MY CHINESE DINNER QUEST

MY CHINESE DINNER QUEST

My friend Armstrong fell in love with my cook show the very moment he stepped into my studio kitchen and since then we always kinda find away to talk about food even amidst very serious discussion like legal stuffs  (yes Armstrong is a Lawyer and likes food, What is it with lawyers and food?)

Anyway, he invited me to a Chinese dinner and trust this Foodaholic, I wanted to the most outta my Chinese dinner moment. No, It’s not my first time of doing Chinese meals, I have done them a lot in Nigeria and even Europe but this was special because it was going to be the first time am going to be doing Chinese with a Local (Local this time meaning a Chinese Man in a Chinese restaurant located in a Chinese “koro’ in Lagos).

Ok, I found myself in this address sent by Armstrong after turning the Toyin roundabout like 2 times (tank God there was no Traffic on that route on Tuesday evening). A waiter from the restaurant came to pick me from the road and into this “koro” almost opposite the Waterparks Toyin street we go.

Armstrong was there to meet and welcome me to the ZHOUJIE RESTAURANT in Ikeja, Lagos.  I got ushered into my sit by this boisterous and chubby Chinese Chef (Nobody should ask me the names of all the people I met in the restaurant o.. ehen, thank you). And after some brief Chinese food history (Armstrong was forming Chinese Chef, historian, taking lectures on Chinese food 101) and believe me I was enjoying the entire gist.

Here comes the very colorful menu and Armstrong was happy to explain and show me all the meals, Just then it hit me, ‘Geena make today different, you are eating with a local, explore new things” I had come with the intention of my regular Chinese, like stir fries noodle based and ricey recipes but my thoughts changed and my 8 years old popped up. (Have you met my 8 years old? Okay, it’s that inner me that remind me of everything I loved wanted and explored as a Child, it’s still there every day helping me get adventurous). Yes, my 8 years old said. Kung Fu Panda……. Yeeeeeaahhhhh.

Bring on the menu and all the names of everything I heard while watching the animated Movie Kung Fu panda, with Jack Black playing Panda was what I wanted. Bring on The Tofu, Bring on the Dumplings, except for the noodles (cos I wanted different).

Armstrong took it a notch higher and he spoke to the Chef in Chinese and I was allowed access to the Kitchen (thank me for the pictures)… 

 

 

it was fascinating in there, especially with the burning furnace making all the stir fries etc, I watched the Chef shred my Tofu with so much professionalism and did I mention that I was served an appetizer on arrival a puff puff like ball rolled in Sesame seeds. Armstrong picked his with a Chop stick and this Naija girl refused to use her conventional cutlery (they provided it ooo, I refused. Reason, I have been struggling to use Chop Sticks since my Chinese adventures started…. And am Happy to announce to you that on a scale of 1-10, my Chop stick swag has risen to like 7, Yipeeeee!!!! So I stuck with the Chop sticks).

So after my kitchen Tour, I settled back into my sit with this automated table that has a cooker attached and you can actually cook on the table. Armstrong kept colouring my evening with Chinese, Now some of the Lessons learnt were that the Nature of Chinese food is all about taste, Colour, Style and this was evident in all the pictures on the Menu and our meal when it arrived.

Shredded Tofu with Veg, Fried egg in Tomato sauce with herbs (that was kinda Nigerian), Spring rolls, Dumplings, soy and pepper sauces…. As it seems, I went all vegetarian. But I was excited cos it was going to be the first time I would be tasting dumplings. Picked up my chopstick and of Course I had Armstrong as a guide in the eating process. And I must not forget to tell you that Armstrong prayed in Chinese before we dug in, I said “Amen” in English.

Meal enjoyed, though my stomach is still in shock cos I shoulda done some form of meat, chicken fish…. I could hear my stomach saying “Geena please eat some form of Meat, and I humbly replied, Stomach na your mate be vegetarian, behave yourself and enjoy Tofu, its healthy”

Was a great dinner, friendly waiters, and Chef said I could come any time with my cameras, but amidst the food, the gist, the fun, the laughter and bills (Armstrong took that… Chinese gentleman huh? Yep! I left there with a Strong impression from a statement Armstrong made, FOOD HAVE LIFE! Enjoy food and enjoy life dearest foodaholicsss…. Love ya.  Read More