Disappointing lunch

It is clear that I enjoying eating out. However, when it comes to weekday lunches, I actually rarely order from a restaurant; I like to save a few bucks (and a few calories) by bringing my own creations from home. Once in awhile, though, a crazy morning means that I "treat" myself to lunch out.

This past Friday was such a day. During my lunch hour I had to run to Verizon on Boylston St. in the blustering snow, and as I emerged from the Prudential I saw a cute little Thai restaurant beckoning from across the street. With the cold weather I was anxious to get some hot & spicy number that'd warm me up...

When I entered Chilli Duck, it was busy- a good sign. But I did not feel very welcome as I was “greeted” by an unfriendly man with a scowl on his face, who looked at me as if I had stumbled into his living room. I perused the menu, but was disappointed with the selection. Usually at Thai restaurants I can never choose because everything looks so good-- this time I had a hard time choosing anything.

I settled on the chilli duck (around $9 for lunch portion) (Ed. note: at this time I didn't even realize this was the name of the restaurant, so I chose it based on its ingredients, not on its name) which was described as crispy duck with chili sauce, rice, vegetables, and peanut sauce. I was very excited. It took about 10 minutes, but I sat and flipped through Stuff@night to pass the time. When it was done, I was so excited to get back to work so that I could eat my delicious lunch.

However, after my first bite, I felt defeated. Why did I make such a poor decision? The duck was not like duck I’ve been accustomed to—this was chewy and rubbery and the sauce was sticky and un-flavorful. The vegetables were hidden under a bed of white rice (which is pretty much all that I ate) and were coated in a peanut sauce that seemed wildly out of place with the flavor of the duck.

All in all, I was very discouraged. My turkey sandwiches may not be Mistral-worthy, but at least they are healthy and don’t leave me with a frown on my face.

Oh well, better luck next time!
Love,
Dish Gal