Happy New Year!

It's that time of the year again when we all wish each other a Happy Chinese New Year. Bring on the rats, London! There aren't enough already crawling on the tube train tracks. I want to see MORE when I'm waiting on the platform.

We all gathered for steamboat at a Viet restaurant. Viets don't really do steamboat, at least, I didn't think so. I mean, I would think that I am entitled to such an opinion given my background, but then again, I am fairly ocker too. Chinese-Viets do steamboat but that's Chinese style. We had ordered two 'seafood' steamboats and one meat. Not what I was expecting, the seafood Viet steamboat was a pimped-up version of my Canh Chua.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying it tasted bad in fact it was rather good. A little sweeter than what I'm used to but by all means, that's not a criticism. Tasted just like Mummy's otherwise! I think it was just more surprising to see a rather humble family dish which I've been eating since exiting the uterus and only ever consumed in a house served up on a fancy steamboat platter. Do I live in the only South East Asian household which only ever served it a communal bowl?

The female gang. I have no photos of the males present.


Pimped up Canh Chua only because I'm povo and only ever added fish and sometimes prawns. This version included scallops and mussels.

Once again, happy new year!