I tried this Korean BBQ and Hot Pot (more of a hodge podge) spot at the intersection of Aloma/Fairbanks and 436 yesterday at lunch. Faces Friendly Confines. Open for two years. I believe it was a crab place last. Was a Denny's at one point. It looks like it could be abandoned. They need more signs (literal and figurative) that they are open. I had assumed that they were not all this time. I only found out they were open when I tried that cheese place down the road a few months ago and popped in here to see if there was anything new. FYI - my list of untried (non-pain in the ass) places is almost exhausted. I was surprised how ok it was. Since the lunch special tempura chicken over rice with bok choy, mixed veg and beans was only $9, I sampled the dumplings ($4) and the spring rolls ($3) as well. The spring rolls and dumplings were obviously the store bought ones they all buy. However, the steamed then pan fried pork dumplings (5) were prepared less sloppily than most are. Pretty damn good. Ok plating. Soy based dipping sauce. Scallions. Nice fry. Not tough or soft and watery. The spring rolls (6) were similarly cared after. Orange dipping sauce. I was full after these. The chicken (seven slices of white meat) was tender. Perfect fry of the tempura batter. No nasty oil flavors. The huge mound (took half home) of rice was mostly steamed correctly. Some hard kernels. Some mushy. Probably a night old. One fresh bok choy sliced in half. It could do without the frozen carrot, peas and corn mix. Ok black beans. I am imagining that they are included because a portion of their client base is Latino. Which brings me to the pricing. It isn't onerous. Kind of what I had grown used to before the inflation from the "opportunity economy" of the past four years. At least the non-AYCE part. That is a crazy $38. Only for dinner. It does have a mix of seafood (even frogs legs) and land animals (I saw the freezer with all the beef and chicken slices). Ramen (part of the hodge podge) started around $12. I forget the rest. The menu prices are from 2020. I was the only customer. It has a bar, a private area and a main room. That has around a dozen or so large tables with heating elements on top. The buffet area is on the back left. Not a total shambles. A bit worn. Tv at the bar. One server/host. He still wheeled out the meal on a cart for me. I'm not sure if it is ever busy or if the quality diminishes if so. Most people will be doing their own cooking I suppose, so, it doesn't matter. I expected food poisoning and I hate hot pot pricing, but, I had a decent meal at a fair price here. Obviously not a destination spot. It doesn't have to be avoided either.
*Travel Notes - Switzerland and Italy: I will break this into two sections. I'll start with Switzerland. I bugged out of there (prices) after two days and came back for the final five. I flew Delta (via JFK) to Geneva for $366. I used a $150 credit I wrangled out of them for delaying me on the same flight last year. No real issues this time. Some cargo loading delays out of MCO. Both flights were not full. The return was 3/4 empty. Exchange rate was 1.17 USD to the CH. This is getting crazy!
I stayed the first two nights at the Hotel Geneve (Expedia 8.4) for $88 a night. By far the cheapest game in town. I had stayed there before. The hotels were playing games the whole week before. I think you get the best rates by waiting them out. It's what I do anyway because I want flexibility and control and anti-jinx mojo. 3CH train to Geneva. The ATMs were all quoting bullshit conversion rates and fees. I finally sucked it up and took the pain in town. I walked down the Rhone to a bridge by a fork in the river and walked the opposite way back to the old town and on to the lake. Saw some new territory. The next day it rained. Not enough to keep me in. I walked to Rousseau Island and into old town to Le Corbusier's L'Immeuble Clarte and John Clavin's St Pierre Cathedral. Walked down the beaches and back. Tried to eat at a restaurant on the lake, but, they were only serving drinks. It was some stupid town holiday. Most things were closed. I walked through the left side (from station) of town. It was African and Arab. Saw some real life streetwalkers near the Ibis. Haven't seen those in a while. They looked 60. I went back to the hotel and booked my way elsewhere (I only really flew here because it was the cheapest city I found). Nice and Naples were the cheapest. I decided to do my projected trip to Italy now. See next post. The plane didn't leave until 4pm, so, I walked the other side of the lake to the botanical garden and back and took a 3CH train to the airport. Didn't need to go through customs. Flight was slightly delayed.
(Italy interlude)
I returned to Switzerland on the Gotthard Panorama Express (it's not just the expensive route they market) from Lugano (south central) for 77E (bought in Como). A freight train overturned in Milan, so, every train was canceled or delayed. It took alot of effort to get to Lugano and on. The train route had been out of service for a while. It had just reopened. Sadly, it goes underground through much of the middle of the route. You miss the Gotthard Pass, etc. It was also raining, so, all those lake views towards the end (Arth Goldau) were obscured. Lugano looked nice. It terminated in Zurich. I found the one reasonable hotel near the station the night before. $138 at the Hotel Montana (Expedia 7.8). I was only finding capsule hotels or hostels for under $200 here or Lucerne all week. I think Zurich is a business city and rates may fall a bit during the weekends. They don't really have to when you cater to money launderers. It was cold and rainy here and I was hours late, so, I got some dinner and stayed in. Not much to see in Zurich anyway.
I bought a ticket to Lausanne the next day (all these purchased at kiosks) for 77CH. It went through Neuchatel. Nice lake, winery views. I stayed at the Hotel Continental (Expedia 8.6) right across from the station for $162. I should point out here that the hotels here and in Italy add in a tax you (usually) must pay them in cash. I have added that in. I walked to the lakefront and back. I went to the Mudoc (cost) and Beaux Arts de Lausanne museums just to the side of the station. Up a ramp aside the Mudoc and back. Then down the curved decline around the station to the Parc de Milan. It was a good find. You can take a path up to a great overlook.
The next day I took the train (13.50CH) to Montreux. I should say at this point that I eschewed the multiple day pass that I bought last year. I did the math and if you don't travel an extreme distance or stop at multiple towns, it isn't a savings. I stayed at the Hotel Splendid (Booking 8.2) right on the lake for $136. The room wasn't ready, so, I took a train to Gstaad and back for 56CH. I hadn't been since 2021. I spent a few Christmas and Spring Breaks there as a boy. It's a great train ride. In Montreux, I walked to the old town and around the upper part of town and back at the lake.
The next day I took the train (13.50CH) back to Lausanne (because hotel rates in Geneva were crazy) and stayed at the great Alpha Palmiers by Fassbind (Expedia 8.4) for $142. They gave me a balcony room overlooking the lake. It is just behind the Continental. Quieter. The room wasn't ready so I grabbed some chorizo and a roll and ate it at the overlook at Parc de Milan. Then walked through the other side of it (field and botanical garden) and down to the lake. It was another damn regional holiday. I took the ferry (38CH) to Evian, France and back. Got some wine and enjoyed my last few hours on the balcony. Took a 29CH train to the airport in the morning.
I had brie and tomme and Etivaz (near Gstaad) cheese. Pain d'Epices Brun. No other Swiss stuff. Ate at markets. McD's twice (6CH for a shrinkflated McNothin and the same for a DCB). Getting rid of currency and desperation. I had to time my return to avoid rain. Only needed my sweater towards the end. I think it was more crowded than August (last year). It seemed like a pain to get back from Italy via St Moritz. Things here still cost twice as much as everywhere else that is not Swiss-stainable. But you eco-warriors are down with that. You just have to get you Mommy to up your allowance.
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