CafeChatNoir

I love Wegman’s. It’s a total kickass market, and I wish it was closer to my place, but always worth the trip. The only problem is that it takes me 3x as long to shop there because I find myself wandering around aimlessly going, “Oooh, Ahhhh”. How many markets have the “Asian” section actually divided up by country?! The produce section is to die for, and I seriously have to restrain myself in the butcher shop, but I definitely know where I can get some good veal cutlets for some Veal Marsala sometime. There’s also the perk of being able to pull one of the chefs out of the kitchen for a coffee break. ;)

This will pretty much only have meaning to , but I am *this* close to recreating Chili Shrimp!!!!!!!!!!! It was a dish we used to get at the Ryu-En Chinese restaurant in Japan, and found something quite close here, but that restaurant closed. I already know what variations I need to make on the next attempt, but what I’ve got tonight is definitely edible and pretty close, especially for a first attempt at it. I picked up 3 different chili sauces to work with - one would be good added in small amounts to add some heat to things, the second could be used in chemical warfare (a VERY small amount is in the satay marinade), and the third was a Thai Sweet Chili Sauce and that was the one. Next time I need 2 bottles of it.

Oh - and the “easy peel” raw shrimp they have are awesome. I snagged 3/4 of a pound of 31/40’s and they really DO peel insanely easily - they slice them down the back, not so much as to be truly butterflied, but the shells just come right off with no problems.

And the sticky rice came out wonderfully - well, on the second attempt. :-D First time around I did the whole rice vinegar thing which is supposed to give it very sticky properties - yeah, that was so NOT the sticky rice I was looking for - the smell near did me in. I tossed it, and put the garbage bag out immediately. Second go round I just went with the straight rice/water and it was perfect. I have no doubt that it was the fact that I was using Sushi Rice and that stuff is just made to be good and sticky. Somehow I don’t think I am going to have a problem using up the bag.

Only downside is that the white wine I picked out from the beach inventory to go with it is too earthy. Good, but not the right match. I’ll survive, though.

The “just in case the shrimp is a complete disaster” satay that is marinating in the fridge will get to wait until tomorrow.

There is also a wine shop in Fairfax Corner that kicks ass. Il Vino. We went in a week or so ago on a hunt for a decent Bardolino. (Basically a red table wine.) Had a lovely conversation with the owner and discovered it’s just not really imported much in the first place, but he knew exactly what I was talking about, which was awesome, cause I think Dave thought I’d imagined this wine. (Seems to not be terribly well known.) However, he was able to recommend two other very similar wines. One was quite good, the other was PERFECT. Went in today to get a couple more bottles and they were out. :( However, the gentleman working today gave me a recommendation on another red wine and I’ll be trying that out, and told me to call the owner tomorrow and make sure they have more of what I was looking for on order. I want to make sure the next time I go in is when the owner is working because I want to thank him in person for the help finding the wines. I’m betting he can help me pick out a white that will go with the shrimp.

Good food, good wine, good people, good music. Not a whole lot more you can ask for in life.