Thursday, January 22nd - Ackee and Saltfish

We have an out of town guest coming in tonight. I was still feeling sort of full this morning so I skipped breakfast. Of course by, lunch I was starving. I had a spicy Korea Ramen with extra bean thread noodles added with some dehydrated vegetable protein. It is not as bad as it sounds but it's going to get worse before it gets better. While it in its dried form, it is not too disimilar from gravel or dried pet food. But you have to soak it or cook it in about equal parts of water volume-wise. Specifically, it is 7/8ths wet to dry. It bloats up and looks like chicken nuggets. If you have a non-flavoured one, it will have a tofu'ish flavour and have the chewy texture of say, octopus or squid. It's meant to approximate chicken I think, sort of like Quorn in the UK. High in protein, easy to store and 'beefs' up a quick meal.

The extra noodles were a mistake. They always are. I don't know why I do it. EVERY time I think I should add extra noodles cuz one measely packet of ramen can't possible sate me, I AM WRONGO. I couldn't finish it and I realised it about 1/3rd way in so I started to target the protein chunks only.

For dinner Vaughn, D's friend from Paris who lives in Shanghai was in so was took him to the Reef. A great great Jamaican restaurant on Main and 25th. It's fantastic. I wish I took photos cuz Vaughn's dessert, which was yummy looked like a turd.

I had a Banna smoothie, Rum, Malibu, Pineapple and Banana (double). D and Vaughn had some pale ale. Originally, Vaughn orderd a 'Scrumpy' Cider but as D very accurately put it, it smelled like ass. I hated to do it but I asked the waitress if it's meant to smell like that. The replaced it but all the staff tried it to check, of course. They all agreed.

We had their yummy Johnny cakes which is their table bread. It comes with coconut butter (that was new). In jamaica I remember them being called Festival bread. It's slightly sweet and have fine cornmeal. They're deep friend an addictive. We had Fried Plaintain for a starter. They deep fry them cut thin lengthwise so not the soft pucks I used to have for breakfast in Kingston. Soooo goood. It comes with some sort of mayo which I forgot to take note of. I always use (too much) of the scotch bonnet pepper sauce.

For main, I had my favorite, Ackee and Saltfish... (details to come)
D had the Reef's version of Rundown with Shrimp and Snapper (details to come)
Vaughn had some curry/jerk pork.

For dessert we had fried bananas with Chocolate sauce and icecream. So good..... (details to come, must work)

The Reef
http://www.thereefrestaurant.com/
4172 Main Street
Vancouver, BC
V5V 3P7
(604) 874-7684