Friday, March 19, 2010

Mar 18th - Olympic Sledge Hockey Semi Finals and BAD Chinese at Yi Kou Xiang

Olympic Semi-Final Sledge Hockey - Norway v USA

GREAZZZY bad Chinese from Yi Kou Xiang

We went to see an Olympic Sledge Hockey game last night. It was a Semi-Final game between USA and Norway. Our friend D had bought them off Craigslist but could not use them. I had not planned on seeing a match but definitely wanted to see one. I had hoped to see a Canadian match but some of the key matches were in the middle of the day and at work right now, not a possibility. So even though, I would not have sought out to see this match up, I am so happy I went.
What I am not happy with was what I chose to do for supper. It was hands down, no other way to describe it, DISGUSTING. It was the Food Fair in the little UBC village on University Boulevard near Westbrook Mall. It is in the basement of the small plaza there. There are about 10 stalls or food-court, styled restaurants who serve entrees at about the 8$ mark. Largely Asian, there was a curry place and a Soup and Bakery.

There are proper restaurants and sit down fast food joints upstairs but we were running late for the game as it was. Clearly the food fair is targeted at fiscally strapped students, that said, this is not what I would want my hardworking, growing child to be eating. I do not know why I remember it differently. I think it was because of the situation. I used to go eat there after a 2-3 hour rugby practice or ultimate game in the cold. I came to an epiphany during the second season, lying in slushy gravel during a rucking exercise, that I was too old to be spending my 'free time' being yelled at and tackled in the winter.
Rugby is in the summer in the East. Add to that, having to suffer through GREAZZZZY Chinese food in the UBC Food Fair, I was done with it.
I chose the Chinese over in the far end. The food looked the freshest of all the chafing trays I took a peek at. I couldn't be more wrong. It was either newly out of the fridge or just plain cold. I had Szechuan Eggplant, Shrimp and Celery on large Shanghai style noodles. Really really really bad. The eggplant was COLD. It looked new, like no one had been served any yet but it was cold. As well the sauce had no flavour other than oil. I normally love Szechuan Eggplant but this was GROSS. It was so oil that there was a puddle of it on the bottom of the plate. The Shrimp and Celery was simply that. Shrimp and Celery fried in a bit of peanut oil. It too was oily but not as bad as the eggplant. I picked at most of that. The noodles were under done and cold as well. WTF? How hard is it to properly cook noodles? I left more than half my plate which, knowing me, is saying something. D had the same noodles and some Kung Pow Chicken, that's all. He did not want to go near anything else. The chicken was tough and not spicy at all. He was hungry though so he ate his noodles. The best thing about this night's dinner was the big soft, over-priced Pretzel I got at the hockey arena and even then, the thing was CAKED with too much salt. All this to avoid having to have arena nachos for dinner. In the end, what I had was much much worse. The arena's security was not like the Olympic venues a couple of weeks ago. I could easily have brought a sandwich or food with me.
Cost: $
Ambiance: Food court
Location: UBC/Point Grey
Cleanliness: chaffing trays could NOT have been to code!!!!
Summary: Unless you are starving, eat McDonalds, it will be healthier!!!!

Yi Kou Xiang
5728 University Blvd
Vancouver, BC V6T1K6
(Food Fair in UBC village)

Back to the game. This may sound so much like every self-help book motivation tag line but it is worth saying. I was truly inspired by those men. They embodied the spirit of the idea that we are our own only limitation. There were real heroes on the ice. Men without the use of or without legs at all, were moving faster across that ice on one small blade than some can do on two feet in skates. The power, grace and agility demonstrated was mind blowing. I mean, it was FULL CONTACT. I had not anticipated that. I know it is hockey but do not know why I had not thought there would not be body checks, elbowing, and smashing into boards. I was very surprised to see that the blade is only under the seat. The rest of the sledge is suspended. I cannot fathom the core strength it takes to do that!
On a humorous note, I had the great misfortune to have to sit next to a French journalist give the most inane interview I have ever heard in my life. They were sitting on the stairs next to my seat for the whole of the second and third periods!!!! The French journalist was interviewing who I think was the girlfriend of one of the USA players. Here were some of the best of the worst interview questions of all time (bear in mind, this was an interview regarding a paralympic athlete).

1. What can he not do that you like to do? (WTF!??) Answer: (I cannot believe she answered) Jogging. Rebut: What is jogging?
2. Does he wear shorts in the summer? Does he mind showing his legs?
3. Does he like to score? Has he scored yet? (The three scoreboards read 0-0)
As a I normally do, I was naturally drawn to cheer for the underdog. I really would like to have seen Norway win. Over the tournament, they have scored only 4 goals whereas the USA had 14 and Cash, the Goalie had a tournament shutout. Alas, the USA won and will be proceeding to the Finals against Japan. Japan beat Canada earlier in the day in what was quite a bit upset. Even the Japanese coach said that his team could not have beaten the Canadians on any other day. Lucky for them, they only needed to do it today. Canada has won the gold for the last two Paralympics in Sledge Hockey. They will now play Norway for the Bronze. Go Canada! Go!



1 Leave a / Read COMMENTs:

Melody Fury // GourmetFury.com said...

That indeed looks horrifying :\