Lucky Garden

Tonight we went to Lucky Garden--a fabulous Chinese food restaurant in Hallowell, and one that holds a special place in Willard/Goldsmith/Walters tradition. We ate here when I first visited Amanda in Maine when we were dating. We eat there on most New Year's eves and other holidays. It is a beautiful restaurant that actually sits on a pier overlooking the Kennebec River. The last time we were there, believe it or not, was two New Year's eves ago--and consequently the last place Grandmom would eat before beginning her 8 month "vacation" in Maine General.

Today Grandmom and Grandpop celebrate their 61st!!!! anniversary. Wow. I can't even imagine being ALIVE for 61 years, never mind being married that long. That means my dad was one when Ensign Walters and his bride were married. Congratulations Grandmom and Grandpop!

Lucky Garden had a plaque hanging on the wall in the lobby this evening: Apparently, they have been awarded a spot in the list of top 100 Chinese Food restaurants in the USA by "Chinese Food News." Well done Chen. But the big question is this: where do you buy this magazine, and why am I not receiving it via subscription?? I need to get my hands on this publication, so I can begin writing for them right away. Here is what the cover might look like:

• General Tso: The reluctant soldier who started a chicken revolution
• Is "twice cooked" twice as good? Our panel decides
• "On the bone:" a trip down spare rib memory lane
• "The mustard was literally making him choke!!" and more stories of shock and embarassment from your favorite waitstaff
• Spring rolls versus Egg rolls: A "dummies" guide to explaining the differences to your customers
• Beyond Pad Thai: Encouraging your customers to eat "outside the box"
• HAVE YOU TRIED Sha sa beef?-Our monthly delve into the newest and most innovative cuisine (part 4 of 13)
• Rice, rice baby: A high carb restaurant in a low carb world--how I survived through the "Atkins Trend"
• Why "Moo Shi" is MORE than simply a "Chinese fajita"
• What's in a name?? Tips on how to name your Chinese food restaurant something that doesnt have the words terrace, panda, garden, dynasty, king, imperial, or the name of a Chinese city like Shanghai or Peking in it
• Thinking Green: Looking beyond broccoli and string beans as "the only" stir fry vegetables!
• Cashew Chicken: Why (still) no one cares
• An exclusive interview with the food chemist who invented the "Chinese Red" color that doesnt exist in nature, but DOES exist on all the pork products you serve
• Tips on discouraging high school boys from patronizing your buffet, eating all your food, clogging up your toilets, and leaving crappy tips
• Unlocking the mystery: why everyone just "sticks to water" when eating at your restaurant
• GOOD KITTY!!-The miraculous story of one midwestern Chinese couple who recorded the very first North American sale of one of those "cat clocks" where the tail and eyes move from side to side in synch with the seconds. "I thought it would stay behind the register forever!" explains the owner of the lucky restaurant