We're now nearing the end of our 5th week working from home and only going out to grab food and groceries. It's been challenging mentally, but doable. In the last couple of days, I wanted to eat something sweet like cake or doughnut.
That craving was satisfied today. I went to Meinhardt Fine Foods to do our weekly grocery run. I'm sorry that we can't store food for two weeks, we have a small fridge in our apartment. Anyway, I purchased ingredients for what I'm going to cook Filipino Pork Giniling (recipe here) and decided to get red velvet cake.
Homemade Red Velvet cake
We didn't finish the whole thing. I divided it into four, so we can have some more tomorrow. How are you coping with the current situation?
There's an ongoing campaign on Twitter to make every Wednesday of the week starting April 15, #TakeOutDay in Canada to support restaurants. Instead of using delivery apps that eat up most of a restaurant's margin, give them a call to place your order, and when possible, pick them up.
Right now, there's only a handful of restaurants open in our neighbourhood, so supporting small, local restaurants at this time are crucial to ensure they survive the effects of COVID-19.
For lunch and dinner today, I ordered food from Sushivan Japanese Restaurant. This morning I had difficulty deciding whether to order from Sushivan or from MASA. I checked their online pages and saw the news that someone broke inside Sushivan and stole all their credit card machines. It's sad for them to experience such loss, so I decided to give them a call and place my order for what I planned to be lunch, but way too much so we'll eat it for dinner too.
What did we get from Sushivan?
We ordered the following items.
Soy Chicken Karaage (Large)
It was crispy and delicious when it arrived. I still think it's best enjoyed with a cup of rice, but that might just be the Filipino in me talking.
Soy Chicken Karaage (Large)
Chicken Katsu
We had this the last time we were there, and it was as delicious. More rice, please?
Chicken Katsu
Awesome Special Roll
This is the highlight of the meal. I've been going down the list of Sushivan's special rolls, and this is amazing.
Awesome Special Roll
Korean Style Ramen (with Beef)
This is the first time I'm ordering the ramen with beef instead of my usual chicken. I prefer chicken. Regretting it, but hubby and I split the ramen and ate it with the Awesome Special Roll for lunch, so it's all good.
Korean Style Ramen
Tomorrow or Friday, I need to go out for grocery, so I can cook Chicken Afritada. Hopefully, our local supermarket has all the ingredients I need.
If you check my recent posts, I have been eating way too many fried chicken. We had some from Church's Chicken earlier into the work-from-home mandate. Then, I ordered some from Juke Fried Chicken to support local restaurants.
Today, we decided to use Uber Eats and order from Hi Five Chicken. It's our first time trying it out and the fried chicken arrived hot, crispy, and juicy. I love it!
We ordered the following:
4-pc regular roasted chicken
4-pc spicy fried chicken
10-pc cheddar cheese munchers
16oz (Large) potato wedges
Gravy
We ate a couple of the fried chicken, the munchers, and the potato wedges. The rest of the chicken went to containers and straight to the fridge for reheating tomorrow and possibly even the day after.
Fried Chicken
Munchers and Potato Wedges
I'm ready to eat you chicken thigh. Yummy!
I'm not good at plating and don't want to touch the food because of COVID-19, so sorry for this realistic photo of our lunch.
I went to the grocery earlier. I want to say that I'm scared and paranoid, but in reality, I'm realistic and cautious. There's not a lot of people outside, so physical distancing is possible. I smiled at everyone I saw today, and almost everyone did the same.
I went to Meinhardt Fine Food to grab ingredients to cook Pork Nilaga (onion soup), which I can cook tomorrow, and we can eat for a week. I also grabbed a couple of ready to eat items: Palak Paneer and Chicken Tandoori.
Palak Paneer and Chicken Tandoori
It was so delicious. Meinhardt gives you wipes when you enter so you can use it with your basket, then the cashier gave me a pump of sanitizer before I grab my bag ready to leave. It was a pleasant experience.
After Meinhardt, I went to Shoppers Drug Mart a block away. I grabbed frozen chicken nuggets, biscuits, cream cheese, and bagel. It was a quick swift trip.
I walked a few more blocks to see hubby walking towards me to help with the plastic bags. The only people who didn't observe physical distancing are two ladies. I moved out of the way so they can walk freely, but one lady still walked way closer to me.
April Fool's day is the longest day we've been out of the house. We were out for nearly 2 hours - running errands.
Cherry Blossoms trees in full bloom in our block.
We went to RBC all the way near Cambie (1.7km) to withdraw coins. You're silly, coins are not "essential." Well, for renters like us, we need coins to do laundry. After getting coins, we grabbed groceries from Shoppers. Then, we decided to order online for pick-up 4-5 days worth of Indian food from New India Buffet + Bar & Restaurant.
I've never eaten here, but I definitely will once this COVID-19 situation is over.
It's beautiful inside. We ordered chicken vindaloo, beef saag (spinach), aloo gobi (potato and cauliflower), and fish masala. It's so delicious!
It's a happy Tuesday! Hubby said yes to ordering fried chicken and tomorrow, we'll pick up 5 days worth of food from New India Buffet + Bar & Restaurant.
We'll be out for a couple of hours running errands (yes, we need to go to the bank too - coins are needed for laundry). Then, we'll be staying home again for the next week.
Praying that a vaccine for COVID-19 is invented soon.
Juke Fried Chicken
Juke Fried Chicken for delivery
Cheers to supporting small and local restaurants and their employees in these difficult times.
Hubby and I are blessed to have work in these difficult times. We both work in the tech industry, and as such, we can work from home. We get to keep our salaries, benefits, and everything that goes with it. Not everyone is as lucky.
I always ask myself, how can we help. With the economy down, we need to help keep money going around.
Today, I placed an order on Skip The Dishes from Broadway Chinese Restaurant. It's a small business in our neighbourhood. Skip also has the option to tip the restaurant, which I did. I ordered A LOT of food, more than enough for us to eat over the weekend up to early next week.
I also gave a 20% tip to the Skip The Dishes driver. What's the point of this post? My point is if you did not lose your job and are still earning, please spend a bit more to help those small businesses and their employees. With my purchase today, I helped the restaurant, the delivery person, and Skip The Dishes.
Let's help each other keep the economy going.
Our food arrived right on time and as soon as I opened the plastic bag, this is written outside.
Thank you so much!!! <3
Our Chinese Food Feast (i.e our food for the next 3-4 days)
To celebrate my sister's birthday, we ordered food from The Canadian Brewhouse for delivery at home. The food was surprisingly delicious. I can't wait for restaurants to be open again so we can come here and try the food.
Day 7 of mostly staying at home. Since last Monday, we've only been out of the house to grab groceries, then go back home. Today, I needed my fried chicken fix, and thankfully, Church's Chicken is on SkipTheDishes.
What's inside the bag? Church's Chicken!
Fried Chicken fix
Butter Biscuit and Chicken Strips
I tried the biscuit for the first time, and now I understand why people on Twitter are raving about this thing. It's so delicious.
For 2020, Pi day is on a Saturday, so we had more time to explore and visit places.
We walked around 4th Avenue between Maple and Burrard Avenue to eat pie and pizza slices.
"I only have pies for you."
La Ruota
Authentic Neopolitan Pizza
This is a relatively new place in this neighbourhood. We grabbed a couple of pizza slices each and found it surprising! I'm also surprised how quickly the area filled up after we sat down.
Pizza slice for Pi day
Pizza slices for Pi day
The Pie Hole
The perfect place to celebrate the pi day is in a restaurant dedicated to pie. There was a line up to the door! I completely forgot that they were doing a $3.14 for a 4" pie promo. By the time we're in front, they announced that the 4" pies are sold out. It was crazy! As with our tradition, we got our "usual" apple pie, pecan pie (in this case it was pecan tart), and chicken pot pie.
Apple Pie and Pecan Tart
Every year, I am amazed at how much better the pies we try are. By far, pies from The Pie Hole are the best.
Chicken Pot Pie
Look at how flakey that chicken pot pie is - I want more!
While enjoying our pies, hubby noticed the Guy Fieri neon sign on the wall. I didn't even know that this place appeared in Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. Go check it out Season 29 Episode 19.
I love pies and Pi day! I love Vancouver. Happy Pi day!
It's Friday the 13th! I was planning to file my resignation today, but the universe has other plans. We did a tour of potential office space with my current work at the HSBC building. Afterwards, we decide to have lunch inside the Art Gallery building.
Coastal BC Salmon Fillet Golden beets, roasted parsnips, carrots, purple potatoes, fennel, pumpkin seed pesto, citrus cauliflower sauce
The food was delicious, and the service was excellent. I can't wait to come back.
I ended my previous post with our plans to resign was delayed because of an event. Well, at around three in the afternoon, we all received an email from HR that we will all be working from home for a month.
After sorting things out at the office, hubby and I decided to have dinner outside.
Barney's Nachos
Barney's Nachos is terrific. It has tied the nachos from The Mexican in Downtown Vancouver. The primary difference is this one does not skimp on the toppings. It's overloaded for sure. The one at The Mexican is a winner as well because of the homemade chips.
Moscow Mule
Classic Poutine with pork belly
Dessert of the Week!
Let's see how I'll survive this month-long work from home.