Lunch! (2003-2012)

[curlywurlyfi]

leftover catered office lunch (caterer brought one extra - hurrah!):

- plaice fillets with tomato basil + kalamata olive salsa

- the most delicious Puy lentils in the WORLD - so good I had to ask how she made them - for four people, she pureed a hunk of ginger with two cloves garlic and a whole de-stalked red chili, then fried the paste in a spot of oil just enough to take the raw edge off the garlic, meanwhile cooked the lentils separately and then tossed them in the ginger mix with a bit of fish sauce, some spring onions and chopped fresh coriander. just heavenly.

- raspberry creme brulee

I am never going to be thin at this rate.

[cbel964]

wow; i had a can of ginger ale.

not feeling great

[Chris Cognac]

Today I am either gonna roll down to the "Hood" (South Central L.A.) and eat at a tiny BBQ shack called Mom's on Imperial Hwy, or head down to Venice in search of the elusive Aussie meat pie!...I will report later as its only 8 am now!

[megaira]

Strange avocado cravings have been haunting me, so for the last couple days it's been a salad-ish deal of seasoned sushi rice, nori (cut into small squares), and diced avocado all mixed up, garnished with sesame seeds and wasabi/shoyu drizzled over the top.

I tried it the day before with diced cucumber, but it didn't work out as well as I thought it should.

Today, leftover chili from last night. Probably with sour cream. And avocado.

I wouldn't touch avocados growing up, I'm making up for lost time.

Edited October 24, 2003 by megaira (log)

[curlywurlyfi]

Strange avocado cravings have been haunting me

Megaira, I can help you, then, with a strange avocado serving suggestion - try it with Worcestershire sauce instead of vinaigrette. oweeeee.

[hjshorter]

I had...the Burger King Sante Fe Chicken sandwich. I had to go to Sears at the mall, and there's a BK right next door. So, my curiousity won out and I bought one. It was surprisingly not bad for a fast food sandwich. The bread was crusty, the chicken was hot, the poblanos and onions could be tasted individually, not too much sauce...it really was not as bad as I was expecting although it strikes me as something that could vary in quality wildly from place to place.

[tryska]

office catered lunch - so ham and turkey on some fabulous whole grain bread with some very tired pasta salad, and very nice roast red potatoe and bacon salad. (might get seconds on that) good stuff.

[margaret]

Some minestrone alla genovese that came out of the freezer during a recent cleanout. Not particularly looking forward to it, but I'm determined to save money and fight the takeout temptation.

Maybe an apple later on.

[bloviatrix]

Right now I'm busting at the seams from my lunch. Today, at the greenmarket I saw what appeared to be mini-ciabatta's with carmelized onions on top. It wasn't a ciabatta, as the inside was denser and softer. Anyway, I spread homemade basil mayo on the top and bottom of the roll, and filled with tuna that was packed in olive oil that I mashed and mixed with a little more basil mayo.

The roll was about 5 x 5 and I used the whole can to fill it. I inhaled the whole thing in about 5 minutes. I didn't realize that I was that hungry. All my poor husband, who was making "begging eyes," got was a single small bite.

It was yummy.

[Mayhaw Man]

Acme Oyster House Oyster Po boy (dressed plus dill pickle slices)

Really good "skin on" fries

Pecan pie

Large ice tea

I need a nap

[PopsicleToze]

I had...the Burger King Sante Fe Chicken sandwich.  I had to go to Sears at the mall, and there's a BK right next door.  So, my curiousity won out and I bought one.  It was surprisingly not bad for a fast food sandwich. The bread was crusty, the chicken was hot, the poblanos and onions could be tasted individually, not too much sauce...it really was not as bad as I was expecting although it strikes me as something that could vary in quality wildly from place to place.

"vary in quality wildly from place to place" is an understatement.

I had errands to run for lunch, and BK was right next door. I had their Savory Mustard Chicken Baquette (what they called it). Supposedly freshly baked bread. What their manager forgot to tell the BK employees was that bread is *not* baked until it turns a golden brown color. I had a raw, soggy sandwich with some type of sweet, not savory, watery mustard.

That will be my BK fix for the year!

[Chris Cognac]

I had it as well for lunch yesterday...it was ok, not greasy which made me feel good about myself as I also ate a small salad and waterm whilst my partner chowed down on a whopper and fries (I was jealous). The mustard was kinda sweet and nothing special, but it was not a bad sandwich, just small.

[krisdata]

Relatively new poster, here. Go easy on me.

Today, I had some incredible beer cheese soup for lunch, and some mashed potatoes made with cream. I have the benefit of a free cafeteria, but I must admit the fare is sometimes questionable.

It was great comfort food though, and has already improved my mood for a Friday afternoon.

[babyluck]

This one's a whopper. Long, but please read and commiserate. I need you guys, 'cuz after today's lunch I'm a little postal.

In fact, I was thinking of making it its own thread called "What's that smell?" but it fits here perfectly.

Background info part 1: I work for a big corporation in one of those strange leased office spaces that came with one of our many acquisitions. My coworkers are all either unwilling transplants or the bitter few left over from said acquisition. I think it's safe to say I'm the only one who feels lucky to be on a dead end street on the wrong side of the tracks in Bergen County, culinary capital of NJ. I'm also very lucky that the founders of this site happen to be from around here. I never would have known the depth of it on my own. But my lunch experiences are mixed -- once in a while I head over to Han ah Reum for a little shopping and lunch at the food court, but a lot of the time -- hard as it is to admit -- I feel the need for human interaction so I'm stuck compromising with my often delightful but small-minded colleagues.

Part 2: A few weeks ago, coworker H needed to go to her bank in Cliffside Park and P came along too. Not having time to fully research our options, I played it by ear. Pointed out a cute, innocent-looking place with red gingham curtains and signs advertising a strange mix of cuisines -- I think Italian, Middle Eastern and a third I forget. We went inside and got queer glances from the staff -- no menu in sight and no food on display. There were a few aisles of groceries, so we ducked down one to discuss. H looks like she's going to pass out. "What?" I ask. "The smell, the smell..." she whines. P concurs. I'm thinking, you people are cracked -- I don't smell anything -- but I'm unimpressed by the place and agree to leave. Spot another innocuous-looking place across the street -- the California Grill. I throw out any notion of getting anything interesting to eat to placate the bitches. So we go in. There's a couple of things written on the board in Portuguese. The owner offers us menus. Hmm, Italian. Four pages of Italian deli and pasta items, plus burgers & stuff. In a place run by Brazilians called the California Grill. We order: me, grilled chicken w/ mozz & arugula, H gets a cheese steak, P a tuna melt I think. Out of earshot of the staff, I joke to H "does it smell OK in here?" She grimaces. "No, it's worse." P again concurs as if I'm an idiot not to notice it. Let me tell you, I have the best sense of smell out of anyone I know and I smelled nothing. A Brazilian family gets their order before ours, and it looks unItalian. H & P are griping about the roaches they imagine are everywhere and the slow service. I'm thinking "of course, we ordered off the gringo menu." When our food arrives, my sandwich is delicious and the ingredients really fresh. I ask H how her cheese steak is. "It's disgusting." OK. I give up.

I concluded that perhaps I have been exposed to more smells in my life than they have and that they associate certain unfamiliar smells with horrid cultural stereotypes, where I might find them pleasant or unnoticeable. Their sense of entitlement and inane stuck-up comments made me sick. I was spitting mad the rest of the day. I don't understand how these people go through life without getting their asses kicked.

Part 3: Big P. She's a semi-bigwig with a chip on her shoulder. Always calling the General Manager to complain about people pissing on the seats or not throwing away their old food from the fridge in the breakroom. I have caught her more than once throwing out almost the entire contents of the fridge, including a jar of pickles (mine) -- "ugh, who would keep pickles in here; they must be bad," and a large, brand-new bottle of non-dairy creamer. You know, the stuff that NEVER goes bad. She gets almost orgasmic while she's doing it and takes no notice of objections, like my not-so-subtle "Hey, those are my fucking pickles."

Today: They decide to order pizza from Ralpho's. Not doing that again. It's Han ah Reum for me. I wander aimlessly around the mall looking for an anniversary gift for my parents. Too hungry to think straight. I go to the food court and order Noodle Soup, Korean Style (A3), to go this time 'cuz I can never finish their huge portions -- they will wrap up leftovers for you, but I always end up being late back to the office. I buy a couple things from the supermarket and head back.

A quart of broth, a huge foil container of noodles & fixings with kimchee and extra kimchee & chili sauce on the side. I'm alone in the breakroom. I start opening the containers. Smells delicious. I'm idly wondering if I should take home the leftovers or leave them for next week. This could feed me for 2 or 3 days. Decide to take it home lest Big P starts sniffing 'round the fridge.

Enter Big P. "DON'T YOU SMELL THAT?" she is yelling? "What?" "That smell; it's disgusting..." "It's my lunch," I say defiantly. "No," she says, "it couldn't be -- we can smell it all the way down the hall." She gets closer to me, sniffing all the time. "Maybe..."

I hear her randomly yelling around the building. One of her reports comes in making a face and sniffing. I know she's been sent in here to smell me. I'm starting to enjoy my meal a little less. Next comes the GM. "Big P asked me to investigate the odor. Do you smell something? I have a cold, so I can't smell anything." I say, "I told her -- it's my lunch." He appears not to hear me and leans in to sniff me. "Did you take a shower this morning?" he asks me. "Yes," I say, "did you?" He colors and says he was just kidding and leaves.

I pack up my lunch. I've decided it's definitely best if I put my leftovers in my car immediately (don't worry, it's cold here). I'm telling myself that if I hurry, I can get outside for a smoke before anyone else sniffs me.

Enter Big P. She stalks in and circles me for a while before smelling me again. "I think it's your lunch," she says. "That's disgusting." I stare at her. She leaves.

I walk out of the break room a minute or so later -- into a cloud of Lysol. That's right. She fucking Lysoled me.

[PopsicleToze]

OHMYGOD

ROFLMAO!!!

She doesn't hear the subtle, "Hey those are my f'ing pickles."

Then, besides having to put up with the witch, witchie poo Lysols YOU!

Man, I'll bet you're glad it's Friday!!

[Basilgirl]

Babyluck:

You poor thing. Leave some kimchi WAAAAAYYYY back in her bottom desk drawer over the weekend.

[babyluck]

Thanks, guys -- I do feel better now.

[howard88]

Today I had roasted butternut squash soup with cream, really good. Sauteed spinach with lots of garlic, (the way I like it) and a small portion of chicken pot pie. All vegetarian at Hackettstown Hospital cafeteria. The fare was really good, particularly the soup. Toll was Two dollars and fifteen cents.

[melkor]

Sauteed spinach with lots of garlic, (the way I like it) and a small portion of chicken pot pie.  All vegetarian at Hackettstown Hospital cafeteria.

What's a vegetarian chicken pot pie?

[Squeat Mungry]

Bacon cheeseburger at Bistro Burger in downtown Oakland. Love that place 'cuz they use Niman beef AND they'll actually cook it RARE for you!

Squeat

[howard88]

Melkor: The chicken pot pie was the same as you would have anywhere except the "chicken" in the pie was a tempeh or soy product.

[beans]

Ice tea and warmed up Sheperd's Pie from I purchased from O'Reilly's stand in West Side Market this morning:

20% ground beef (Grrrrr)

20% Bird's Eye frozen like cubed carrots and peas

50% mashies, buttery and fluffy

10% delcate pastry crust

It appeared to be quite lovely in appearance, but was sadly disappointing. Home made/leftovers are the much better route here.

[tryska]

beef patty, coco bread and ting.

[babyluck]

Brought leftover Singapore Chow Mei Fun but had a beef/salt/fried food craving so I went to Steve's Lunch and got my usual: cheese steak (with mushrooms this time -- will have to keep doing that), fries that were fresh out of the fryer (a rarity) with gravy on the side and to drink, 2/3 Pepsi & 1/3 Boylan's Black Cherry.

The first time I've eaten the whole thing in one sitting.

[alacarte]

Takeout Aloo Gobi. I'm regretting the hot sauce I absolutely had to have.