavor. It was his first time drinking gin, I think, so it may very well be that that’s how gin tastes 🙂
Christmas Eve dinner was a huge success. All the food I made was simple and easy to make yet delicious. Everyone – not the least me – was impressed.
I put up the menu and recipes already (they are at http://www.marga.org/food/party/xmas04/), as I failed to do it in previous years.
Christmas day we had a frozen lasagna for lunch and then went to the Oriental Tea House for Chinese, we were the only non-Chinese people there!
Yesterday we ate leftovers, and that’s what I assume we’ll have for lunch as well. For dinner we’re taking K. to Chevy’s, as that’s where she wants to go.
It’s Xmas already and I’ve gotten several food gifts:
-Prashad, Cooking with the Indian Masters – a cookbook by J Indor Singh Kalra (from Mike)
-The Best Ever Indian Cookbook (from David & Dana)
-White and black truffle oil, directy from Italy (from Mike)
-A bottle of fresh olive oil from the Marin’s farmers market (from Lotty)
-A garlic oil & vinegar set (from David & Dana)
-A huge bottle of cheap balsamic vinegar (from Mike)
-Soup plates (from Lola & Iggy)
-A whole silverware set (from Kathy)
-Aprons (from my Mom and Lola & Iggy)
-Potholder (from my mom)
-Dish towels (from my mom)
-A gift certificate to Bay Wolf!!!!! (from Regina & Boris)
A couple of nights ago I served chicken with Patak’s Tikka Masala simmering sauce which I bought at Cost Plus ($3.50 for a 15 oz jar, enough for 1 lb chicken and 2 1/2 people). It was OK but it didn’t taste at all like tikka masala. Mostly it tasted like other generic jarred or frozen Indian curries. Its main ingredient was oil, so it’s very fatty (but it gave a wonderfully tender consistency to the chicken), followed by lemon juice, so it’s also very sour. I don’t feel any compelling reason to buy it again.
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