Shanghai ‘24 - Suzhou

[Google_Gourmet]

Cruised into Suzhou on this final stretch of our trip. 4 days here in Suzhou, then Shanghai for the final four.

Last night saw the heaviest rain and thunderstorm of the last two weeks. We gathered up some food nearby and happily stayed in and relaxed with some favorite eats.

In the morning, wife says we should at least take a look at the complimentary breakfast buffet, have a coffee and a couple of bites. Then go out.

I’m like, yeaaah, riiight. Like that’s gonna happen.

Fresh Watermelon, Cucumber, Carrots, Tomato and Celery. Self squeezed to personal preference. (I needed a little help with the juicer)

Waffle, croissant, Lo Paw Beng (wife Cookies) and Shao Rou (pork in aspic).

French Toast, Dan Tat, Cut Fruit and Wife Cookie again (I’d been craving this).

Noodle Soup with Pork.

Salty Soy Milk. Jian Bing and a Meat Bao.

My combo plate. Bacon, Sausage, Eggs ++

Wife’ plate, a bit more Asian influenced. She loved their Jian Bing!

Cook to order station for Eggs every way, fresh tossed Noodles, Jian Bings and more.

As we were about to retire our chopsticks, a chef walked by offering fresh sizzling Potstickers. We accommodated him.

Our breakfast was complimentary. True charge was only RMB 88. USD$12.37!!

All that we enjoyed was fresh and well prepared. We’ll stay away and eat outside the next two mornings, but will be back on the morning of check-out to have a bite or two.

[Saregama]

Included breakfasts across Asia are so much more satisfying to my palate than continental ones.

Just don’t plan on lunch after (or a very late one)

(Turkey came close, but the hot options were a lot fewer, so very different than a whole array and stations of freshly-prepared hot food vs breads, cheese, preserved meats, and eggs.)

[Google_Gourmet]

@Saregama

Just don’t plan on lunch after (or a very late one)

Lunch for me was a single piece of cold KFC (the Colonel, not Korean). Nothing for da wife.

Heading to the Japanese area to see what kinda oishi’s we could find. Rain doesn’t look to stop as promised. Thank goodness for Didi.

[Saregama]

Don’t forget teatime as a whole meal opportunity!

[damiano]

I wish I had a fast metabolism, so I can enjoy eating big breakfasts!

In Asia I usually just have fried rice for breakfast in hotels, and if they don’t have that just things like congee, noodle soup, or eggs.

Sometimes it’s very frustrating leaving all that gorgeous hotel breakfast food on the table!

I don’t typically book breakfast if I have to pay extra. But to accomodate my parents earlier this year in Bangkok, I joined them for hotel breakfast for a few days, and that was the best breakfast I’ve ever had. From grilled satay to fresh sushi, wild caught salmon, French pastries - it was amazing. That was at the Okura. We should do a thread on best hotel breakfasts with pictures!

[Saregama]

Mind over matter lol
(Plus probiotics and digestive enzyme supplements )

[Google_Gourmet]

@Saregama

Don’t forget teatime as a whole meal opportunity!

I’m a (s)Conehead!!!

London:

Last week in Hangzou:

Singapore:

Enough humble bragging. Shen Jin Bao’s delivered to our humble hotel room by our personal butler an hour ago. Complete dinner pics soon to follow.

[Saregama]

The meal in India has its own name — nashta / nasta in some parts, tiffin in others, and I don’t know more languages but there are probably a bunch more words for the 4-7pm hot snacks slot

[Google_Gourmet]

@Saregama

a bunch more words for the 4-7pm hot snacks slot

The hotel chain I’m loyal to has Happy Hour. Normally associated with unbridled drinking bitd, more tame these days.

I was dying for a slice of pizza. Yes!!!

Variety and choice to reset the palate and revive the appreciation for the fantastic food outside the air conditioned sanctuary within.

[linguafood (Natascha)]

I wish I were that hungry in the morning to take advantage of the many lavish breakfast buffets I’ve encountered on various continents I’ve visited.

Even brunch is usually not worth it for me. It seems to take my stomach / tastebuds / appetite several hours to wake up.

This buffet in particular looks lovely.

[TokushimaCook]

In 2005, I stayed a few nights in a very reasonably priced hotel in London quite close to Westminster Abbey (the name escapes me now and an attempt to find it online led to nothing…probably because the name had changed.). The breakfast buffet was included in the room rate and was spectacular…multiple stations of sausages (hot and cold), cheeses (the likes which I have never seen in the US), various smoked fishes, eggs prepared to order, pastries and rolls, fresh juices…the list goes on. It was no problem to fill up on things…especially when I knew how weak the USD was vs. the GBP at the time. I skipped lunch every day because it would have been impossible to eat anything after those breakfasts. If I were to stay there now, that buffet would be wasted on me as I can’t eat much at all these days.

The worst breakfast buffet I’ve ever had was at the Sunshine City Prince Hotel in Ikebukuro, Tokyo. It was also included in the room rate but after the first time “eating” there, I let the breakfast vouchers go to waste because the food made hospital cafeteria food look gourmet. OTOH, the breakfast buffet at another Prince Hotel, the Shinagawa Prince Hotel in their gorgeous Luxe Dining Hapuna restaurant was the 2nd best breakfast buffet I’ve ever had that was included in the rate. It’s now ¥3500 (USD $24.60) and though it was indeed excellent, I’m not sure if I’d pay that much for it (even if I could eat large breakfasts anymore….)

LUXE DINING HAPUNA , Restaurant - Shinagawa Prince Hotel

[Google_Gourmet]

@TokushimaCook

The worst breakfast buffet I’ve ever had was at

Not the worst, certainly not the best was in a business hotel in Naha.

Let’s just say that Natto s’not for me (pun intended).

Broiled salmon and rice for breakfast more than made up for the natto.

Da wife on the other hand, even went on a natto binge recently. Had it every morning for weeks on end.

[TokushimaCook]

For years, I avoided natto because of the appearance and smell. But there was a party when I worked for JTB (Japan Travel Bureau) where a waiter was giving out different types of sushi rolls. I saw what I thought was a favorite of mine… kanpyo (干瓢/dried sweetly seasoned gourd) rolls, picked up a piece and popped it into my mouth. I immediately looked for a napkin to spit it out and a co-worker asked me what was wrong before he gave me one. I told him I had no idea what I had put into my mouth and he told me it was natto maki. He asked me what I thought it tasted like and I told him it reminded me of the peculiar smell on one’s hands after handling a penny or a 10 yen coin. For countless years after that I made sure that I never made that mistake again.

Then about 5 or so years ago, I had some digestive issues and a Japanese friend suggested I put natto into my dietary regimen to try to improve my gut flora. I balked at first, but others I knew who disliked natto suggested I put the following on it to improve the taste:

Finely chopped green onions, sesame oil, hot mustard and the little pack of “tare” (I personally have not found an acceptable English translation for that word, but “sauce” will have to do) that comes with packaged natto. Those additions plus the personally VERY important step of NOT mixing it too much (3 times works best for me) made it palatable to me. For a few months, I ate it every Sunday for breakfast along with a piece of grilled salmon, miso soup, Japanese pickles and rice and my digestive issues went away (I’m not sure if that was why, though.)

I haven’t had natto since and because I still don’t like it, don’t miss it.

BTW, when I lived in Kansai (the Osaka/Kobe/Kyoto area) from 1984 to 1987, natto was rather difficult to find in local supermarkets. Much to my dismay, somewhere along the way over the years (1987 to 2009) while I was gone from that area, it became popular all over Japan (it used to be an eastern Japan thing).

I haven’t looked for it here in Las Vegas, but I think it wouldn’t be too hard to find in the various Chinese or Korean supermarkets or the tiny Japanese markets around town.

[Google_Gourmet]

Unrelenting rain and booming thunderstorm made takeaway and delivery the obvious option last night. Fortunately our hotel is connected to an arcade of around a dozen restaurants, very convenient.

We don’t use food delivery back home, can’t justify the delivery premium. Here, DidiEats service charges are nominal. Wife ordered Shen Jin Bao and Glass Noodle Soup from the Best bao place in Suzhou, according to her sources.

Down the elevator to B level, walk about 50 metres to the arcade. We had reconned the area earlier. I made a beeline to the Braised Pork place.

Had to have their Braised Pork Trotter with Rice, accompanied by a Tea Egg, some Greens, Peanuts and Pickled Mustard. Splurged with a side of Lions Head Meatball. Homey Comfort Food!!!

Sides of Lotus Root and Marinated Cucumber. Crunchy and Spicy (HOT!). Nice complements to the savory, falling off the bone pork.

Wife’s turn. Signage suggested Osaka skewers, Kushiage. Not nearly as heavily battered as in Osaka, also without the cabbage dip and no double-dip sauce. Very good, lightly seasoned and deep fried to a non-oily crunch.

Skewers started at ONE RMB each. ~12 cents. Wife went to town.

Chicken, Napa Cabbage, Cauliflower, Potato and Bing (flatbread).

It was all very good and delicious. We marveled how this handful of skewers could be cooked to order for less than two bucks!!

Ten minutes later, back in our room laying out our goodies. No linen, silver, candles, China or centerpiece. Just Good Food.

Our personal butler has impeccable timing.

JUICY Shen Jin Bao. Too eager to take my time and follow SOP, I almost squirted wife AGAIN. Just only got myself and the floor (faux hardwood) this time.

Robot also delivered some Glass Noodle Soup with Seaweed, Quail Egg, Gluten Puffs and Yuba Strips.

Two bottles of drinkable Red for a comfy in-room dine. Rolled into bed by 10pm, getting ready for a full dry Thursday.

Plan for vegetarian at a famous temple. Fingers crossed.

[GretchenS]

So glad you followed up on the initial robot report!

[TokushimaCook]

@Google_Gourmet

Not nearly as heavily battered as in Osaka

From the photos, I can’t really detect any batter at all! I like kushiage (never heard them called “Osaka skewers” before) but because of the batter/breading and the oil, I fill up too fast. So what you were served might be a much beer option for me!

[Google_Gourmet]

@GretchenS

So glad you followed up on the initial robot report!

Glad you’re enjoying the read. I’m enjoying reliving it.

[Google_Gourmet]

@TokushimaCook

I like kushiage (never heard them called “Osaka skewers” before)

I’ve only visited a few areas in Japan. Seems that Kushikatsu is most famous in Shin-Sakai in Osaka. Although obviously common throughout Japan these days.

Like yourself, I also found kushikatsu rather heavy. I prefer the lighter tempura fry.

These we just had here in Suzhou were quite good, not overly battered (no batter at all?) for my taste.

[TokushimaCook]

Yes, the Shinsekai (新世界…means “new world”) area of Osaka around the Tsutenkaku Tower is where the 2 most famous kushikatsu shops, “Daruma” & “Tanaka” have their original locations. But they have MANY branches in Kansai and other areas of Japan.

Rather than kushikatsu, I prefer kushiage or even more, kushiyaki. Kushiage is fried, but kushiyaki is cooked like yakitori over charcoal.

[ipsedixit]

@Google_Gourmet

This, now this, speaks to me.