Asian Aisle On- and Off-Course in California: Day 1
Hello! I’ve returned to the land of the blogging, after sorting through about 1,500 vacation photos. Some of which included ones of the kids (nine of the rugrats total) waking up in the mornings to my DSLR’s shutter-clicking and my subsequent delighted cackling. (“Stop taking pictures, Auntie Cindy!” “But it’s so fun!” Click, click. Ah, good times.)
I’ll begin my trip food photos with my refreshing and disappointing in-flight snack.
Yes, a refreshing ice-cold Coke, my favorite plane beverage. (What do you like to drink on a plane?)
And my disappointing snack, a ‘gourmet’ mix of (too many) salted pretzels and (not enough) cheeze crackers and sticks. I miss the days when we would get served warm fair-style scones with strawberry jam.
Our first meal in Anaheim was at a Vietnamese restaurant in the Little Saigon area, located not too far from our hotel. This is my sister’s order of duck, to be eaten with a bowl of broth and thin rice noodles.
Some rugrat’s dish, Grilled Pork Over Broken Rice. I’d never seen this girl clean her plate before, when dining out, but this time she did. We were all feeling starved by this time in the late-afternoon.
My order, um…a bowl of thick rice noodles topped with minced crab, shrimp cake, and fried tofu in a very tasty and light tomato-y broth.
A shot taken from my seat, of the Ong Choy stems a couple of restaurant ladies were peeling in-between assisting diners. I only know what they are because I’ve helped a cousin do the same thing; I think the stems are used as a garnish.
Our after-dinner snack after watching the fireworks at Disneyland. I think McDonald’s fries are the best thing about the fast-food establishment, but only when they’re freshly fried. Besides the fries, we had chicken nuggets and apple pies. I come from a family of enthusiastic eaters, thank God.
To follow-up on the italicized comments at the end of my previous post, I:
* Nearly lost my sanity only once during the trip. And yes, it was due to the rugrats.
* Avoided receiving a ‘K punch’ but re-discovered how bossy this sister can be.
* Didn’t do any bed-jumping, because I was too busy taking pics of my nephew and Olivia having that brand of fun.
Yum! Cindy you might like my Philadelphia treat blog: http://tunaynamahal.blogspot.com/2010/08/awesome-philadelphia-treats.html
Ooh, I’m glad you had a nice trip! I don’t like kids… but they can be alright once in a while. When they’re alone and away from each other.
I like to drink water on plane, I find that it keeps me hydrated the best. Oh, and Diet Coke when I’m feeling special… 
MmMMmm.. I want your dish from the Vietnamese restaurant.
The thick noodle in your Vietnamese noodle is fascinating. I have to look this up and see how it’s made. Also, the tomatey broth sounds good.
you make the most simple food/drink look tasty.. i’m thirsty and need to get myself some pepsi now!!!
Sarah Lynn: Awesome—thanks for sharing the link! I love eating what locals eat, when visiting a new city.
Wei-Wei: Heh, I’m glad I had a nice trip, too!
And I like my relatives’ kids…but I must confess that I’m always really happy that I can hand the kids back to their parents at some point…like when they’re crying…or need a diaper change…
P.S. You should always feel special!
Lian: We really appreciated the wide range of Vietnamese restaurants in the L.A. area, and enjoyed the Vietnamese food a lot (more so than at our local restaurants!).
Sooj: I *think* the thick noodles the restaurant used is called Bánh Canh. My local Asian markets sell the noodles pre-made, in a 15-ounce clear package for less than $2 in the refrigerated section.
Tool: I think my biggest food photo-taking challenge, as far as making the food look tasty, will be the Taiwanese stinky tofu you’ve dared me to try! And you ‘totes’ sound like one of the many spammers I encounter via this blog, with your Pepsi comment. Some will compliment my site and then tell me they need to go to the dentist.
P.S. Coke FTW!