Feeding ten people (@ Hong Kong Chef)

[afuna_archive]

*dies*

I had no idea how expensive it was to foot the bill for dinner for ten people. I now have a greater appreciation of just how hard it is to keep people stuffed but happy.

Including tax, it was almost half of my net monthly salary (this was literally a hundred times more than I normally spend for lunch. Divided by ten, as there were ten of us at the table, it was still ten times as much as I'd normally spend on myself for a single meal). I had to borrow some money from my sister because I had enough money in my wallet for the bill, but not enough for the tax -- bit of a miscalculation there. Better from my sister, than from my mom/dad/grandpa, though! Especially not after they all tried to ask me how much the bill was. Not like I'd tell them, considering how much trouble it took to convince them to let me take them all out in the first place, and especially considering how unsubtly they mentioned before dinner that they could lend me money if I ran over-budget ;p

Okay, so food! A big plate of cold cuts as appetizers; the usual: asado, chicken, jellyfish, century egg, and slices of other meat. Steamed tiger lapu-lapu (tender, slightly sweet). Crab in sotanghon (I love this <3). Fresh steamed shrimp. Something chicken, or chicken something. Hot prawn salad. Spinach something soup (slightly spicy; I have not had it anywhere else). And some rice to make the meal complete.

No pork, as my grandfather doesn't eat it for health reasons. No beef as my mom doesn't eat it for religious reasons.

Crab and steamed lapu-lapu are ridiculously expensive. They are such staples at big family dinners, that I assumed they were in the middle-range; I didn't realize they were among the most expensive on the menu.

I doubt I'll have enough money to do this again for years, but it felt good to have something to spend my first real paycheck on :-)

Comments

[pauamma]

You eat crab? *glare*

(But other than that, jellyfish, and the names I don't recognize: are there any leftovers?)

[afuna]

I don't (just) eat crab; I savor it.

(There's some chicken! *sends some over* In hindsight, I should only have ordered half a chicken instead of the whole thing, as there was plenty left over.

Names you don't recognize -- I assume "asado"? You wouldn't be able to have any of that even if there were leftovers, as it's pork. I just realized that my post is inaccurate, as we had pork for the cold cuts, but we didn't have any pork *dishes* which my grandfather couldn't eat, which is why I didn't count it as such (That is, my grandpa could still eat the chicken and stuff on the plate, as even though the pork was on the same plate as everything else, it was laid out separately. Does that make any sense?)

[pauamma]

I don't (just) eat crab; I savor it.

*burning hate*

(There's some chicken! *sends some over*

Yumm, chicken. *gobbles*

Names you don't recognize -- I assume "asado"?

That, lapu lapu, and century egg. (That is, I'm not sure whether it's a way to cook eggs, or an egg dish, or something that has no actual connection with eggs.)

[prissi.livejournal.com]

century egg is among the most amazing ways eggs can be prepared, but I do like tea eggs better.

Fu: I think it's so awesome that you're doing something like that for your family. Especially for such a large family. I know how expensive those large family dinners can get. *g*

[pauamma]

*reads* *looks interested* *pokes at a few links* *walks away from balut*

[afuna]

*G*

Balut is not that bad. It tastes pretty much like uh. If you've ever been so hungry that you bit into the end of a chicken bone, it would be something like that.

The appearance does take some getting used to, but it's not weird in terms of taste (I'm somewhat amused that most people who would not think twice about eating an adult duck have such a violent reaction to what is pretty much a duckling -- I mean I understand, but at the same time, I'm amused)

[pauamma]

Based on what I read, it's cooked alive? And at that stage of development, I assume it already has a nervous system able to feel pain. That (painful death) would pretty much make it off-limits to me, even not taking in account the yuck aspect.

[afuna]

Interesting. I've never thought about that aspect. Most of the time, all everyone fixates on is the "yuck aspect" (as you so eloquently put it.)

I can't think of any way it would be possible to kill them while in the egg. And I really don't know just how much pain they can feel at that stage.

[pauamma]

To be completely truthful, I don't know that they do either. But I have to be open to that possibility, and I choose to err on the side of caution.

[afuna]

*nods*

IYDMMA, when you said earlier that it was off-limits, were you referring to religious reasons?

[pauamma]

Yes. (I'm a Muslim, in case it didn't come up before.)

[afuna]

(I knew that, but I wasn't aware of any dietary restrictions other than the one against pork and alcohol :) )

[pauamma]

There are rules against eating meat from an animal that died from wounds, injuries, or a fall, which I kinda generalize into "any slow or painful death". (Plus, technically, it's not bled at the time it's killed either.)

[afuna]

Thank you! This is all very interesting to me.

(PS. If I understand you correctly, any meat you eat has to come from an animal that was be bled when it was killed? )

[pauamma]

Normally, yes, but that's a rule I don't pay much attention to, hence "technically". (I won't eat blood sausage or similar stuff, but that's about all.)

[afuna]

I used to hate century egg because it's so salty! So I stopped eating it, but earlier this year, I tried it again out of curiosity, found I liked it, and have since eaten it when it's available.

I'm not sure I like tea eggs, though. *g*

I think it's so awesome that you're doing something like that for your family.
It is the least I could do *G* I'm so glad that they all enjoyed it!

[prissi.livejournal.com]

:O well, I suppose with century egg you have to get over the glassy weird taste of the jellied egg white. as for tea egg, it's perfectly normal. like eggs boiled in soy sauce o_o; and much less salty. what's there not to like? :x

[afuna]

"Glassy weird taste" sounds about right :-)

I'm not sure what it was about tea eggs. I think... I don't know. There are some herbs they're soaked in which I'm not used to (or am I thinking about something else entirely?)

[atomic-clay.livejournal.com]

If I'm not mistaken, lapu-lapu is the local name for a grouper. :)

Century eggs (like balut) really taste better than they look. :p

[afuna]

It... has an English name? *G*

[atomic-clay.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it does! :)) I don't think it's indigenous to the Philippines, but I didn't read the entire article either. XD

I also remember seeing some lapu-lapu tanks labeled with "Lapu-lapu/ Grouper" in other restaurants. :)

[gameboyguy13.livejournal.com]

Crab is *delicious*. I <3 it so much.

[richestgrave.livejournal.com]

*empathizes* I had to treat my own family with my first paycheck too! I brought a whole lot of money--which I figured then was about several thousand more than what I'd have to spend--and ended up having just enough to foot the bill. :O So pricey! Totally haven't done that again--I mean, I've treated them out several times after, yes, but in much less expensive places. XD

Oh! Oh! Reads like a great meal. Crab in sotanghon! *salivates* I'm allergic to crab, you know. And shrimp. But I eat them anyway. Have allergy meds in my bag at all times though! *sighs* Steamed lapu-lapu is always, ALWAYS expensive. D:

[atomic-clay.livejournal.com]

Your mom's Hindu? Or is there another religion that doesn't eat beef? :-/

Haha seafood (in general) are very expensive. XD I'm not sure, but I think lobsters are even more expensive than crab.

[afuna]

Nah, she's Christian/Buddhist, but she made a vow not to eat beef (for the sake of my grandpa's and my dad's health; there was a time that they both had health problems, etc. I'm a bit fuzzy on the details as this all happened before I was born).

I am pretty sure lobster is more expensive than crab, and I would not dare order it. Not for years and years yet XD

[atomic-clay.livejournal.com]

Lobster is actually pretty good. Tastes like shrimp, but less soft, and a lot larger (well the taste may be just because of the cooking style, but I wouldn't know). I've only eaten it once myself. :)

Ah well, seafood is in general better for overall health anyway. Hehe.

[afuna]

I've had it a few times, but I've never had to pay for it (thank goodness :-))

[atomic-clay.livejournal.com]

Wait, where IS Hong Kong Chef? :) I don't think I've heard of it before. :)

[afuna]

It's um. Somewhere near MoA, but I don't know the exact location ;-)

[atomic-clay.livejournal.com]

Not IN MoA though? Hehe. Is it more expensive than the traditional (i.e. Binondo/Manila area) Chinese restaurants? :D

[afuna]

Nope! Not in MoA. It's hmm. Probably similar to Gloria Maris in terms of price, but not in the range of restaurants like Legend (not sure you know that restaurant, though).

[habeo.livejournal.com]

The meal gets tastier if you're the one buying it. =)

*I'll say it again*.

I know you spent a lot, but I wish I could do the same for my family. I still feel that think of me as a kid, and while assertion of independence is not really the end goal, I've always wanted to do a thank you lunch/dinner for them.

Guess I'm not as persuasive as you are. =P

[afuna]

Hm. I was lucky in that my older sister did the same thing, which paved the way for me :-)

(Also, you'll note that they still tried to baby me through the process. The best strategy is to pick an occasion, and state firmly that because it is so special, you *will* take them out. Best is something directly related to your job, as they'll definitely fight you on anything major or family-related, like Christmas. You could try using your regularization as an excuse?)

[habeo.livejournal.com]

I did! Birthday, first paycheck, first month, first two months, first weekend lunch, first "Baclaran day" after first pay check, even birthday gifts, celebratory gifts, and all of that! They're STUBBORN.

And no, Regularization makes them TREAT ME. T_T

On the other side of the fence though... I guess they really want me to save up for something. ^^;

[habeo.livejournal.com]

I'm actually planning to get them really really good Christmas presents. XD But again, they top me by upgrading my PC. XDD

*laughs*

[yen420.livejournal.com]

Welcome to the world of working people where the money you spent (sometimes) is much more than that you earn. *winks* I say blame it on taxes but hey, we can only blame ourselves. *hugs* First paychecks feels great doesn't it? I remember it gave me this feeling of, I dunno, achievement or something. I'm earning what I'm spending!!! *chuckles* And I did the exact same thing.

Re: *laughs*

[afuna]

Heeee. First paychecks feel great *____* Even though I can't support myself on what I earn, at least I'm earning money for real instead of having to depend on others for everything.