The Inspiration
Life got much colder one week after my birthday when January 30th rolled around, Mom’s birthday. Jamie could not come but Shannon came with me to Mom’s favourite foodie place on the planet…
The Restaurant
Mandarin!!! Not only did Mom love the food…
Her birthday is always around Chinese New Year.
The best part of this new year is it is the year of the dog! That is me. It is my year. I hope that means good luck is coming my way!
The Location
Mandarin at Yonge & Eglinton was totally decked out in Chinese lanterns. It is always so beautiful and colourful and the food. OMG, the food!
The Food
We of course started off with soup and I snuck some shrimp on my plate too. Love their hot and sour soup. Just at the height of how much spiciness I can handle and I could spend all day eating their shrimp. Hot or cold.
Something New
This year they were celebrating the new year with they Thousand Year Old Egg Salad called Pidan Sha La.
Which we of course tried and it was quite wild! Creamy yes but with other unique textures and flavours. I have never had anything quite like it. The cold appetizers continued with yet more shrimp, marinated mushrooms, drenched muscles in cocktail sauce, seaweed salad, macaroni salad and yes, a pickle. I will never say no to pickles, the are my weakness.
Moving on to hot food I shocked myself with how much chicken I picked up. Noodles too, always noodles, and some broccoli so I did not feel guilty for eating so few vegetables.
The photos is a tad grainy but keep reading to hear exciting news about my future foodie adventures and gear!
I began to slow down a little with barbecued pork, tempura shrimp, dumplings and sushi.
Did Someone Say Dessert?
There are literally dozens of desserts to try but I went for a medley of ice creams because they did not have chocolate-covered strawberries. I got chocolate, coffee and salted caramel.
Complete with a Chinese sesame cookie! Delicious. Everything was wonderful, as always. High quality delicious food. I always wish I could have eaten more. Which we did!
Shannon made sure to also pick up Nanaimo bars, Mom’s favourite. We thought of her the entire time we were there, wishing her a happy birthday.
Funny that we went to celebrate Mom’s birthday on such a cold day in Toronto when the last time we had gone together it was a super hot Mother’s Day.
Mandarin is so special. I have so many happy memories of family trips there together and it always brought so much joy to Mom’s life. I can always feel she is with us when we are there.
Big Tech News & Potential Opportunity
I have come to the future foodies. My future, your present. It is so cold here sometimes I just can not take out my fancy camera so thanks to my aunt and uncle I have joined all of you when it comes to tech.
I bought a cell phone! Not only that I got an iPhone and even took my old laptop down with me to make sure they were compatible and so far, so good. Now I can actually report LIVE from foodie events and take great stealthy photos at restaurants. I will never abandon my Canon Rebel but it was time to join the collective and get my own damn phone.
Also, I am applying to be a Mandarin spring menu taste tester so wish me luck! I hope I can do them justice. I do not think I could love their restaurant more than I already do and would love to share my opinions on their potential new dishes.
As Mom would say, “All good stuff!”
I only knew your Mom through your blog, of course, but she always struck me as being a wonderful person. I’m glad you and your sister honoured her on her birthday. Congrats on the cellphone and I hope you do become a Mandarin spring menu taste tester!
She really was a special woman Debra, I am glad we could honour her too! Thank you, having a cell phone has been incredibly liberating. I can always connect with my sisters now which is reassuring, especially being back in a big city that is kind of new to me again. Oh I hope so too! I put the application in the mail this afternoon. Fingers crossed!!!!
What a wonderful day and congrats on the new phone. You’ll love it. Next is an “upgrade” to a MacBook Pro – LOL Glad things are looking up a little for you, Suzie. You deserve it.
Thank you Janet! It has been so liberating, I do love it so much. Right now it is keeping me company as I write this playing lovely piano music. One day I’ll have a new computer too but I am very happy for now. Cell phones really are the new computers. Thank you Janet! So very much.
I love my Canon Rebel too but have to admit I have mostly used my phone on this trip. Partly because we have been here many times.
Jackie, it is cumbersome and a little nerve wracking to travel with the Rebel, I always worry about breaking it. Sometimes the phone can do a good job. I prefer to use my Rebel in my kitchen and get the best photos I can, like it’s my studio.
Hubby, mom and I also tried the Pidan Sha La at the (Orleans) Ottawa Mandarin. I have to agree with you the taste was something else. It was soooo good!
I found your site while trying to look for a recipe to make them. :). I don’t want to wait until next year to have them again.
Good luck in your new venture.