Year End Anthropomorphic Roundup

“The Runaway Dinner” is a wonderful anthropomorphic food adventure. For anyone who enjoys illustrated children's books this one is a keeper.

The grape king is one of my favorites. I suspect the artist is familiar with the great Italian fruit portrait painter Giuseppe Arcimboldo.

This is one of Arcimboldo's more famous works "Vertumnus" 1590-1591, to see more of these works visit Olga's Gallery.

The years strangest find came from an antique mall. Probably circa 1950's it is a potato chip server illustratated with an anthropomorphic potato head wearing a ruffled potato chip skirt. The sticker on the back of the bowl indicates it was made in Japan.

Our friends Karma and Rob picked this up at the Superdawg consession at the Airport in Chicago. They paid one buck for the empty carton. Apparently a lot of empty boxes are sold as souveniers.

The Little Big Book of Comfort Food includes 200 recipes of home style cooking. It is a lovely book to own even if you don't cook as it contains an abundance of vintage images gleaned from turn of the century illustrations. Many of them from children's books. The following five images are from this book.


We could not resist buying this updated version of Mr. Potato Head. It is still fun to arrange the parts, although we miss sticking the accessories into a real spud. I suppose this new version will save many a little one from choking on the smaller parts that came with the original set. As you can see it is fun to create your own anthropomorphic character.


To view the complete anthropomorphic food and kitchen gallery click here.

The Flavor of Words: My name is Roger

If you have an incredibly rare condition called lexical-gustatory synaesthesia, you can actually taste words. These people involuntarily “taste” words when they hear them, or even try to recall them, said Julia Simner, a cognitive neuropsychologist and synaesthesia expert at the University of Edinburgh. Her study, “Words on the Tip of the Tongue,” was published in “Nature” last month, She has found only 10 such people in Europe and the United States. Magnetic-resonance imaging indicates that they are not faking. It can be surprisingly unpleasant. One subject hates driving, because the road signs flood his mouth with everything from pistachio ice cream to ear wax. And Simner has yet to figure out any logical pattern. For example, the word “mince” makes one subject taste mincemeat, but so do rhymes like” prince.” Words with a soft “g,” as in “roger” or “edge,” make him taste sausage. But another subject, hearing “castanets,” tastes tuna fish. Another can taste only proper names: John is his cornbread, William his potatoes. They cannot explain the links. The flavors are just there.
Article from the St. Petersburg Times, Sunday, December 3, 2006, “A Little Perspective”.

My immediate response
As a reader of many recipes I strive to bridge the gap between the words and the taste they describe. As my culinary skill grows my ability to sift out mediocre recipes improves. Upon reading the article“ Eating their words” I thought wow! this is cool, to pre-taste the meal by reading the recipe, a perfect meal every time. Then reconsidering, I thought no, beyond the visual, the pleasure of a well prepared meal is the gustatory surprise and the saver of each bite. Imagine enjoying a suptuous desert of Chocolate Bavarian Cream Pie while hearing a waiter introducing himself to a table of new dinners, “Good evening my name is Roger I will be your waiter tonight”.

A Wreath of Mussel Shells

Mussels are silent creatures, so it is up to us to speak for them. When speaking for mussels we should be as poetic as possible, after all mussels are in essence visual poetry inside and out. If I were to attempt verse for mussels it would begin by addressing their sleek black form, the feel and the music of the shell as I turn them in a colander. Moving on I would speak lovingly to them aquatinting them with the marriage arrangements that I have made for them, especially the wine they shall soon bath in. Many lines of joy pertaining to the grand feast, the ephemeral dance of taste. Then, the ending would begin something like this; Close to the shore in the dark twisting water your life began, I am your new shell, you live now with me and my voice is now yours. Together we shall make a wreath from the shell of so many days. A wreath to admire, a reminder of the the sweet life that is ours. Ok, so I may not be a poet but I hope you get the idea, this a project of love.

What you will need:

drill and 1/8 bit

6 inch length of wire, stove pipe or braided picture frame wire

ply wood wreath support (most craft stores stock them)

black spray paint

hot glue gun, or glue of choice (clear silicone may work)

cleaned shells

clear spray paint

The photo above doesn't include the black spray paint and hanging wire.

How to clean the shells:
Forget about the bucket with the bleach water, this does little to remove any fragments of mussel flesh sticking to the shell. What I found to be the best method is to spread the shells out in a sunny spot and let them dry out for about a week. When you retrieve them simply brush off the dried up fibre with thumb and finger nail. No smell either.

Assembly:
The ply wood support is your starting point. Often times craft stores sell blank wreath supports, the one in the set up picture is 12 inches, with a 2 inch band to glue shell to, good for using up your smallest shells. If you have an electric jig saw you can cut your support out of luan or similar 1/8 or 3/16 ply wood. The diameter I cut was 21 inches across, the center hole is 13 inches in diameter, leaving a 4 inch band for gluing on the shells.

Now that you have a support board you will need to hang the finished wreath. To do that drill two holes about 1 1/2 inches in from any edge making the holes 1 inch apart , this will be the top of the wreath. Insert the wire from the side to be sprayed painted black so that both ends can be twisted together to form a loop on the back used to hang the wreath. Cut off any excess wire once you are satisfied that it will hang properly on your nail or hook.

Spray the face with back paint so that no raw wood shows, this may take more than one coat, be sure and give paint plenty of time to dry.

Organise and divide you shells into left and rights and by size. Make some trial arrangements and start gluing. You will see how nicely the left and right halves of the shells follow the curve of the wreath form. I applied the glue to the narrow end and tipped the shell up. The next shell is set the same way, allowing the wide end to cover the narrow end of the preceding shell. I expect you will find many more patterns then the one shown here.

Once all shells are glued in place, give them two or three coats of clear spray to bring out the colour, let the paint dry completely between coats. If a shell pops loose when hanging just dab some hot glue on the back and slip in place.

Now that your are admiring your handy work and have mussels on the mind try this variation when making your next pot of steamed mussels.
Mussels Steamed in Wine
Adapted from The Time Life Series,The Good Cook: Shellfish

1 onion coarsely chopped

6 dozen mussels or 3 two pound bags cleaned and de-bearded

2 shallots coarsely chopped

1 bunch parsley finely chopped ( that could be any where from 1 to 2 1/2 cups )

freshly ground pepper ( perhaps a teaspoon )

10 tbs. butter, reserve 3 tbs. cut into chunks for finishing sauce

1 1/2 cups dry white wine

3 tbs. fresh lemon juice

Rinse mussels in sink using a colander, inspecting to be sure all mussels are closed tightly. Run some cool water in open shells and if alive they will close. In a non reactive pot (stainless is good, aluminium is not) load in onions, mussels, shallots, parsley, pepper, butter and wine. Load ingredients in order listed. Cover and cook over high heat, once simmering cook for about 3 to 4 more minutes. Transfer cooked mussels to a serving dish and keep warm. Strain cooking liquid into a sauce pan, use a wire strainer lined with a double layer of dampened cheese cloth. Pour your liquid into strainer slowly and watch carefully, leaving any sand or grit behind. Reduce the liquid to 1/3 of original volume, then off the heat whisk in the remaining butter chunks until thick and foamy. Whisk in lemon juice and pour sauce over mussels. Serve with crusty bread and wine. ....poetry!

Hydroponic Strawberries in December

Only twenty two miles east of down town Bradenton, a lovely drive through the scrubby Florida countryside, you will find the hydroponic farm “Hydro-Taste”. Part show room, part working farm, this out door laboratory has our community talking. We were greeted by columns of colourful impatiens and the enthusiastic owner, Chester Bullock. Chester ushered us directly to the growing area where he graciously explained how the growing system works. We could not believe our eyes, we were surprised by the magnitude of operation lush with vegetation. With the “hydro-stackers”, Chester explains that he grows as many strawberries on one acre that would normally take seven acres to grow conventionally. We soon found ourselves armed with scissors and baskets picking large juicy perfectly red berries. There is no bending over to pick here, the “hydro-stackers” spin allowing access to picking on all sides, much like a post card rack. Our pictures show just a portion of what can be accomplished with “hydro-stackers”, why you can even grow corn with out it falling over. After seeing this affordable system, we believe even if you don’t have a “green thumb” you can have success following a few simple steps. If you want a garden that uses absolutely zero space this is it. Don’t believe us check out the photos on the “hydro-stacker” web site. By next year we will be posting our crop.

Rows of strawberries in December.
These planters survived a hurricane.
"Hydro-stackers" filled with cabbage,
White eggplant is one of Chester's many crops.
Stackers are emptied after the growing season. Ready to be replaced with new crops.
Columns of colorful impatients in hydro-stackers.

How to Identify a Real Chicken

The latest addition to the “Anthropomorphic Kitchen Gallery”.

We know what a chicken looks like after seeing them in barnyards and picture books. If you're anything like us then you've eaten enough chicken to sprout your own feathers. We are ashamed to admit it, yes, we have eaten the mutant “ McNugget”...thing (but is it chicken?). Snapping open the box, with little hesitation, we dipped the salty chicken like morsels into the sweet honey mustard sauce then into our gullets. Who knew that under the crispy exterior lurked a bland, goofy face. The child looks nothing like the parent, albeit the chicken is reported to be a stupid creature. So are we what we eat? Mr. President, have you been indulging in “Chicken McNuggets”.... the close set eyes might suggest so. “McNuggets”, we fear are a clear and present danger to the health and security of our nation. View this picture carefully, every “McNugget” served peers at you from behind its greasy, crispy disguise. You must recognise, when your willpower is overtaken by the ugly force unseen, you’ll be enticed to eat the entire box. Just remember, before you succumb to the tasty grease, salt combination, a real chicken has an eye on each side of its heads.
Thank you Amanda, for the photo

Chester at the Shady Dell

We have Karen and Phil to thank for this bookish looking corn guy. “Chester” was sighted at the Shady Dell in Bisbi Arizona, a great vacation spot where you can sleep in a vintage Airstream trailer. It was here that Phil popped the question. Congratulations you guys and thanks for sending us “Chester.”You can see more anthropomorphic food characters at the gallery.

Peanut Elves

The peanut elves on this cover are the most recent addition to the anthropomorphic gallery. When I first saw the cover illustration for this peanut butter recipe pamphlet, my response was “this is great!”, but after thinking about it for a while the whole thing started to seem a little creepy to me. A wild eyed “junior” munching away on cookies from the snack jar seemingly oblivious to the fact he is being spirited away to some enchanted place by a band of peanut men. Common knowledge that children can be lured by the sweet taste of candies and cookies makes me think the “Snack Jar Plan” is a sinister scheme. The cover forest depiction is eerily reminiscent of a Brothers Grimm fairy tale. It is my guess the illustrator was influenced by German culture, perhaps a concept developed directly from the story of Hansel and Gretel. As the date of publication is 1946 by “National Peanut Council, Inc.”, we must say for sure the recent war with Germany was fresh in every ones mind. Because I have read Grimms Fairy tales, I conclude that the boy being escorted into the woods will probably be eaten by the peanut men..... “The Snack Jar Plan”.

Atole de Nuez “the hot chocolate alternative”

This delicious hot drink of Mexican origin, is made with pecans and masa harina. We drank this in “yes of course” San Francisco, a cold place for a Floridian. If you are looking for a drink to warm your soul on a cold winter night try this. In addition to adding flavor the masa swells to give this drink “body plus.” A note of caution; the drink stays hot for a long time, good for a long relaxing sit, bad for a burnt mouth. We encountered the mysterious flavors of “atole du nuez” while dining at El Dellphin in the Mission District of San Francisco. Our most gracious hostess Angelica was happy to share her recipe with us. This is a slightly altered version of her recipe. Her quantities were for a restaurant size crowd and I substituted a cinnamon stick with powder. Adjust the sugar to suit your taste. There is more information on this drink and its history on David Lebovitz.com.

Atole de Nuez

1/2 cup condensed milk

12 cup pecan halves

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 cup masa harina

1/2 gallon milk

In a blender, process the pecans to a fine powder.

Bring the half gallon of milk and 3 cups of water to a simmer. When it is hot add the condensed milk and other ingredients, adding the masa slowly to avoid clumping. Continue to stir until masa thickens. Simply add a bit more milk if it seems too thick. Sip and get cozy. When cooled cover and store the remaining drink in the refrigerator. Simply reheat in the microwave.

I Dream of Eating Less Cake

The sign for the bakery in the North Beach area
These are really cakes! Unfortunately the bakery was not open when we were there.

What can I say, we loved vacationing in San Francisco so much we can't stop posting about what we saw there. I was delighted when we walked past this window in the North Beach area. At first I thought these were accessories, but when I looked closer I realised they were far from it. How creative, what a skill to be able to make something like this. Whenever I frost a simple layer cake it always turns out looking like an “ugly cake” (see the photos of an ugly cake from the post below) without me even trying to make an ugly cake. I have been looking around the house and thinking about what kind of object I could construct into a cake and decided it would be a replica of my bathroom scale. I like the idea for a couple of reasons first it is a relatively flat and simple shape good for beginners to craft. The numbers are digital and could be easily piped onto the cake and I would hope after slicing a piece of “thinner sport scale” cake, I would think twice about eating it.

A Food Network Home Translation

At the second helping house we have long ago shed our addiction to the television. We do have a sixteen year old TV and a much newer DVD player, but no cable, no antenna, no dish and little idea of what this seasons offerings hold. Even so, avoidance of the tube is nearly impossible and yes I have watched Food TV at my mother in laws house many times. Usually several of us watch together, our communal passion is food. We especially enjoy watching Emeril work up the appetite of the live audience, this is solid entertainment. Along the way we learn a new technique or pick up some new culinary ideas, no guilt TV. Lets face it, Emeril and his creative team are very successful, the show's key to success is in dreaming up all sort and manner of fanciful food “that you to can prepare at home”. We are also fortunate to have thinking friends that watch television too, I know that sounds like an oxymoron, (thinking and television). I don’t believe viewing has dulled their ideas or opinions. When they suggested doing a complete Emeril meal I became as excited as Emeril, “Yes ! Lets kick it up a notch and say good bye to a long hot summer”. The following picture essay is our translation of Emeril’s “Firehouse Crab Boil” and “Ugly Cake”, crazy concepts and a complete blast!

Firehouse Crab Boil
Note: We used a 60-quart aluminium pot with a strainer insert and did this over a propane burner outdoors. You could probably get away with a pot slightly smaller, such as a 45- or 50-quart pot, as we had about 6 inches of head space left in ours. This is definitely do-able indoors, but you may need to do it in 2 large pots on the stove and it will probably take quite a while for the pots to boil.

3 to 4 cups crawfish, shrimp and crab boil seasoning (recommended: Zatarain's powdered form, NOT liquid or bag versions)

3 lemons, halved

2 or 3 large onions, halved

5 heads garlic, cut in 1/2 crosswise

2 dozen live blue crabs

6 pounds new potatoes

4 ears fresh corn, shucked, silk removed and cut in 1/2

3 artichokes, stem end trimmed cut into halves or quarters

2 pounds smoked sausage

1 package hot dogs

1 pound mushrooms

One day before you plan to boil the crabs: If you have a heatproof, submergible vessel that will hold 1 or 2 gallons of water that may be frozen, fill these with water and freeze until frozen solid.
In a very large (40 to 60-quart) pot combine the crab boil, lemons, onions, garlic, and 6 gallons of water and heat over high heat, stirring, until the powdered seasoning has dissolved. Add the crabs, potatoes, corn, artichokes, smoked sausage and hot dogs. (Everything should be submerged in liquid – if not, add a bit more water to cover.) Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Cook at a rolling boil for 6 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the mushrooms. Cover the pot and let sit for 15 to 20 minutes.
Add the frozen vessels to the hot crab boil and stir occasionally very gently to facilitate even cooling. This will prevent the crabs from overcooking and will also force them to absorb the seasoning from the crab boil. Let the crabs sit in the water for at least 1 hour before serving. You can let the crabs sit until completely cool, if desired, or you can serve the crabs warm.
Using tongs or strainers, carefully remove the crabs from the pot along with the onions, garlic, potatoes, corn, artichokes, sausage, hot dogs, and mushrooms and spread out on large platters or on newspaper lined tables for folks to enjoy.

Some of the raw ingredients for the crab boil and ugly cake
The cooking setup
The completed boil and chilling process
Retrieving the boil
There is newspaper under the table cloth
Next to eating, dumping the food on the table was the best part

Ugly Cake

3 cups sifted cake flour (not self-rising)

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

2 cups sugar

4 large eggs

1 1/4 cups buttermilk

3 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 recipe Chocolate Pudding, recipe follows

3 cups heavy cream

9 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9 by 13-inch baking pan; set aside.
Sift the cake flour with the baking powder, baking soda and salt and set aside.
In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture in 3 batches alternating with the buttermilk and ending with the flour. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons of the vanilla and stir to combine well. Transfer batter to the prepared cake pan and bake until the cake is light golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 40 minutes.
Transfer the pan to a wire rack and allow the cake to cool slightly. Turn the cake out of the pan onto a rack and allow to cool completely.
Cut or break the cake into 2 to 3-inch pieces. Working on a large platter or in a large serving bowl, place a layer of cake pieces onto the platter and spoon or pour half of the pudding over the cake. Top with the remaining cake pieces and, using your hands, press the cake pieces into the pudding to form a round mound resembling a cake. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Place the heavy cream in a large, chilled mixing bowl and beat until mixture just begins to form soft peaks. Add the confectioners' sugar and remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla and beat until stiff peaks form. Spoon whipped cream all over the mound of cake and pudding and serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 2 hours before serving. Serve with dollops of the remaining pudding.

Chocolate Pudding:

5 cups milk

1 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 cup cornstarch, sifted

2 large eggs

4 large egg yolks

10 ounces quality semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Place 4 1/2 cups of the milk, 1/2 cup of the sugar, and the salt in a heavy, non reactive saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat.
In a mixing bowl combine the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar, the cocoa and the cornstarch and whisk to combine. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of milk and whisk until smooth.
Slowly whisk some of the hot milk mixture into the bowl, then add the contents of the bowl to the hot milk mixture and whisk until completely incorporated. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a gentle boil. Continue to boil gently until mixture thickens, about 2 minutes.
In a small bowl whisk the eggs and egg yolks together. Slowly add 1 cup of the hot cocoa mixture to the eggs and whisk to combine. Whisk this mixture into the hot cocoa mixture in the pot and reduce the heat to medium low. Cook, whisking constantly, until pudding thickens slightly, 1 to 2 minutes. Do not allow the mixture to boil.
Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl and place a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the surface. Set aside to cool.
Melt the chocolate with the butter in a small saucepan or in a double boiler and, when slightly cooled, whisk the chocolate mixture into the pudding base along with the vanilla. Cover again with plastic wrap and transfer to the refrigerator until chilled but still slightly pourable. Use half in the Ugly Cake assemblage and refrigerate the remaining half until thoroughly chilled and serve with the Ugly Cake.

Putting the cake together
Making the ugly cake uglier
We're not in Iowa anymore

Breakfast Mambo

Watch the Video
This is our first attempt at uploading video to the blog. One morning while having breakfast I was struck by how unnatural my cheese topped english muffin looked. The anemic color and geometry of the whole breakfast and plate seemed odd to me and I started moving the parts around on the plate...

Mooncakes in San Francisco's Chinatown

After dim sum, the second addiction we encountered in Chinatown was the sweet bean paste filled Mooncake from the Eastern Bakery on Grant Street. This was the first Chinese bakery in Chinatown. Former president Bill Clinton ate a Mooncake here. A photograph taken in the bakery captures him munching down. After eating just one bite, we were at the bakery every day purchasing a Mooncake for the next mornings breakfast. We bought a wooden Mooncake mold and are determined to try making them ourselves. We were warned that it takes a lot of patience and practice to get them right. The Mooncakes we liked the best were filled with red bean paste. You have the option of buying them with or without a salty egg yolk baked in the center. The egg yolk set in the dark bean paste represents the full moon. The combination must be an acquired taste and not one that we warmed up to. We preferred the Mooncakes plain. The tops of the cakes are usually imprinted with a beautiful design of Chinese characters or symbols. We're not sure what ours read, but sometimes the characters represent longevity or harmony. See more about Mooncakes than you will ever want to know at wikipedia.

Now I think we are ready to go to China!

Dim Sum in San Francisco

Yank Sing Dim Sum

You's Dim Sum

Dieter and I had our first encounter with dim sum while vacationing in fantastic San Francisco. We read a couple of guide books that suggested a dim sum meal at "Yank Sing" so we went there first. Here we experienced the Chinese Sunday tradition of selecting steaming dim sum as it rolled by on carts served by a persuasive wait staff. We could not resist trying everything and most every cart that passed our table left a plate of steaming dim sum behind. Before we knew it we had spent $60.00 on little plates of dumplings. We were not disappointed at all. The restaurant was full of families dressed in Sunday best and the atmosphere was lively. We liked it so much we decided to try dim sum again someplace else before leaving San Fran. In Chinatown on Stockton Street we passed a few dim sum carry out places and decided on one with a few tables called “You's Dim Sum”. Here the taste was equally as good as "Yank Sing", but the presentation was casual. At the counter we were given a cafeteria tray, a pink one covered with a piece of plastic wrap. Then the delicious looking dim sum in steamers just out of the of the kitchen were presented. Our selections were piled high on the tray. Total price $6.00, I repeat $ 6.00 for the both of us to be full to the brim. We loved the soy sauce and asked what brand they used. The reply was “you won’t find this brand because we make it ourselves here.” We sat at one of the few tables with our trays and all the while we could hear the chop chop chopping of food preparation coming from the kitchen and occasionally someone would walk out with yet another gigantic tray of steaming dumplings. Apparently Chinatown has more Hong Kong style dim sum restaurants than Hong Kong. And some people claim it is even better. I must confess that we had to go back to “You Dim Sum” the following day for one last taste. There I spoke to two police officers that had each purchased a bag to go, I mentioned to them “if you eat here, I made the right choice for dim sum “. He laughed and told me his boss the chief of police, a Chinese women, comes here when she wants dim sum. To get the full dim sum experience, we recommend both restaurants be tried.

San Francisco Restaurant Review: Jackson Street in Chinatown

It seemed as if we always ended up eating on Jackson Street. Perhaps it was the proximity of our hotel, or having noticed that the restaurant clientele consisted mostly of asian eaters likely residents of Chinatown. The idea that the locals know where to eat, kept us coming back to this street of inexpensive and tasty food. The old adage “When in Rome do as the Romans do”, seemed to apply. Here is what we found.

Pho Golden Flower
The food was sturdy, not elaborate, a meal with no surprises, the staff friendly.My hat is off to this family run restaurant, the host told me she leaves homeat 7.30 am and does not get back until 11.00, each and every day, Saturdays and Sundays included. This fact alone sheds a new light of appreciation over a meal decidedly prepared to appeal to a wide range of tastes. Open daily 9:30 AM - 9:30 PM This restaurant is open for one half hour longer than most.
New Lun Ting Cafe
Their motto as found on the business card states “Fine Economy American Food Spaghetti”. I loved this place, a total blue collar eatery with a steady stream of customers, mostly men. A note to would be students or just budget minded travellers, this is your place. I had a roast pork dish over white rice, stacked high with caramelised onions and corn nibblets cascading off the plate. Polly my wife had fried fish in gravy mixed with baby bokchoy and carrot, with a side of white rice. Pictured below.
New Jackson Cafe
A decidedly un-Chinese sounding name with an unusual menu, such as Hong Kong style toast with condensed milk, Russian Borsch, Baked beef tongue with tomato sauce,and fried rainbow trout. Not exactly what you would expect as a tourist in China Town. To be fair much of the menu did reflect the Asian community. Polly ordered the daily special which happened to be salted cod chunks in white gravy over greens, one taste and I wanted to trade plates. I would say that today the daily special was special to the max. My meal consisted of a noodle dish with a shrimp filled won ton soup that was heavenly. The best part of dinning here is that no menu dish is more than $8.95.
Pearl City Seafood
This is the only restaurant I tried on Jackson that cost me more than a “Jackson”, that is $20.00. I happened to have been wanting to taste my first Dungeness Crab and my flight home was getting close. As we entered the restaurant large families clustered around tables, busy with crab and lobster, leading me to believe “this is the place”. The anticipation mounted as my “sizzling rice soup arrived” a cup of deep fried rice to be dropped into a broth loaded with shrimp, squid and vegetable, so nice. Gerald my co-diner and school friend ordered the lobster. Our dishes came, we ate, and Gerald exclaimed he was still hungry as I laboured over my anti-climatic crab.I am a self proclaimed blue crab picking freak, now decidedly done with Dungeness. My over all impression was that I would not go back to try something different. Service was not all that good and we had to pay extra for a small portion of dry white rice to accompany our meal.