XO Kitchen

XO Kitchen has been a longstanding Chinatown landmark for as long as i can remember for its variety of food and price level…  i remember getting congee from there once and it came in a large, bubbling crockpot with a small ladle for serving…  it was too much to eat and it was under 4 dollars!  hehe…  anyway, i stopped by XO last week with my sister after work for a bite before heading home…  the place was PACKED at 7PM but since there were only two of us, they offer bar seating to us with no wait…

we looked over the menu and we couldn’t decide between the selections because everything was so cheap and we wanted to try everything…  their menu consists of cantonese/chinese, japanese, korean and western dishes…  in addition to the menu, they also have a wall full of handwritten specials and dishes…  finally, they have an extensive drin menu of fresh juices and yummy bubble teas…  while they may not be the most authentic, they were pretty good for the most part…  anyway, we decided on getting steamed shrimp rolls (my sister’s favorite), fresh shrimp wonton noodle soup (for my sister) and taiwanese pork chop and rice (for myself)…

steamed shrimp rolls

-these were made to order, the shrimps were large and the sauce was just right…  yum!

shrimp wonton noodle soup

-my sister’s wonton noodle soup…  the soup came with 4 large, plump wontons filled with pork and shrimp…  they also offer the choice of egg noodles, clear noodles or chow fun as the noodle choice…  i tried a piece of wonton and liked the different flavors and textures…  it was a good wonton…

taiwanese style pork chop and rice

-i knew this wasn’t the taiwanese style pork chop and rice i had in mind…  those familiar with taiwanese cooking would know that the authentic pork chop is marinated and fried…  they’re juicy and flavorful, but these were not it…  the pork chop was panfried and slathered with some kinda lukewarm brown sauce…  it tasted okay, but i don’t think i would get it again…

XO Kitchen is good for large groups, where ppl can order different dishes and try new things instead of the “same old, same old”…  the pork chop and rice was disappointing, but i’m sure i will be back to try their other dishes…

XO Kitchen
148 Hester St
New York, NY 10013
(212) 965-8645

extra! extra! extra!

i haven’t been able to update my diet log on WP lately because i’ve been working CRAZY hours…  i’ve worked 13 days (13 hours + per day) straight without a day off…  i’m trying to save up money for a new toy, the nikon d5000…  i’ve been eyeing it since may and working toward it is very rewarding too, despite being so tired…  ever since my cousin’s restaurant opened back up from renovation, business has been booming!  i was super tired and sleepy, where i could barely stay up to do anything after i showered…  also, i’ve been working in the kitchen instead of the cash register…  it’s super hot and strenuous at times…

any way, onto the diet…  because the kitchen is so hot, i barely have an appetite for anything…  i’ve been eating fairly little ever since i started back working again…  my usual meals would consists of salad, fruits, some sushi and some chicken tenders…  for dinner, i usually have fruits or yogurt parfait…  it’s perfect because it’s not too good to eat so much at night, where your metabolism slows down…  well, one month is up and the results are in…  i lost 7 pounds, one pound over my goal of losing 6 pounds in one month…  this is pretty awesome news and i will definitely keep up the progress!  

she's the cutest baby ever...

Food Diary-Day 17

brunch: grilled chicken caesar salad, no cheese or croutons, dressing on the side…  pretty picky, i kno…  loved the breadsticks that came with the salad…  there’s just something about warm, fresh-baked bread that lures me in…  hehe, i think i will always be a carb-happy person…  

snack: dry roasted mixed nuts…  healthy fats FTW!  but i didn’t eat them all…  hehe!

dinner: special k granola cereal mixed with cheerios multi-grain cereal…   yum!

exercise: 1/2 hour treadmill, 200 jump ropes

thoughts: i feel like i’m in a better shape now, i can go longer (distance and time wise) without taking breaks…  i’m feeling the burn after my workout too, yay!  

Food Diary-Day 16

breakfast: berries and yogurt parfait…  i used the special k honey granola cereal as the topping today…  YUM!

dinner: vietnamese spring rolls…  so light, refreshing, and easy to make!  just a disclaimer:  i didn’t eat the whole mound of spring rolls in the pic, i shared…     click here for vietnamese spring roll recipe!

exercise: -

thoughts:  none really, just trying to catch up with my sister…  grrr!

Food Diary-Day 15

breakfast: beef pho from Pho Bac again…  mommy loves me!  

dinner: luffa and clam soup, steamed blue crabs, sauté water spinach, with 1/2 bowl of congee

exercise: 1/2 hour treadmill, 200 jump ropes

thoughts: i’m getting back into exercising again and the weight’s been pretty steady for the most part…  yay!