Cycle 17 – Item 227
Post 6,071
20 (Thu) Aug 2026
Boston Lobster with Ginger & Scallions
3.0
-Emeryville, California, USA-
with DJ
Feathering the (Kid’s New) Nest: Day 2 of 9
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- Day 1 (17.226 Premium Seafood Trio in Dried Scallop Sauce)
- Day 2 (17.227 Boston Lobster with Ginger & Scallions)
- Day 3 (17.228 Vodka Sicilian Pizza)
- Day 4
- Day 5
- Day 6
- Day 7
- Day 8
- Day 9
In Emeryville. Having sent DJ off to college last fall (see generally 16.228 Korean Beef Short Rib with Vegetables Wraps) – after his freshman year, he’s moved out of the dorms and rented an apartment – I’m going back this fall to help him furnish it. Though my parents didn’t do this for me, and I don’t recall any of my friends’ parents doing it for them – Gen Xers are famously independent in such matters – DJ seemed hopelessly lost on what needed to be done and utterly incapable of getting it done. Still, I’m always happy for an excuse to visit Berkeley.
LUNCH
Hankki is a Korean restaurant. Specializes in bibimbap and sundubu.
Meeting DJ at the airport, we took an Uber to his new place in Berkeley, dropped off our stuff, and walked down the street for lunch.
The general dining plan for the trip is for me to choose the dinner venues, while DJ has discretion at lunch.
According to him, Hankki is the most legit Korean restaurant near campus.
Even with a stingy tip of $3.65 (9%), the total came out to $45 – about KRW 67,500 – WTF. The same meal, including a soft drink, can be had in Korea for less than KRW 20,000.
ACCOMMODATIONS
For 2 nights, we’ll be staying at Hyatt Place in Emeryville.
The plan: Thu) shop for furniture at IKEA, arranging for delivery by Friday/Saturday; Fri) shop for furnishings at Target, office supplies at Best Buy, and groceries at Safeway; Sat) assemble everything in the apartment; Sun) take a day trip to Napa; Mon) catch the Giants game; Tue) lounge in Berkeley.
It will not play out that way. I discovered too late that delivery from IKEA – due to the immense influx of students at Berkeley – would require at least 4 to 5 days. For starters, we had to change our car rental from a midsize (reserved in advance on Expedia at $210 for 3 days) to a minivan ($165 per day for 4 days at $660 as a walk-in), to haul boxes directly, over multiple trips. I couldn’t have anticipated the jet lag factor: after lunch, DJ had insisted to take a quick nap, but refused to wake up until 7pm; by the time dinner was over, only Target was open, so we bought a few things. And with W out of the picture, everything will be that much harder. We’ll see how it goes, but I’m not sure that we’ll be finished even by Tuesday.
DINNER
Hong Kong East Ocean is a Chinese restaurant. Specializes in Cantonese cuisine, mostly seafood, but also standards like roast duck and dim sum. Founded 1989.
So it’s been around since my time, though I can’t recall ever hearing about it.
With Great China on the schedule for the final dinner next week, DJ suggested Hong Kong East Ocean for our first dinner.
The food was pretty good. Nothing spectacular, but solid all around.
On my visits to China (Wuhan, Shanghai, Beijing, Hong Kong), I’d noticed in restaurants that tables would often be overflowing with a full spread comprising a soup + a vegetable + a meat and/or poultry + a seafood and/or fish + a rice and/or noodle, even if for a small party, even a couple. According to Chinese dining culture, it’s both to achieve culinary harmony and to show generosity, especially in a hosting situation. Leftovers are enjoyed for lunch the next day.
The point is, I’m sure that the restaurant didn’t find our order to be unusually extravagant.
Hoping tomorrow will be more productive.
(See RESTAURANTS IN USA)
(See GLOBAL FOOD GLOSSARY)
(See BOOZE)