the lunch hour

i need to talk about Kowloon Ice House. this restaurant is right around the corner from my office and i eat lunch there three or four times a week. it is a small Hong Kong style cafe, complete with cantonese pop music videos playing on a large TV. and i mostly eat there because of their bing nai cha, iced milk tea. it is my favorite drink in the city (though i am not sure how healthy it is). they make it by adding milk powder to black tea, along with a healthy dose of sugar. the food is ok, it is actually pretty similar to american style chinese food; what i have in this picture would be your typical sweet and sour chicken. i usually go there and read, a wonderful 45 minute respite from the office. i get a rice dish and a drink for about US$3, which is a little more expensive than most chinese alternatives, but i am happy to pay it because it is much cleaner than most other restaurants and they actually have decent service. i go here so much that they recently made me a VIP customer, that means i get 10% percent off each visit (except when i get a lunch meal deal, which is almost the only time i go!!).

so even though this is the restaurant i frequent the most in shanghai, i wouldnt say it is my favorite. that may have to go to Guyi, a hunanese restaurant (mao's home province and known for its great spicey food) i have only been to once, but it holds a special place in my heart because that is where i proposed to SR; well, out on the steps of the restaurant at least. plus, they have great ribs and a great fish head dish.
-elias