THE HABITUAL MAN'S GUIDE TO LUNCH

I am a predictable man. That is to say, I resolved to try something new every week, something that I have never eaten before. Which, like clockwork, happens randomly, often more than once.

At other times I allow old favourites to guide my steps. At least two or three times a month I will have stir-fried bitter melon with pork, fish, or chicken, over rice. I love the crunchy green taste, so fresh, so startling.

Not infrequently I'm at one of several simple haunts.

There's one small food counter where I have yet to leave dis-satisfied. Like the congee place I mentioned last week, I won't divulge the who, where, or what of it, for the same reasons. It is completely unimpressive, not fancy but straightforwardly simple, nothing special, somewhat shabby, and almost universally sneered at by the yelping classes.

[The people who write reviews of eateries in Chinatown on Yelp are mostly a rather superficial and superior lot, with very white ideas. Yeah, in this city a large number of them are Chinese, but they're 'Chinese American'. Most are white, however, and they all write in English, for people who speak English, and think English. And, naturally, act like it. Michael Bauer wannabees.]

This eatery has dimsummy snackiepoos, steamed buns, the baked charsiu bao so very much loved by white people, and deep-fried sesame balls (煎堆) with a sweet red bean paste filling -- good with a hot beverage. But their primary demographic is the person who believes lunch is anytime between early morning and six in the afternoon, best enjoyed at the spur of the moment (I'm hungry, dammit), and eaten alone.



FIVE BUCKS PLUS A TIP

The lunch plates are all the same price: $3.75. There are three choices:

生焗排骨飯 spare ribs over rice.
生焗滑雞飯 steamed chicken over rice.
猪肉餅飯 pork patty over rice.

Big scoop of the white stuff, serving of the item in question over, a helping of veggies, and a bowl of simple soup. Add a cup of coffee, and it's five bucks.

Full meal. Five bucks.

I really like the pork meat patty over rice, but it's usually the first to go.


I have no clue how they make any money at all with those prices, but the people who eat there aren't breaking the bank at three bucks seventy five. Most customers are just plain folks, no snooty attitudes, not the yuppie yelping types.

As I said, I've never left dissatisfied.




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