6.044 [Slipper] Lobster in White Pepper Sauce

6.044

18 (Wed) Feb 2015

[Slipper] Lobster in White Pepper Sauce

4.0

at Tao Yuan

-Malate, Manila-

with the family

Lunar New Year with the Family in PHL, Day 1.

After spending the past few days in Seoul, we flew into Manila together late last night (see generally 6.043 Bibimbap).  As on the prior family trip to the Philippines (see most recently 5.357 Chicago Cowboy Steak), which had gone so well that the wife was willing to come back so soon, the itinerary primarily involves water play for the kids and fine dining for the grown-ups.  Flying back late Friday night.

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During the Lunar New Year holiday, Chinese restaurants in Manila tend to get decked out in red, as do customers.
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The dilemma facing parents with young children in the smartphone age: immediate luxury of a peaceful meal vs long-term potential of ADHD kids; well, the same thing was said about TVs in the 50s and PCs in the 80s, and look at how well-adjusted Baby Boomers and Gen-Xers turned out.

Unanimously, the choice of dinner venue was Tao Yuan.

While everyone had white pepper lobster in mind (see for example 5.313 White Pepper Lobster), a culinary highlight from the previous trip (see generally 5.353 Lapu Lapu Chazuke), I ordered it this time with slipper lobster (aka “bug”)—incorrectly referred to on the menu as “rock lobster;” rock lobsters are incorrectly referred to as “original” lobster here is—the idea for which had come to me on a recent visit (see generally 6.031 Fried Fish Skin).

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They really do look like big bugs.

Awesome, as anticipated.  I’ve finally come up with the ultimate accompaniment for the white pepper sauce.

Having tried 212 of 232 items at the restaurant, I am now capable of custom-ordering my own blue-level dishes.

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Each slipper lobster, at 2,800 pesos per kg (about $28 per lb), weighing about 325 g = 910 pesos (about $20); the “original” lobster is 5,000 pesos per kg, more than half of which comprises inedible head; by contrast, these are predominantly flesh, no major organs, not even much of a brain, as if its raison d’être is to be eaten.
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So lazily convenient, the mere flick of a chopstick sufficient to extract the flesh, as sweet and succulent as any kind of lobster…
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…pairing perfectly with the white pepper sauce.

Encouraged by this success, I will experiment further.

Next time, for example, something to maximize use of the gravy, such as scallops and broccoli, maybe even with rice noodles.

TEITY, Round 2?

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Hanging out at the New World swimming pool earlier in the day…
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Check out the high-speed capability of the camera on the iPhone 6.
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IZ
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Trying my damnedest to keep my eyes on the kid.

7 thoughts on “6.044 [Slipper] Lobster in White Pepper Sauce”

  2. 1. yes, rock lobster do look like roaches under the sea.
    2. WHITE PEPPER SAUCE is the best sauce ever; want to try the rock lobster in white pepper sauce someday at TY.
    3. vote for TEITY 2!
    4. IZ looks like a little cute dolphin…soooo cute!
    5. you “look prettier” on the photo; seems like your efforts paid off.

    Reply

  3. @DC: my version of TEITY 2 would be to create new dishes, not eat the same ones all over again / good genes.

    @EK: surprising that white pepper sauce isn’t more famous; next time your in town, rock lobsters on me / no no no TEITY 2 / you mean me or the hottie in the bikini?

    Reply
  4. Pingback: 6.045 Tortilla Española | GIVE ME THIS DAY…

  5. i meant your endeavoring to shave off some kilos to look pretty paid off; you look slim on this photo. come to think of it, either makes sense in this context, anyway.

    Reply

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