You Would Think

That a slacker like me eats out or would want to do that a lot. Maybe it's a form of sado-masochism or something, but I just can't bring myself to do that unless it's a last resort. Think about it. I've taken time to make a list, go to the store, put the food away, etc. So, why would I then order take out or go out? I'll admit there are days that I just don't want to cook or I've eaten the same thing one too many times. And that's okay. Everyone is entitled to down time. Well, I got my down time on Friday and Saturday.

Friday evening, MJ and I went with friends to a Korean restaurant. I'd tell you the name, but it wasn't listed on the door in English. I have never had Korean food before. Let me tell you what we had was very good. I had #39 with were vermicelli noodles (cellophane noodles) with beef and vegetables. It was so good. MJ ordered #2 which was like a spicy sweet and sour chicken. The chicken pieces were so crunchy and tasty. JG ordered deep fried pork dish with a sticky sweet sauce that looked like maple syrup. This too was an incredibly tasty dish. Finally, CH ordered the bulgogi. You have to love a place that just sits a plate of meat in front of you with no apologies. For $68, we had enough food to feed an army and have leftovers. #39 and the bulgogi came with rice and a bowl of hot, spicy soup. We left that to JG as I wasn't about to anger the heartburn gods. I can't wait to go back. I want to try #12 and #47.

Saturday evening found MJ and I ate at Carrabas. I don't know about you, but Italian food is good eats. And Carrabas didn't disappoint. What did disappoint was $2.50 for lemonade that didn't taste like lemon or ade. And the replacement ginger ale tasted more like the carbonation line than the sparkling beverage with a bite. What came with our drinks though was a basket of piping hot homemade bread and a plate of olive oil and pesto (closest way to describe it). That was worth the lousy beverages. It had a lovely crust with a soft chewy center. MJ and I munched on this while trying to decide the best way to maximizes a gift card. Finally, we decided on the spaghetti with grilled sausage and the chicken gratella with broccoli and cavatappi amatriciana. Well, that was the best damned grilled chicken we had ever eaten. It melted in your mouth literally. The cavatappi was cooked al dente with a spicy red sauce. the broccoli was nothing special. The spaghetti sauce was too sweet for me. Reminded me of Chef Boyardee, but I know some people like it that way. This was served with two fat and juicy Italian sausage. Those sausages are why I love Carrabas. For about $32 ($27 if we'd have skipped the drinks), we had a really good meal. Our only real complaint was the location of our table. It was on a main drag with poor lighting. Next time, I'm telling them I want to be seated in front of the kitchen.

Hey, this is a sharing place. Tell me where you like to dine. Give me a heads up on where you like to go for Korean, Italian, Vietnames, Indian, Thai, Pinoy (Phillipino), or burgers. Is there a neighborhood diner that you like? Let me know.