Yan Can Restaurant

Today, I invited the interns--Arjun, Joe, and Rob--to lunch out with me. I suggested Yan Can Cook's restaurant in Santa Clara, and everybody was up for it. We thought it'd be fun and interesting. Not often, do you visit a "celebrity" chef's (umm, or at least, "tv-personality chef") restaurant. Here's what we got.

Shared: Crispy Potstickers x8
Arjun: Veggie Fried Rice + Hot & Sour Soup (cup)
Rob: Singapore Firecracker Chicken
Joe: Korean BBQ Beef
Me: Beef Chow Fun

all in all, it's not bad. I wouldn't put this anywhere near the top of my "favorite" restaurant list, but it's definately somewhere that I wouldn't mind going again for lunches. It was only about a 15 minute drive from Maxim.

After work, I went shopping with OV. not very interesting though. I hope she likes her new hand bag.

House of Prime Rib

Check! One more place on my "must eat, gotta try" restaurant list can be checked off.

Today, we (Mom, Dad, OV, OV's mom & dad & maggy & ali, and I) went to the famous "House of Prime Rib." This was the first time that both OV's parents and my parents sat down together at a meal. I'd have to say, this was a pretty fitting place for the occasion. The restaurant was pleasent with dim lights to set the casual mood. The waiters and servers were friendly and quick to service. The meat, of course, was also the best "medium-rare" piece of prime rib that has ever graced my mouth. yummmmmm... so tender and juicey~ haha.

Here's to meal's rundown:

2 x House of Prime Rib (Dad and OV's dad)
4 x City Cut (OV, OV's mom, ali, and maggy)
1 x English Cut (Me)
1 x White Fish - Mahi Mahi (Mom)
+ 2 glasses of Wine, Merlot? (Dad and OV's dad)

If I had known that the English Cut and H of Prime Rib were "all you can eat," I would have surely skipped my dumpling lunch! Note to self: next time, starve a day, then go.

Back Track the day's events -
Woke up around 9. wavering between going back to work to finish my linear regulator correlation or hanging around the house. chose the ladder, vacuumed the house. clean out some boxes and some bowls and plates. eat lunch - dumplings. left for SF around 3:10. arrived around 4:20, ate. chat, got real full around 6. left around 6:30. fellowship. touching/shocking/memorable story of CT and Chien-Ling's visit to the Merced Prison. Got home around 11... done.

Ka-Ching! (first pay check)

woot! I got my first "real" pay check... two, actually, including my "signing bonus"...

feels good.

gave both checks to mom as a token of appreciation.

work has been alright, starting to learn much more. hopefully it doesn't slowly become a grind.

My Independence Day

July 5th: my independence day -- first day of work

special? not really, felt like a lot of stuff was a little unorganized. read the UC09 IOS all day. Productive? well, got a cubical, 130, between Abrahman and Joey. also got a phone, ext. 5991. still waiting for my own PC and email account.

tomorrow is oriantation. hope it goes better than today.

quick note: woke up around 7. left home around 8. arrive in lobby around 8:30. waited in lobby til 9. greet people and stuff. started reading IOS around 11. left around 7pm.

Dinner with the Parents

Not quite "meet the parents," but I shall dub this "dinner with the Parents."

Today, (well, yesterday 7/3) I had dinner with OV and her family at Chez Panisse. This restaurant is supposedly owned and operated by a famous chef (Alice Waters).

I had researched many restaurants that I want to eat at, and this one is right on the top of my list. I'm glad this restaurant did not disappoint. My restaurant-picking-reputation with OV's parents was riding on this meal! The mood, the building, the atmosphere, and the interiors... all spoke of class and elegance. The food was also fantastic.

The special thing (to me) about this meal, is that... this is really, the first time I actually pick out a restaurant, and had "elder guests" (not that OV's parents are old, but at least are my elders)... and I was "host"... in Chinese terms, I paid... I felt, in a way, special... to be privileged and honored. The meal with OV's family--mom, dad, alice, and maggy--was a (tiny) bit awkward and stressful. But all in all, everyone had a great time, and an exceptionally delicious meal. I really enjoyed it. I hope I left a good impression on OV's parents in all my table manners and behaviors. Did my best.

Just for good memory sake... Here's everything we've had:

Appetizer:
Garden lettuce salad
Rocket and frisee salad with duck rillettes and pickled okra
Local halibut brandade baked in the wood oven
Roasted figs with chicken liver crostini and fried herbs

Entrée:
Watson Ranch lamb shoulder braised with chilies and garlic; with saffron rice, tomato, confit, and yogurt
Grilled Hoffman Farm chicken al mattone with braised escarole, English peas, and potato-pancetta gratin
Fish and shellfish cakes with green beans, new potatoes, and aioli
Spaghetti alla Norma: pasta with eggplant, tomato, hot pepper, basil, and ricotta salata
Pizza with wild nettles and pecorino

Dessert:
Chocolate ice cream with Grand Marnier cream and chocolate wafers
Nectarine and summer berry cobbler with honey ice cream

Drink:
Navarro Vineyards Gewurztraminer Grape Juice (2005)

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Of note, I'd probably say the halibut, the lamb shoulder and the grape juice were the best. Nevertheless, everything was a delicacy in its own right.

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Back track the day's events: woke up around 11pm. Had lunch with Clement and Andrew. Chat. Drop Andrew off at Jessie's Place. Drop Clement off at auto shop/rental car place. Come home and rest. Pick OV's family up in van. Drove to Berkeley. Chez Panisse. Ate. Done. Drop OV's family off. Chat with OV. Come home... Done.