Veg

[Drunk Monk]

Is there a bacon cheeseburger in my future?

Yes.

The Yeti knows.

I used to luv bacon cheeseburgers. Honestly bacon is the hardest meat to give up. So I indulged again.

It was anticlimactic. I thought I'd relish the experience after years away, but no. It was ok, but not an carniverous epiphany by any means. Again, it tasted overly salty to me. I guess I don't eat much salt anymore.

I'm officially calling bs on this whole 'vegetarians lose the ability to digest meat' thing. I've had no problem going back. 

I feel my digestive system is prepared for China again. Bring me my scorpions!

[Dr. Ivor Yeti]

Two words: Lamb Burger

[Drunk Monk]

It was actually Hui mutton stew, a local delicacy from Henan, that originally inspired me to consider breaking my meat fast if I was to return to Shaolin. It's an incredible rich, spicy, creamy dish. Looking at my schedule, it's unlikely I'll be able to indulge. But now, I'm wondering if it'll be anticlimactic like the rest of my recent meat ventures...

[King Bob]

Wasn't there a scene in Shaolin Temple where the abbot busts the monks for roasting an animal (a dog maybe?).

[Drunk Monk]

There's odd meat eating in the Shaolin Temple film. There's the dog scene (which clearly involves a real dead dog head) and the frog chopping scene. The sequel had a snake skinning scene. There's this legend that the Tang Emperor granted Shaolin monks permission to drink wine, eat meat and own land but that's in contention (can the Son of Heaven overrule the Buddha?) The general belief now is that martial monks are not fully indoctrinated bhikksu. They are laymen disciples, same as me.

[Drunk Monk]

Two words: Lamb Burger

I had a lamb wrap from some falafel gyro joint in Concord. Jonny was amused because he loved to tease me about my dietary choices. His treat. It was ok.

I did have a touch of heartburn afterwards but it went away after an hour or so. 

I have this odd craving for wienerschnitzel chili cheese dogs. They used to be like a buck each and I’d get like 5 - a guilty pleasure. And I should really treat myself to a usda steak before switching back. 

We’ll see what China brings…

[King Bob]

We recently went with friends to the Black Angus on Blossom Hill and the steak was surprisingly good, and pretty reasonable.

[Dr. Ivor Yeti]

Chili-cheese fries!

BBQ brisket!

MEAT!!!!

[Drunk Monk]

Meat epiphany unlocked! 

Yu Zhenlong treated me to a local delicacy - shenjianshandezhongguo teweidaoxiaomian. 

Hand cut noodle soup with beef and peppers. Like serious peppers. His cousin asked me if I like la (spicy) and I went for it. So spicy but that addictive spice where you just can’t stop. A rich beef broth with sprouts and green onions. This is exactly what I started eating meat again for. Best Chinese food I’ve had in 20 years. Such a clean fresh burn. I’ve had a mild headache all day due to jet lag and excitement. It’s gone now. Burned it right outta my head. 

Even if this burns the shit out of my arse tomorrow, it was worth it (yeah, I say this now to remind myself later just in case).

[Drunk Monk]

I was definitely aware I ate a crapton of peppers last night but not uncomfortably so, just a pleasant warming of the nethers. 

D00M recommended!

[Dr. Ivor Yeti]

Yay! Meat Epiphany!!!

[thatguy]

I was definitely aware I ate a crapton of peppers last night but not uncomfortably so, just a pleasant warming of the nethers. 

D00M recommended!

See you at 4:20!

--tg

[Drunk Monk]

My taxi comes at 5 so I better be up.

[Drunk Monk]

Semi-2nd meat epiphany unlocked. Master Yu treated me and several Shaolin friends to a classic banquet from a local franchise. A crazy amount of dishes. I lost track. There was nearly 20 of us on a huge round table with a monster lazy Susan that have a diorama of a river with a fisherman and a deer and real plants as a centerpiece. It wasn’t as amazing as last nights experience, but still impressive. The standout was this bbq lamb ribs rolled in pepper. So much pepper in all the dishes, but never brutally overpowering unless you just ate the peppers straight. Had some baijiu too and was the only one drinking really. One monk and one master joined me in a ceremonial shot but the drinkers focused on beer. It was a nice baijiu - went well with those rich meats.

[Drunk Monk]

NOOOOOOOO!

40-year-old mid-Market vegetarian restaurant Ananda Fuara is closing permanently on Sunday

Image: Kevin Y. via Yelp
By Joe Kukura - Published on January 31, 2023.
San FranciscoCivic Center
One of San Francisco's oldest surviving vegetarian restaurants, Ananda Fuara, just celebrated its 40th anniversary this past December. But not even two months later, that celebration is turning sadder, as Ananda Fuara announced last week that they will close permanently, with this Sunday, February 5 as their final day at their longtime Market and Hayes Street home.

pic.twitter.com/n307zrQnvu
— Ananda Fuara (@AnandaFuara) January 27, 2023

 
“It is with great difficulty that we announce the closing of Ananda Fuara permanently on Feb. 5th,” the restaurant announced both on Twitter and their website. “In the future it is possible there may be an opportunity to return in a different form and place but for now we are closing. If you’re able, please stop by so we can express our gratitude for your patronage.”
“We have had the honor and opportunity to be of service to San Francisco and the Bay Area for 40 years and many of you have been faithful customers for much of that time,” their statement continues. “But whether you came for the first time yesterday, or dined with us first in 1982, we greatly appreciate your business and we hope you too will have fond memories of our light-filled little blue eatery.”

[b]
Image: Andrew H. via Yelp[/b]
 
The restaurant says the name “Ananda Fuara” means “fountain of delight,” which they say was given to them by the late Indian spiritual leader Sri Chinmoy, whose picture appears all over the restaurant. But in San Francisco, Anada Fuara was more synonymous with their vegetarian meatloaf “neatloaf,” avocado toast before it became a craze, and waitstaff clad in saris.

[b]I
[/b][b]Image: Jen N. via Yelp[/b]
 
And so it’s the end of a good long run for Ananda Fuara, which opened in 1982. But it’s not the oldest surviving vegetarian restaurant in San Francisco. Fort Mason's Greens has been around even longer, having opened in 1979.

I've eaten here so many times. It was my go-to place when I worked BGC. Sometimes, back in the AFS days, I would hit it up on the way to the Warfield. This makes me so sad. Their neatloaf was the bomb.

A Nepalese restaurant has taken its place. I’m here now. The waitress is clearly Nepalese. The chai is decent. Trying the Chowmein. Not really that hungry but I got some time to kill. Lots of veg, fish & shrimp plates I were tempting. There’s a kukri on the wall. That’s a good sign.