Groceries and Grub
On my mini excursion to Washington State, I made it to all the stops I had outlined for myself to buy groceries. A small group of us went to Trader Joe’s, Costco, Fred Meyer, and a Walmart Supercentre.
We drove an extra half hour into Burlington to avoid the weekend Canadian stockpilers that hijack every grocery cart in Bellingham. Which is why we were surprised to see so many Chinese shoppers at the Burlington Costco, until we realized that it was a shopping destination on a bus tour. Most of the participants on the tour were part of the Geriatric Triad, and went armed with their own thermos’ of refreshments and purses filled with familiar foods.
We wanted to stop by Krispy Kreme and were hoping the ‘light’ would be on. Not only was the light not on at Krispy Kreme, but the location had permanently closed altogether. I remember how fanatic I was before they opened in Canada, making midnight runs to Burlington for donuts. You’d have thought they put crack in the dough by the way people acted, myself included. I hope the Krispy Kreme on our side of the border doesn’t go belly up too, but I might be a good idea for me to make a visit soon.
We didn’t finish shopping until 7:30 that night, and we decided to head back into Richmond for Dinner. We wanted to go to Nan Chuu, but I couldn’t remember exactly where it was on the Alexandra Road. I thought another restaurant had taken over Nan Chuu, but after reading up on Urbanspoon, that isn’t the case. Instead we visited Take Sento, another izakaya restaurant.
Gizzards! 
Everything we ate at Take Sento was fresh and was prepared with care, but there were a few things that detracted from the izakaya atmostphere. The most apparent attribute were the Chinese staff who were speaking in Cantonese and Mandarin. Another thing I noticed was the absence of the shouts that izakaya staff greet you with upon entering their establishments. One final observation was the spacious seating, not that I’m complaining, but I’m used to knocking elbows with the stranger next to me– it’s kinda what it’s all about. These characteristics listed may be more appealing to those who want to try izakaya food, but forgo the loud atmosphere and “cozy” seating. If your primary language is Cantonese or Mandarin, Take Sento may also make you feel more at home.
I’m relieved to know that Nan Chuu hasn’t sold their business to someone who is trying to duplicate the izakaya experience, but Take Sento really hit the spot after a long day of shopping. I would’ve also been happy to explore the restaurant scene in Bellingham, but now I only have reason to make another trip south.
I’ve been meaning to try some grocery shopping state side. Never been to Trader Joes. Thanks for reminding me I should go soon, during the week…