Seriously Hot Pot

Much to my surprise and delight, we get released from work at 3.15pm. It’s been a fairly uneventful three days at work, which is how I like it. A few support issues but nothing much. Though I do always get the impression over Christmas each year that our customers who do work, don’t have much to do themselves, so instead take the opportunity to try and break our systems by thinking up the most stupid of things to try to get it to do. This year is no exception.

We have booked a Chinese meal for this evening as we usually take my parents out on New Years Eve. The restaurant, the Dancing Dragon, claims to offer something new, a Chinese Hot Pot. The restaurant is full of oriental customers which is usually a good sign. Their Hot Pot is like a fondue but instead of skewering one item at a time as you cook it you load the pot up with meat and vegetables of your choice then spoon them out once they are ready onto your plate.

There is a choice of two sauces, a slightly creamy stock and a spicy chilli sauce. Now I like hot food but this chilli sauce was truly evil. They called it fiery and they weren’t kidding. I have never had anything approaching hot and spicy in a Chinese restaurant before so this was quite a shock. My parents steered well clear of it and my body will probably wish tomorrow that I had too. Not a bad meal though, although service a bit sluggish, particularly the table clearing. Oh and their credit card machine was broke so we had to have a whip-round.

Afterwards my parents head home to see the new year in at home whilst L and I have a few beers in the Ropewalk and see the year in there. It’s not too dissimilar from a normal Saturday and that's not a bad thing at all really.

We walk home, although there are some late buses running. I find it odd that Nctx stop running buses at 8pm and then restart them after midnight. Don’t really see the point of that.

(Friday 31st December)