Category Archives: food

Food and scripts

2008-04-01

I went to Fatima in Cupertino last week and Havana Cuba a few weeks before that. I really enjoyed the food at Fatima. The hand made noodles went well with fried chicken. As this was a Muslim Chinese place there was no pork and everything had a distinct Central Asian taste.
Havana Cuba in San Jose had a typical Caribbean fare with lots of bananas and avocados . The avocado stuffed with shrimp was great so was their sofrito. I had saffron rice with curried shrimp for main course and it reminded me of khichdi.
I forgot to mention E&O trading company. The interiors were great with exposed brick walls and great art and knick knacks imported from South East Asia. I liked the front desk shaped like an alligator.They serve fusion cuisine and the portions were small but exquisite. We tried Indonesian corn fritters, Firecracker chicken, dumplings and Balinese shrimp. The sauces were a culinary experience. The sauce that came with the shrimp opened all my senses. I am definitely going back. A bit pricey but good for occasions.

I am sad to report that I sold my tickets to this years burning man festival. It sucks. I used the money to register for a workshop with Robert Mckee. The graduates of this workshop are who’s who of Hollywood. You might remember the Charlie Kaufman character played by Nicholas Cage in Adaptation. He gets screamed by Mckee in the movie. Well there are critics but what the heck. This won’t be my first workshop and certainly not my last but at least it will give me a chance to sit through this legend’s class.
More about my experiences after the workshop. Also the selection certificate from the San Francisco Short Film Festival arrived a few days back. I will upload it soon. More Later.

Atmospheric food

2008-03-21

I just got back from a dim sum place called Hong Kong Saigon harbor seafood restaurant. I was in a hurry to get back so didn’t order the Hong Kong style spicy crab, instead got the seafood chow mein. I ate it with vinegar which a waitress recommended. She said it was number 1. I went there because it is right 

next to my favorite barber shop and I noticed a lot of Chinese going in. It is always a good indicator of quality food. When I entered the place it was like I was in a 20’s harbor side cafe in Hong Kong with a bunch of sailors and women of disrepute hungrily chomping on the delicious food. Hurrying with the food because it is good and to make the most of their shore leave. The clerks in their tailored suits walking by counting the goods coming off ships and the crooked customs officers looking for their next free meal. Just like Tin Tin comics. Coming back to the food. It was decent. There was a huge pot full of tea enough for 4 people and I finished it all greedily. The waitress even asked me if I needed a refill and I pointed to my belly not wanting

to hurt her feelings by just saying no. The people next to me got dim sum and I enjoyed watching them eat it. It was like being witness to a very private ancient ritual of eating food cooked only for you from the region where you belong. Like watching ancient royalty eat. I am going back here and this time with friends so I can add to the noise and feel like I belong. Yesterday was the first day of spring and also Navroz (Persian New Year), summer is fast approaching and with it comes an urge to leave. Hong Kong this time? To eat Cantonese food. Follow the footsteps of Michael Palin and eat a shredded cobra? Go around the world on an eating expedition. Next on my list is a Malian restaurant in Berkley. So many cuisines and so little time!’