Le Bouchon

To celebrate my friend's birthday (well, actually, it was a belated birthday celebration) we went to try out this french restaurant that we had heard so much about. Every time I cycled past it, I keep telling myself that I will try it one day and I finally did. I have to admit that I am a bit biased about French food in Japan. One that it is expensive and secondly, that the serving portion is small (this being Japan after all).

However, I was happy to be proven wrong. The quantity and quality as well as the presentation were excellent and the price was just nice for the dinner set. We were served with delicious baguette, accompanied with olives and black olives paste which was amazing. For my entrée, I had escargots with mushrooms and for the main dish, I had duck topped with an orange based sauce. Interesting combination. Then for dessert, I had "fruits of the season" tart which, in this season, was strawberries. I were stuffed - an amazing feeling! And I love the fruit tart! Delicious!

Sayonara

March is ending. And when it does, my life will be a little bit sadder. I will miss the company of my good friends who had been with me for nearly four years here, as we have been through many ups and downs together. Four years! Four years that had gone by like a speck of dust in the wind! But not just an insignificant speck of dust. Quite the contrary. I think my life is richer because of it, because of the people that I have met that became my friends.

It seems that my circle of friends here is diminishing! Sad but true. Although I would love to keep them here for myself, I have no choice but to stand back and watch them leave (I don't think I have the strength or power to forcibly keep them here! Haha!). And even though my heart is heavy, I wish them nothing but all the luck, happiness and love in the world as they begin a new chapter in life.

To all of you guys (and you all know who you are!) - Kampai!!

Your friend always,
Ai Ling

P/S Remember to keep in contact or else......!!!

P/S/S Thanks also to Mai, Eddie and Ernesto for taking some of the photographs shown here - written under "notes".

Bubbly fun

My nephews, Ethan and Dylan, having loads of fun with the bubble gun! In fact, I had loads of fun with the bubble gun! Ah.....to be a child again....

Out in the sea

All these pictures were taken in Bourewa. I could not get closer as the horses sensed that I was approaching and was on full alert. I had only my macro lens with me at that time and did the best I could with it. I love the last picture but unfortunately the settings were awful - it came out too dark.

Dim sum galore!

I caught up with my friends for a lunch time feast of dim sum "tabehodai" aka eat-all-you-can dim sum buffet. However, in Japan, buffets are usually limited to only 90 minutes - not enough for me! I am so used to the buffet style back home where you can eat, chit-chat for a while, then eat again, then chat, then eat.....you get the drift.



I had been to this place only once prior to this lunch date. Besides the offering of dim sums, the restaurant also serves other Chinese dishes such as fried noodles, rice, etc as well as dessert. I think they also serve wine but I am not sure if it is included in the buffet price or you will have to pay separately. But er, wine and dim sum?



Lunch time is cheaper of course, around 1590 yen per person for 90 minutes. Dinner buffet is slightly more expensive but you get the same food, as far as I can tell. Although it was just lunch time and it was during a weekday, there was still a crowd in the restaurant.



This dim sum place is not the best I have eaten of course. Just go to any dim sum stall/restaurant back home and they can beat this place flat in terms of taste, quantity, value and surprisingly service. I have no idea what the waitresses had for breakfast but it sure as hell wasn't good cause they were all unsmiling and unfriendly, which was a surprise considering that service and presentation is everything in Japan. They looked like they rather spit on the dim sums than to serve us.



However, since I have no cash to go to an upscale "true" Chinese restaurant, I will have to make do with this one and just shut my mouth and eat.