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?)

[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.

[atomic-clay.livejournal.com]

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

[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

*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.