Gastronomically only, not in person
Last Friday Anne could not join me for dinner. We are transitioning from a Friday to a Tuesday for our weekly dinner -- a transition that suits both of us.
So on Friday I asked Joe if I could share his dinner that night. He was very obliging and agreed with great civility. Friday evening is the regular time for him to have dinner with an old university friend. They are both mathematicians and computer games fans. But he was happy to include me and I know his very amiable friend
Joe took us to a Shanghai Chinese restaurant that he knows near where he lives. He has visited Shanghai twice so knows the cuisine.
When the food arrived I was greatly surprised. I ordered chicken with rice but what I got was nowhere near what I expected. I will not attempt to describe it but it was certainly a new experience. I did eat (most of) it. Joe ate what I left.
So if you think you know Chinese food, you don't. The Chinese food we get here is mainly Cantonese but there are many cuisines in China. The Shanghainese regard the Cantonese as peasants.
The cook appeared to be a motherly old lady and the very slightly built Chinese waitress wore an amazingly short skirt! All rather memorable
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