CMN

Pasta is my usual quick fix. I make a quick "shrimp fra diavolo" with frozen shrimp, jarred sauce, and some tabasco sauce. I usually add frozen spinach, extra virgin olive oil, and garlic (minced in a jar) to frozen tortellini. Couscous or Asian rice noodles also cook quick in a flash. I throw in diced (or canned/frozen) veggies and leftover meat (if we have any). Fish and thin-cut pork chops cook up in a flash (<5 minutes) on the stove top. Sometimes a squirt of lemon or a sprinkilng of herbs is all they need. Bagel (or pita) pizzas--frozen bagels, jarred sauce, cheese, and whatever we have on hand. Grilled cheese or ham and cheese sandwiches with canned soups are another standby for us. When we're feeling really lazy, we go for bowls of cereal....

How about some Vegemite sandwiches?

I went a couple of months ago and also had the Omakase. We ordered two different price ranges at our table to get a better variety. The food was, for the most part, excellent in terms of taste and presentation. My only minor disappointment was with the sushi portion of dinner, which seemed a bit "average". Instead of the beverage omakase, we decided to try the Morimoto beers. The hazelnut is a bit strong, and I wouldn't recommend it with dinner since it didn't exactly complement the food. We spent ~$175/person, and I would definitely go back again. The atmosphere is more trendy than intimate, and even though we went on a Wednesday night, it was still rather noisy. I could make out our neighbors' conversation (though they were a rather boisterous crowd). It is a fun place to go, but it wouldn't be my first choice for an anniversary dinner.

The fresh produce emerging reminds me...any idea when zucchini blossoms will be available? I know they're out sometime during the summer, but I always seem to miss them. Which farmer's markets usually carry them? Maybe I need to be an earlier riser...