The Average Bro: Return to the Market

After what seemed like a long absence from the Farmers' Market, Sidney and I made our return. Turns out, our absence was longer than we thought. When we arrived, there was no one else around.

Turns out that in our aforementioned absence, the times for the Market changed from 0700 - 1100 to 0800 - 1200. We knew this time change would happen, but apparently we didn't quite know when. Oh well, we just sat in the van for a while and waited.

When the Market finally did open, it was time.

Oh yes, it was time. It had been a long time since I had had one of these breakfast burritos, and it was time.

It was satisfying on a level so satisfying that it was satisfying to feel that kind of satisfying satisfaction.

(Un)fortunately, we didn't quite sell out of cookies. Oh well, guess I have to get rid of this thing.

Better drink some milk to wash down the evidence.

There was also this cookie that was suspiciously missing half.

But a missing half of a cookie was alright, because we were headed to dinner at a new restaurant. Now, this restaurant isn't exactly new, but I've never been there before. It's a place I've been wanting to try for awhile now, and today I would finally make good on that wish.

For the longest time, I assumed that Encore Cafe was a "regular" cafe. You know, the kind of cafe that serves coffee and breakfasty stuff. The only thing they have on their exterior is a simple black and white sign that reads "ENCORE CAFE." There isn't any decoration or theme to speak of. However, I recently learned that Encore Cafe was not a regular cafe but instead an Asian Fusion restaurant. I was now all the more intrigued. I'm also not entirely sure what Asian Fusion means, but I was pretty sure that I would like it.

Let's find out.

There are certain things that, given the opportunity, simply must happen. One of them is drinking milk when eating cookies. Another one is ordering calamari as an appetizer if it's available. It was, so we did.

We also got some dumpling/potsticker thingies. Both were very good. They also had some tasty sauces to go with them.

Also, being an Asian restaurant, I took advantage of the opportunity to order a mango bubble tea.

Now, the term "bubble tea" is really becoming a sort of colloquialism for me. I say this because there wasn't a drop of tea in this thing. It was really a mango smoothie. But that doesn't matter. What really matters is that it had those tapioca "bubbles" in it. You know, they really don't have that strong of a flavor, but for some reason I really like them. It's weird.

For my actual dinner, I ordered the beef teriyaki. It's served in this bamboo food vessel thingy. Interesting.

It was stuffed full of beef, mushrooms, rice, onions, and other tasty yumminess.

I was also warned by Encore veterans that if I wanted to dump it out to do so away from me. Apparently, it's so full that if you try to dump it toward yourself, it will end up not only on your plate but also on your shirt, you pants, and likely on the floor. Not wanting to even take risk, I elected to just eat it straight out of the bamboo.

What I can say is that they offer the option to make it extra spicy or not. I chose the "not" option. It was so good, I was actually surprised. I wasn't thinking it would be bad or anything, but when something tastes this good it's always a surprise. I mean, this was well above the restaurant average in terms of taste (and presentation, too). I mean, it was like the biscuits and gravy at WheatFields, the gyros at Aladdin Cafe, the "Bill Self" at 23rd Street Brewery, the butter chicken at Bay Leaf, or...

...yes, the ice cream at Sylas and Maddy's. Seriously, this is the best ice cream there is. I'm reminded of this every time I eat it. And this brings me to another example of an unbreakable rule of the universe. Rule No. 1: "When eating dinner on Mass, one must get Sylas and Maddy's for dessert." So it is, and so we did.

Today, it was just a little bit extra special...