rollende keukens 2013.

I have officially lost 2kg since I started this whole medication biznuss. Take that, internet!!! Now, am I doing this in the absolute most healthy way possible? Not always: by dinnertime on Thursday I'd only consumed 350 net calories because I knew I'd be having beers with KK/DD that night. Then, as planned, I consumed a couple of beers with KK/DD, and then, less planned, I consumed a couple more beers with KK/DD, and then wobbled home and somehow didn't eat everything in the house, I think I had two eggs maybe, and then went to sleep, or as an unfriendlier person might say, "passed out". And woke up lighter!

On the up side: most days/nights are not like that.

+++

Thursday night was my first night at something called Rollende Keukens (Rolling Kitchens), just around the corner in the Westerpark. Until I finish the big version of this post, here's the little version: go there. It's so much better than it was the last time I went (maybe three years ago?) the food is better, more exciting/creative, and (crucially) less expensive as well. Here's a much nicer post than this one about last year's.

But go before 6pm, the crowds on Thursday night were completely unmanageable if you hadn't reserved a sit-down meal somewhere. The pictures are all from Friday at 1:30pm, there was no one there. Also: hit an ATM before you get anywhere near Westerpark, there was seriously a 20-person line at my normal fun dispenser and the AH across the street was not allowing you to pin for extra cash either.

Tasting notes: my first bite of the day was an American-style pulled pork sandwich from Smokey Goodness. Pork-wise, totally solid: tender and smoky, properly seasoned, could've used a tad more sauce for my tastes but that's me. However, can you see any problems with the sandwich concept:

That's right: BBQ don't belong on no ciabatta: too dry, too crusty, too distracting, especially for such subtly-done pork. Apparently the folks at Smokey Goodness have been working on the bun question for a while, but sadly I'm not sure this is the answer. Still, pretty good stuff in terms of sandwich contents.

These next guys didn't have a name or anything I don't think:



But they were turning out a very well-executed Asian-style pulled pork bun:

They did something very smart with the steamed buns: tossed them into a very hot wok for a minute or two before serving to give them a lightly charred exterior, we're stealing that idea.

Then I thought I was leaving...on my way out I saw The Most Morbid Auto Ever:

And then lo, behold, etc. I saw an all-duck menu, so well I kind of had to go in for a closer look didn't I.

I was pulled in by the crispy duck, but when I tried to get me some it "wasn't ready yet", so I settled for the masala doksa (kind of a Surinamese duck curry), which wasn't exactly bad, more like very average, but as it was competing with the porky offerings above it ended up in last place for the day.

Think I'm going back tomorrow to try banh mi, takoyaki poffertjes and the three or four BBQ stands that weren't open for lunch Friday.

+++