Celebratory dinner

In honor of Corina becoming an associate at work, SHE treated us out to dinner (on the company) at one of our favorite Japanese restaurants: Honda-ya in Tustin.

We went all out. Got the 4-item yakatori plate of chicken leg meat, chicken...liver, um, something and something. In addition we picked up two items each of the bacon-wrapped asparagus and the bacon-wrapped tomatoes and the meatball yakatoris. Was that it? Oh yeah and between Corina and Olivia, an order of the crunchy roll. This was our appetizer.

For the entree, we each got a 2-item dinner combo, which includes a bowl of miso soup, a side salad, a bowl of rice, a side of (Japanese) potato salad and your two items. I got the Sesame-fried chicken with vegetable tempura. Corina got the tonkatsu with vegetable tempura and Olivia got the mixed (or was it vegetable as well?) tempura with teriyaki salmon.

At this point, we had finished off most of the yakitori. And yes, there were only three of us girls. Well, plus 2-year old Sid, but he didn't eat much. He spent most of the time on his iPhone.

Thank you, Corina! And congrats!!!

JapaDog!

Anthony Bourdain went here, so why not?

While in Vancouver, we had to swing by this hot dog stand place that was featured on No Reservations. Driving around downtown, we  spotted hot dog stands on nearly every corner (I was particularly interested in the MexiDog stand, that sounded good), but didn't stop until we found it. And there it was, in front of the Sutton Place Hotel, like they said.  Japa Dog!

 

We found it! Their digs. Are there health inspections for these stands?

What will it be?

The Terimayo for the hubster (topped with... pickled veggies, seaweed and sweet pickles?), and the Oroshi for me (topped with radish, soy sauce and green onions)

Was it the best hot dog I've ever had? Well, I don't know how you can go wrong with a hot dog... but I gotta say, I tend to lean towards the bacon-wrapped ones, especially when leaving the Coliseum full of energy and victory in the chilly night air, surrounded by bacon-wrapped hot dogs being grilled in every direction you turn... oh yeah. That's the stuff.

Sorry about that. Back to Japa Dog. Was I glad I tried it? Yes, why not? Would I try it again? Not necessarily. But if I'm ever back on those streets, I'm looking for the MexiDog stand. "Can I get carne asada on top of that hot dog?"

Quick Japanese lunch

On Wednesday, the hubster offered to take me out to lunch. 

"You mean, like... a date?" 

"Sure, whatever."

Ah, the romance after 13 years together.

So promptly at noon, he picked me up from work and we headed to Mitsuwa in Costa Mesa. We love going to this place, not just for Japanese items, but for their food court. The only downside is that the parking lot is not the best. 

But inside... all sorts of food. We usually head straight to the one of the right where I always always order the Pork Cutlet Curry (5.75), but then this time, I decided on the Minced Beef Curry (6.25)... think of an Asian version of the Country Fried Steak... and instead of gravy and biscuits, the battered and fried meat sat on a plate of white rice with the yum Japanese curry all over (and some sliced hard boiled egg to garnish)... I decided to choose this over my usual because it included a side salad with ginger dressing and some pickled red peppers.

The husband instead was drawn towards the food shop on the left, and ordered the Korean dish, Bibimbap: a hot sizzling bowl filled with rice, veggies (mostly bean sprouts and spinach), a sunny-side up egg and the Korean red paste. And as he dug below, he found a giant piece of white fish. Accompanying this dish (5.99) was a small bowl of various things: deep fried octopus, glass noodle salad, kimchi and a cold noodle dish of some sort.

 

We were happy lunchers.