Oo Long, And Thanks For All The Dish

Thanksgiving Dinner

Most Holiday dinners that I attend usually comprise a mix of culinary tradition. This year, my Thanksgiving meals were strictly Asian. For lunch, I met a friend for Dim Sum at Mandarin Ogilvie (not related to the buffet franchise in Toronto). This old-school place still had the food carts rolling down the aisles, although the servers were younger than the usual crusty waitress. We ordered the typical dishes: har gow, siu mia, ribs, shrimps, sticky rice, et al. They were all edible but not particularly outstanding. Without the competition in Toronto, little details added up: dumpling shells a little too thick, meat and seafood a touch overcooked, etc. The good news was that my friend has left the Lonely Hearts Club. Which led to a "deep thought". Could something remain a club with only 1 member?

Sunday dinner had no turkey or roast beef. The appetizers were variations of the fresh roll. The shrimp was plump but the shell was left on. That was an unfortunate oversight. The nem (marinated raw pork "ceviche") had a tangy flavour with a bite from the peppercorn. Of course, what completed these rolls were a well-prepared fish sauce dip.

Then came the balut eggs. I wasn't sure that after decades of a Westernized palate I could handle these half-fertilized duck eggs now. Luckily, these were not the 21-day "Fear Factor" version (complete with feathers, bones, and beak) beloved of TV shows. At 14 days, it was a mixture of yellow yolk and (shall we say) tender protein. With a dash of salt and pepper and Vietnamese mint, it was interesting but mostly tasted like egg. I wouldn't say that there was anything particularly distinctive about the flavour. Three hints for any takers: one, crack and eat from the large end; two, be willing to slurp the juice; three, don't eat the egg white at the small end - it has harden into the consistency of stone.

After a few sticky dumplings stuffed with minced tofu and onions, the main dish came out. It was a duck and dried bamboo vermicelli soup. Of course, these Vietnamese soups always come with a mound of fresh and fragrant herbs including lettuce, basil, perilla, and crunchy banana flowers. The only misstep was in the zeal to "eat healthy", too much fat was sliced away from the duck, leaving a broth that could have been richer. After cake for dessert, I was ready to go to bed early.