CNY - London Family Dinner #2

Audrey, Jake and I have decided that we need to spend more quality time together as a 'family' because during the weekdays we are all quite busy and hardly see each other. So monthly dinners are organised in turns. It was Jake's turn so he organised our CNY dinner.

He found this amazing chinese restaurant called Sichuan Folk Chinese Restaurant near Brick Lane. It's quite new, 3 months old, but the reviews online were all fantastic. We had to try it for ourselves and we were definitely not disappointed. The food was authentic and tasted amazing! The service was quick and the owner always checked to see whether we were enjoying our meal. Price wise - reasonable :)

This was our dessert - Pumpkin Pies? Yeah, I wasn't sure about it at first as a dessert but apparently is a traditional Sichuan dessert. It was recommended by the owner (who took a liking to Audrey and I :P) and surprisingly was quite nice. The outside it similar texture to a hasbrown but on the inside it had something like glutinous rice (like kuay) and it was sweet with a hint of pumpkin. It was unusually quite yummy :)

Full and satisfied :)

My adopted parents :)

CNY - London Family Dinner #1

One of the things I miss about not being back in Melbourne is celebrating Chinese New Year with my family. My parents have kept a few traditions when it comes to CNY, such as buying new clothes to wear, cleaning the house on the eve, giving red packets, visiting close family friends etc and of course having a family dinner. So this year I wanted to keep those traditions alive and managed to do all of the above (I gave red packets to my children) and even add cleaning my classroom at school! :)

As for the 'family' dinner, Anna and her housemates kindly invited me out to Golden Pagoda in China Town to spend CNY night with them.

Shredded duck

Salt and Pepper squid

My third 'family': Seb, Kym, Kum

Shonny, Long, Anna

Dessert at the restaurant wasn't fantastic so we decided to go to Patisserie Valerie where they sell amazing cakes, pastries, biscuits, gelati and macaroons! I have always walked past it but never thought to try it. I didn't know what I was missing out!

And look what was staring at me in the front window...

Potential croquenbouche with blue white chocolate decoration wedding cake? :P