CRABBY PANTS

Once upon a time in Vancouver’s old school Chinatown we used to go to a restaurant called the On On. It’s no longer there, but apparently Pierre Trudeau used to amble on in from time to time with a modest security detail to enjoy a meal in this less than fancy, but much beloved establishment.. it was that good. Downstairs we ate in a long, drab olive green painted room lined with booth seating. Every once in awhile we ate in the tiny red attic.. maybe it was the fancy room for a fancy occasion?! It didn’t matter. It was the crab in black bean sauce that I remember (along with a lot of other dishes) and that’s what I’ve been craving the past few days and why I got a wok (albeit a crappy wok)

Of course Dungeness crab is an imported $$$$ luxury in these parts so I settled for a chopped chicken thigh version instead til I spotted some small trays of frozen snow crab on sale today! I don’t know why I think I need a million crab legs to fill me up... maybe it’s because there was a race to eat as many as possible back in the 70s. Now that I can eat them alone, I guess I can eat as many or as little as I want too. Maybe being alone is a pandemic silver lining when it comes to eating.. I am not complaining. Anyway, the chicken was super tasty too as it will be tomorrow.

🦀🐓🦀🐓🦀
🥢🥢🥢🥢🥢
🍚🍚🍚🍚🍚

Thank you Serious Eats for the Braised Chicken with Black Bean Sauce recipe. It was most tasty delicious and easy to follow.

Plate in Foreground by Jim Smith of Chester, Nova Scotia
Plate in Background by Joan Bruneau of Nova Terra Cotta Studio, Lunenburg, Nova Scotia