As two (broke) busy bees, Dani and I don’t quite get out as much as we ought to. One day when we’re in our 30’s we’ll be the type of people to try a new restaurant every week, but as for now, we’re lucky to squeak something into the GCal.
The plan for Thursday night was to, in the 90 minutes before our AEE Eboard meeting in RTH 526 (pizza provided, thanks to MK), we would go to the new little pho place on Fig. Dani’s already been with Sam and Ale, and she liked it so much she wanted to take me. The two of us have a new year’s resolution to eat as much food outside of our own bubble as possible. Being from SF, of course, Dani has enjoyed a plentiful menu of Vietnamese cuisine, but since I haven’t, this fit the requirement.
Well, that was the plan at least. 6:30, we were set to meet up in the village. At 6:44, she finds me running away from MK at RTH526. We stop back at my room to “drop off my stuff.” Well, that was the plan at least. At 7:10, we’re ready to go, only to realize that it would be 10 minutes until we arrive, and we’d have to shovel our date-night dinner into our mouths like seagulls preying on sunburnt tourists to make it back on time. We say (imagine an Italian mobster with a fat cigar in his mouth) “Ahh why not give her a go, see what happens” (Dani is looking over my shoulder as I’m writing this, smiling).
I’ve just now kissed Ellis, and she’s handed me the laptop to finish the rest of the entry because she wanted a cuddle. Fair, I suppose, since I got her cuddles for the first half of the entry. So there we are, two frazzled girls ordering a fryft (free Lyft, that is) to try and arrive at Pho N More and salvage what we have left of our date. We skedaddle down the stairwell and perch in front of the Target and wait for our guy. Suddenly he arrives, and to my surprise, he’s got some pretty delectable music on! Being sat in the passenger seat, I’m bobbing my head cautiously to let my driver know we’re good company, and that I’m enjoying his music to a good extent. Usually taking a Fryft from the Village to Fig would be ridiculous, but considering the time crunch we were under, I consented to it.
Allas! We’re at Pho N More and—it’s packed?! “On a Thursday?” We both said. Well yeah, Pho N More is relatively inexpensive, and soo tasty, so naturally it made sense. Why didn’t I think to make a reservation in advance? I felt bad, I really did! I wilted on Ellis’s shoulder, sorry biddie!
Daniela just gave the computer back to me so that she can drink tea out of her Hazelbutt mug. She’s wearing the really nice white button up she wore earlier today with her pajama pants and looks as ravishing as ever. Anyway back to the story…
We knew the pho place was popping because of the crowd of patient patrons waiting their turn to be seated outside the store. We watched longingly from the window as chatterful groups inside slurped slowly. We wouldn’t make it. But that was okay! We have two years here to go back and get pho, and to be honest I was feeling just the smallest pang of hanger coming on. To avoid becoming evil and risk raging during the dastardly AEE Eboard meeting, I came up with a plan. Doing careful mental calculus of walking times, average waits, the cost benefit analysis of food quality to price, and California sales tax, I suggested a pivot. The village is full of decent-enough food places, why not head home?
Daniela and I dashed back into a Fryft, now 7:20, to try to get some grub in our tum before taking on the executives (board). We raced into the ramen shop (Ramen Kenjo). I was a bit perturbed by the image of corn in the ramen. I don’t believe that’s typical, but I can be proved wrong. We got chicken broth with pork. The guy behind the counter gave us a scare, saying we wouldn’t be able to get much due to their lack of chicken broth. But in the nick of time, he found enough for our bowl. While waiting, I did my favorite bit to Daniela (going in for the kiss and then sticking my tongue all the way at the last moment. I don’t think she thinks it’s as funny as I do). She doesn’t like being “led on”, but quite frankly (and I don’t even know who Frank is!) I think it would be hotter if she just stuck her tongue out as well and we could mack it sexy-style in front of the ramen place. We don’t remember what else we joked about, but we agree there were many good laughs during our wait.
When the ramen came out, it was heaveny, oml soooo buss. We scarfed it down like seagulls, craning our necks back to slide the noodles down our gullet faster. The meat was so tender, the noodles so flavorful, the pickled egg, the perfect amount of runny, and the corn (?) so sweet. We slurped it up. I believe the whole bowl had disappeared within 6 minutes. Tummies full of broth, we ran over to RTH to take on the executives, full of love and noodles and corn (?). Successful date night in our eyes!
Yoot Mag 