Buffalo Gals

There are two Chinese restaurants in Rockville, located mere miles from one another. One's called Joe's Noodle. The other is called Bob's Noodle. I suppose they both have their share of noodle soup, but certainly serve other kinds of food. Joe's is spicier, more Hunan/Szechuan from mainland China. Bob's is Taiwanese cooking.

I've been to Joe's a few times, maybe half a dozen times. I've been to Bob's maybe three times. The first time was on my birthday about two years ago. I recall we ate some food which ended with some slush pile of ice. Imagine a snow cone on steroids. Literally a shovel full of snow, topped with syrups, fruits, and so forth. It's a meal unto itself.

The last time was a bit of a disaster. Brian had been visiting from Union College and wanted to wat at Bob's. A large gathering was there, and I was trying to drive there from work, getting suitably lost. It took quite a while, but I did eventually find the place.

Some of the co-workers like to go drink and play bool at the Orange Ball or Bowl, a place just up on Rockville Pike. As it turns out, this place is right around the corner from Bob's. I accidentally discovered how close this was to a route I usually take to head for Bombay Bistro.

Turns out, Friday night, I wanted to go to a place called China Bistro. With a name like that, you'd imagine it would be some posh place, but you learn quickly not to trust names of Chinese restaurant which can sound as extravagant as China Palace, when it's often nothing of the kind, and can be a hole in the wall. China Bistro is just such a place.

I found it from Dirt Cheap Eats, a special segment of the Washingtonian. For years, they had done "Cheap Eats" for good places to eat that don't require more than about fifteen dollars a person. Admittedly, that's not so cheap. I figure five dollars and less is dirt cheap, but most places can't afford to run that cheaply, even McDonald's.

This place is supposed to specialize in dumplings, but Friday night seemed to attract a few folks that wouldn't know good Chinese food if it hit them. You know, they want fried rice and sweet and sour something or another. Still, the folks behind the counter seemed perfectly content to serve them that. I got an order of the dumplings. It was decent, in fact, quite filling. I also got some bubble tea.

As I was rolling to head home, I turned left at a light, and within moments, I passed by the Orange Bowl Billiards, and realized just how close it was to Exit 6 on 270. I figured I could find my way back there again today.

Oh, I woke up particularly early this morning, at least, for a weekend. I wanted to head out to Mayorga's. The closest one is in Silver Spring somewhere, but I decided to head to the one in Gaithersburg, only because it's near work and I wanted to head out there. I should get their coffee more often. It's quite yummy, as coffees go.

Anyway, as I went to Bob's, it was raining quite hard, traffic having slowed to twenty miles an hour. As I entered the restaurant, I was surprised to see it packed. I ended up having to share a table with a pregnant Chinese woman who seemed to be by herself. She ordered some three dishes, though the intent was to have it packed for home the next few days, I imagine.

I ordered a Taiwanese meat pie. This turns out to be a dish that I've had before, though it was not exactly a pie. It's a gelatinous kind of dish with mushrooms in some sauce. It's a bit chewy, and perhaps not for the average American who doesn't like tofu. It was fine for me.

I also ordered buffalo fish in some hot sauce. Now, I have no idea what buffalo fish is, but it has bones like pine needles. It's everywhere, and it's a pain to eat. It was smothered in a garlic sauce that seemed made from 20-30 cloves of garlic. There was a lot of garlic! Fortunately, I like garlic, but even this was a lot. One saving grace was the soft tofu that came with the dish.

I may take my brother out there, but I'll probably ask for some recommendations, and avoid the fish. I don't mind fish, provided the bones are so large as to be easily avoided.

Anyway, that was my meal o' fun.

So much for losing weight...