Pity she didn't decide this before I left my friend! Hey-ho.. the last decent eatery I know of on my road home is China-Ki, right beside where I was to get petrol, and also beside the last decent shop en route - handy in case I didn't get what I was looking for elsewhere. I'd eaten there once before, and remembered it as being okay.. one of several good Chinese restaurants in Limerick. (Sorry, technically in Clare! but within Limerick city limits.)
Well, you can't miss it - its glittering facade is clearly visible from the road. So I parked, checked the shop - nope, they didn't have what I wanted either - grabbed the paper I'd bought earlier, and headed up the shimmering staircase, with the brass railings, the golden carpet, the mirrored walls, and the enormous chandelier. Upstairs, there's only one entrance, and I approached the waiter, who showed me to a small table in the as yet nearly-empty restaurant:
Now, I've gotta say, this was one of the best Chinese meals I've had in a while. Service was terrific - mind you, they didn't have an awful lot to do, with hardly anyone there. Wine, unusually for a Chinese, is served in quarter bottles, and as well as a Christmas set menu, they have an extensive a la carte. I had a look at the set menu, but had it in mind to have beef szechuan, which I haven't had in a while, and which isn't on the set menu. A la carte it was.
Chicken fillet rolls to start - mind you, I had to be careful with my waiter, who thought I wanted the chicken and cheese rolls. I didn't detect much chicken in them, to be honest - but they did come in a very spicy sauce, which pretty much distracted me! Also made me sniffle - I had a hanky, but the waiter kindly popped his head around the partition to ask whether I'd like a tissue. The egg fried rice was indifferent, but served in a nice, wooden container - but the beef szechuan was really good. I did just about manage to finish it, but only got through about half of the free basket of prawn crackers that was provided. They have a dessert menu, but sadly, nothing terribly chocolatey on it - I chose mint chocolate ice cream. You get two scoops, and my confused waiter was back again, asking whether I wanted mint chocolate, or mint and chocolate. "Mint chocolate", said I. I ended up with a scoop of mint chocolate and one of chocolate. (Was that why he deducted it from the bill?) Anyway, it turned out to be a good choice, because the scoop of mint chocolate was that much larger, and I was already stuffed..
All in all, a really good meal, with attentive service (almost too attentive, with multiple people asking whether I needed anything, and always someone poking their head around the partition to see how I was doing). Would happily go back.
Right then! What's next? Well, I fly back to London on Monday.. of course, the flights were booked before I even thought of changing jobs, so I thought I'd be going back to work on Tuesday. Nope - after a relaxed day, I was supposed to be going to free comedy in Hammersmith, but got word it was cancelled! Along with most others for the next two weeks. Gee, it's been a while now since I actually went to one of those! I booked with Free Comedy Nights in Hammersmith Wimbledon and Farringdon, London Art Comedy & Culture Lovers, London Live Comedy, Random London, and London for a Tenner or Less and Funzing UK (both Funzing groups, and both advertising the thing twice) - I only got a cancellation notice from the first of the above, though. What the hey, I've signed up - for the first time - with TNT Comedy, with Dave's Stand-Up Comedy. Same deal, only further away, in Kentish Town.
On Wednesday, yay, I'm back with the Man with the Hat (no, not Santa Claus) - Let's Do London - for less! is off on their annual festive trip to The Nutcracker (ahh!) at the Opera House. Sold out performance, I see. It'll be great to see the folks again. And by then, I might have secured a new flat - I have a viewing that day for a flat very close to my new office. Wish me luck - looks like a good one.
Not much happening with Meetup at the end of the week - but when has that stopped me going out?! On Thursday, I'm headed to another festive tradition of mine - I love La Soirée, and the fact that I've already seen it twice - and it's much the same each time - makes no difference. I see I last saw it last January.. but for the first time, the Udderbelly Festival - which is hosting it - has now decamped to Leicester Square! I also discovered that the official tickets for that night were completely sold out - however, I could get tickets from no fewer than five different sources: ShowFilmFirst, OnlineTheatreTickets, TheatrePeople, LondonBoxOffice, and BestOfTheatre. All for a markup of over £10, at least on the cheapest tickets - whatever, I love the show, and this is near the end of the run. I was delighted to get a ticket at all. Booked with the first on the list - ShowFilmFirst; they were all the same price, anyway.
On Friday, in contrast, I got a cheap ticket (phew! that evens out a bit) - to Antigone, at Theatro Technis, in Camden. Hey, if I take that flat, I can move in on Friday - that'd be handier to travel there! Of course, I don't start work till the following week.
Saturday 7th has turned out unusually busy. See, a while ago, I saw that the guide on the excellent Christmas lights walk I did was doing a walk of Victorian Covent Garden that day, and I booked. Then the London European Club advertised an "Arab Christmas" - a concert of early Arab Christian chants! Ah well now.. unfortunately, it's on the same day as my walk. Fortunately, the walk is at lunchtime and the concert in the evening! I booked for that as well. Funnily enough, that's in Rich Mix, which is closer to my current flat - I may spend that night there, even if I have the other one by then.
On Sunday 8th, I'm on another walk - again, with Walks, Talks and Treasure Hunts - same guide, different group from the Christmas Lights walk. This walk is charmingly entitled Heretics and Horrors - Exploring London's Bloody Past. And although I've heard much about them already, I don't doubt that this guide will shed new light on 'em..
Monday 9th, I'm with Kensington Classical Music, at Pushkin House, for a piano recital. Oh gosh, I do hope I get that flat - it's so close to this venue you wouldn't believe!!
Tuesday 10th, London European Club has a very interesting evening planned - "Beat the January Blues and Discover the Curse of the Green Fairy". Basically, a lecture about absinthe, with tasting afterwards. Tragically, all tickets were sold out by the time I heard about it.. What the hey, I probably wouldn't like the taste anyway. With the free comedy in Hammersmith cancelled again, I'm with TNT Comedy that night.
Wednesday 11th, the Man with the Hat is taking London for Less Than a Tenner to Top Secret - inaugural visit of the year. And walkable from my new office! I'm liking it..
Thursday 12th, again nothing on Meetup - instead, I'm going to the opening night of Amaluna, Cirque du Soleil's latest show, at the Albert Hall! Cheapest tickets from the venue website, as long as you don't mind a slightly restricted view - for my money, a handrail in my sightline shouldn't prove too much of an obstacle. Then it's back to Ireland for the weekend.
Monday 16th, I've booked for Festival of the Spoken Nerd, at Soho Theatre. Yes, it's a comedy.
Tuesday 17th, I had signed up for free comedy in Hammersmith (!) with Free Comedy Nights in Hammersmith Wimbledon and Farringdon, and London Live Comedy. But.. then I saw that Funzing UK had advertised Rising Stars: East England Burlesque Festival 2017. So I booked that instead - hey, I can get straight there on the Central Line! And I love burlesque.
Wednesday 18th, I've signed up with London Speaks Sessions, London for a Tenner or Less (as usual, NOT to be confused with the Man with the Hat), and LDN Talks @Night (or more particularly with Funzing) for a talk on The Science of Psychedelics.
Thursday 19th, free comedy in Hammersmith.. same two groups.
Friday 20th, I'm finally headed to The Comedy About a Bank Robbery, at the Criterion Theatre. Same team that did The Play That Goes Wrong - which is excellent - so I'm looking forward to this. Best value tickets from the venue.
Saturday 21st, I'm out with the Man with the Hat again - this time, it's Woolf Works, a Wayne McGregor triptych, inspired by the works of Virginia Woolf and showing at the Royal Opera House. Both his groups are going - as usual, I have a cheap seat.
Sunday 22nd? Not booked(!). Reason? Well now, the ever-busy Man with the Hat is headed (with Let's Do London - for less!) to a dance production - at Sadler's Wells, unusually for him. The Red Shoes, choreographed by Matthew Bourne, is completely sold out for its whole run. Our Man with the Hat has tickets, though.. but he's holding them back, with sales starting at 11am on New Year's Day. Of course, he knows they'll go like wildfire. Jeez, the suspense.. nearly as bad as waiting for U2 tickets to go on sale! All he needs are a stetson and some glasses.. (speaking of which, good news from the U2 camp - I only heard today. Watch this space..)
No comments:
Post a Comment