To think I’ve gone a season without growing my own lilies! The arboretum visit was not enough! It makes me sad that I cannot enjoy the brilliant, oversized blooms any time soon. Ah…if only my cosmos seedlings will start giving me some blooms, I imagine I wouldn’t be so despondent from the lack of lilies.
I’m still scratching my head over the rosemary plant; it still has not stopped browning. I’m also fearful of losing my Coconut Ice lavender…I’ve been studiously ignoring the watering on both of these herb plants to make sure they aren’t suffering from root rot. But with the temperatures broiling outside, I’m not sure how often I should be attending to their water needs…I imagine it’s time to re-pot them and see if amending the soil will improve their chances.
I think the unkillable potato vine is killable. A purple potato vine that shared its new home with a caladium has dropped all its leaves. Not sure if it’s due to overwatering or lack of soil depth. This bears further investigation…
Excellent customer service. The b.b.bop guys were enthusiastic about their place and the food they served. I got a thorough rundown of the counter options, from the 3 types of rice, 3 meats (or 2 extra veggies), to the various veggie and sauce options. I ordered the spicy pulled pork with fresh spinach, steamed broc, and green onions (minus lettuce or cabbage offered), topped with their Chiang Mai Chili sauce. Their regular sized order was nearly too big of a lunch portion for me…I cleaned up every last bite. One thing to note: I did not get the signature plastic bowl that other reviewers have mentioned—they stuck my meal in a foam box. Clean and quiet place, more appealing to the fast-casual lunch crowd, not really a place I would linger in over dinner. Good food, casual digs, great price!
Nothing truly stellar about this all-you-can-eat sushi buffet. The sushi seemed buffet-grade so their freshness is questionable. This is the only place in the area I’ve visited that offers a conveyor-belt for their specialties, handrolls and house sushi/sashimi. There seems to be more Korean choices on their hotbar…though I wished their kalbi wasn’t overcooked and their other offerings spicier. The most memorable food on their spread are their desserts…I’ve been pleased to see sticky rice covered in peanuts and sesame puffs offered amongst the Western-friendly selections like pecan pie and cheesecake–though I can’t imagine anybody enjoying the basil seed jello! The hostesses here were cheery and inviting, but quick to usher you out once they closed down for lunch. I’ve visited Japan House several times for lunch and it seems their prices are on the rise, while their quality continues to diminish. I’m not sure that I’ll be revisiting them in the future unless their food improves.
Standard fast food Japanese eatery offering meats with rice. The menu caters to the business lunch crowd from the surrounding warehouse area…so the flavors are simple. You can’t really go wrong with chicken, beef or pork teriyaki. For the adventurous asian-food neophyte, the gyoza plate beckons. On my last visit I ordered a house special of beef and chicken and requested it spicy…which arrived as ordered with lettuce and steamed rice. I’m not quite sure that I enjoy the jerky-like texture of the beef…but then again, I’m not paying for prime grade steaks either. I also could have done without the lettuce medley, but I suppose that I really didn’t have many choices for veggies. Teriyaki sauce came tableside, in a squeeze bottle, along with the usual condiments: soy sauce and sriracha. Hard not to like this place for what it offers: the place was clean, service and food okay.
I possess fond childhood memories of this rare and delightful treat: ube and macapuno ice cream. Ube is a purple yam while macapuno is the flesh of a “mutant” coconut. Together, ube and macapuno make for amazing desserts, cakes and muffins among them. Memories of its mild nutty/starchy flavor and the beautiful color combination of purple and creamy white–it is food porn-worthy material! I imagine that I can count the number of times in my entire life that I’ve indulged in this treat on one hand–and it is not nearly enough! Next on my list of rare Filipino ice creams to revisit: corn ice cream.
