Ok, I have decided to stop being a holiday grinch. Our bags never came out so we decided to just risk it and go back through security. Hopefully our bags make it to Indiana. If not, I am definitely going shopping and sending the bill to United.

M: “Yea, you try that.”

“Damn right I will!”

Whatever. Over it.

Back to the delicious, amazing dinner I had all of 7 hours ago. I can still feel it in my tummy despite my three-hour nap on the plane.

Where was I? Oh yea, at our complimentary soup that was served to us because “we looked hungry.” I think they were staring at M. Since we ordered the 6-person prix-fixe, we had 8 dishes. I know, kind of a little much.

We started with another soup – light dried scallop and tofu brothy goodness. I think Mumsies had three bowls all the while declaring how good it was. Since neither of us had ever been to this restaurant, it was definitely an auspicious start to our dinner. Next up were plump, fat little sauteed clams in some sort of rich, savory sauce that we drizzled over the rice. Then, Chinese broccoli faintly redolent of cooking wine, half a moist and smoky chicken, salt and pepper squid and the Mongolian beef we had specifically swapped in place of the meat and squid dishes on the prix-fixe. M and my requests. Turns out they were the hits of the night.

I mean, how could you not love fried squid fresh from the fryer, hot and greasy and sprinkled liberally with golden garlic and jalapenos. Exactly. And the beef had everyone declaring how soft and tender it was. It smelled awesome. That wasn’t all though. We still had the black bean sauced catfish and the crab over garlicky vermicelli. I don’t eat crab, but the noodles it was sitting over were divine. So full of flavor and slurpy. I ate probably three little bowls worth.

All in all, a wonderful meal. We were all pleasantly surprised at the quality and quantity of food. Plus it was SO cheap. Then, the dessert arrived. Sometimes, I wonder why Chinese restaurants even bother with dessert. It is clearly not a strong point and they really should just drop it. Tonight’s dessert “soup” was no exception. Thick, mucousy and booger-like, it was really terribly awful.

Chip and I took one look at it and burst into laughter. Then, we started shouting that it was “snot soup.” Mumsies was not very amused. I couldn’t even stomach one spoonful though. M manned it up and had a few, I think just to try to impress my dad who also left his bowl untouched. Yuck.

Despite the sad and sweet ending, Hakka Restaurant is freaking great. I can’t wait to go back.

Alright, our connection is not for another hour so I think I shall sit back, sip my soy green tea unsweetened latte from Starbucks, and hang out with the very irritated M.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I will be back tonight with a recap of the allegedly almost-totally vegetarian meal M’s dad has cooked up in honor of my visit. Such a nice guy, I am very excited.

xoxo,

Jenn