“Oyakodon” Cedar Park, 2019
I wasn’t feeling 100% health-wise today, but I did get to enjoy my favorite meal this evening. Oyakodon 親子丼 is so yummy! ❤
Favorite Meal – Oyakodon 親子丼
“Oyakodon” Cedar Park, 2019
Tag: food
“Oyakodon” Cedar Park, 2019
Hot Dry Noodles in Houston
“Hot Dry Noodles” Houston, 2019
こんばんは。How’s it going?
When I visited China in September, we spent a couple days in the city of Wuhan (武汉). I learned later that one of the food specialties of the city is Hot Dry Noodles (热干面), but since we had already left the city when I learned of them, I was a bit sad. A missed opportunity for sure.
Fast forward to a couple months later and someone I work with (native Chinese) mentioned that she found a place in Houston that served Hot Dry Noodles, and that they were awesome. I bookmarked the restaurant and made a note to try it the next time I travel to Houston. And happily, that day was today!
I had to pick up Koa and a couple of his friends from a band camp in Baytown this afternoon so I went a couple hours early which would give me enough time to visit Jing 5, which is in Houston’s Chinatown area off Bellaire Boulevard.
When I ordered the Hot Dry Noodles, I was asked if I wanted it mild or spicy and of course, I said spicy! The noodles were very good, with the pickled vegetables adding some nice tang and crunch. I’d rate the spiciness level only a 4, which was a little disappointing, but maybe the cook went easy on me. 😆
The “dry” part of the noodles comes from the fact that they are thick but with very low moisture. I’m not sure how to describe it. They were very soft but resisted soaking up any moisture such as the oily broth at the bottom of the bowl, so it was a strange experience.
I’d rate the dish a 6.5 out of 10, which might seem low, but I’ve heard that Hot Dry Noodles are a bit of an acquired taste. I bet the next time I try them, I’ll rate them higher. Actually, thinking about them now, I’m sort of craving Hot Dry Noodles again!
“Jing 5” Houston, 2019
Along with the Hot Dry Noodles, I ordered Salted Duck Neck. It’s also a special dish, and one that I’ve never eaten before so, why not? They were actually pretty good, but nothing out of the ordinary (other than being neck). They just tasted like duck meat, which is a good thing.
“Duck Neck” Houston, 2019
If you are in Houston and want to try the signature Wuhan Hot Dry Noodles, make sure to stop by Jing 5.
I hope you had a nice day!
またね～
Donburi Night at Home
“Garlic Steak Donburi” Cedar Park, 2019
こんばんは。How’s it going? Tonight, Mariko made a steak donburi with a sweet sauce and toasted garlic. It tasted as good as it looked. 😄 Over vacation, we ate a lot of food at each meal, so it was nice to enjoy a smaller portion.
And Lani was excited at the possibility of getting some some home-cooked scraps:
“Hungry Dog” Cedar Park, 2019
I hope you had a nice day!
またね～
Spending Time at the Ocean
“Sunset Light” Redondo Beach, 2019
こんばんは。And Happy New Year!
This afternoon we went to the Redondo Beach Pier to walk around, have some snacks, and enjoy the outdoors. Even though it was chilly out, the kids got ice cream and funnel cakes, and Mariko and I enjoyed some oysters on the half-shell. As the sun went down, we got sat down for a cocktail and then took photos of the sunset. It was a good day! Please enjoy the photos.
またね～
“Sunset Silhouette” Redondo Beach, 2019
“Oysters” Redondo Beach, 2019
“Seafood Snacks” Redondo Beach, 2019
“All Signs” Redondo Beach, 2019
“Tony’s” Redondo Beach, 2019
“The Horseshoe” Redondo Beach, 2019
“Black and White Pacific” Redondo Beach, 2019
“Bye-bye Sun” Redondo Beach, 2019
Yard-work, Subs, and Curry
“Trimming Olive Tree” Torrance, 2018
こんばんは。How’s it going?
Today was yet another traditional family activity: trimming the olive trees at my parents’ house. 😆 Usually, my brothers and I will climb the ladders and trim the trees, and the kids will clean up the ground and pack the branches and leaves into the garbage bins. This year, Koa wanted to help out on the ladder so he spent some time trimming the front yard tree which is a little smaller than the backyard tree. That’s classic Koa – wanting to give new things a try!
For lunch, my mom made submarine sandwiches, which she always makes for us when we visit. It’s one of those meals that is a can’t miss but is a challenge to fit into the meal schedule, which often gets crowded! Mariko says I need to study how my mom prepares her subs, since when I make them at home they don’t taste the same. 😄 So I took lots of photos this time! Of course after 40 years of subs, I know how to make them just like she does, so we’ve come to the conclusion that it’s just the fact that grandma Fuji made them that makes them taste better.
Another tradition is dining at CoCo curry house, and testing our tolerance for spiciness. This time, just Koa and I tested our limits, with Koa ordering a level-7 curry while I had a level-9 curry. I’ve had level-10 the past couple times, so I figured I would try something new. 😄 It wasn’t too spicy, actually, but the rest of the family’s milder-level curry was reportedly spicier than normal. Regardless of spiciness level, the curry was delicious and it was a fun dinner.
“Level 9 Curry” Torrance, 2018
“Curry with Cream” Torrance, 2018
I hope you had a nice day!
またね～
“Sunset” Torrance, 2018
A Day Trip to Ojai, California
“Lunch at Nest” Ojai, 2018
こんばんは。How’s it going?
Today we took a day-trip up to the town of Ojai, California. It was about a two-hour drive, and when we arrived it was time for lunch so we headed straight for our first destination, The Nest. The food was a delicious mix of vegan and non-vegan foods, and the coffee was also yummy. We shared cauliflower tacos, brisket sandwiches, and sangria.
After lunch, we visited The Ojai Olive Oil Company, where we took a short tour and learned a lot about their olive oil operation, and olive oil in general. Very enlightening and educational! I didn’t know that the time from picking the olives to producing the actual oil happens within the span of only a few hours to retain the most flavor.
“Olive Oil Tour” Ojai, 2018
“Olive Trees” Ojai, 2018
“Olive Oil Processing” Ojai, 2018
“Heart Cactus” Ojai, 2018
“Friendly Dog” Ojai, 2018
“Topa Mountain Winery” Ojai, 2018
Next we made a stop at Topa Mountain Winery for a wine tasting, and then it was onto a really cool bookstore, Bart’s Books. What’s special about Bart’s is that it is the largest independently owned outdoor bookstore in the U.S.! There are so many cool books to browse through, and I found myself exploring a lot of the books from the early 1900s. How cool to read from a book that is over 100 years old!
“Bart’s Books” Ojai, 2018
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 23mm, f/8, 1/60 sec, ISO500
After a bit more shopping, it was time to head back to my parents’ house, but it was a fun day up in Ojai, California!
またね～
