Mako's birthday (2024)

Every birthday is a special day. This year is extra special because I did not hold a birthday dinner in 2023 due to travel schedules. As a result, this year will the best of not only 2024, but also of 2023.

Menu

Course #1: "Visit to Natural Lawson (Champagne + コンビニ salad + sandos)

Drink

• Piper-Heidsieck Champagne

Snack

• small shredded, daikon, cabbage, carrot and corn salad w/ miso dressing
• egg salad sando + katsu cutlet sando, shredded green cabbage, and okonomi sauce on white crustless bread
• satsuma mikan!
• ソフトサラダ ("soft salad" senbei)

Course #2: Salad

Drink

• Shot of garlic infused tequila (from オカダガーリック)

Snack

• baby kale salad w/ radish sprouts, fried garlic, crushed raw garlic, fried (but very soft) egg, "bacon" bits, parmesan cheese (from オカダガーリック but remade at home in 2024 by Lucy based on recipe above and picture)

Salad notes: We made it at the house and Lucy made it based on the recipe and this picture.

Course #3: Hashimaki

Drink

• Cherry Blossom

Snack

• Hashimaki, okonomiyaki on a pair of chopsticks (Mika made it at home)

Course #4: Soup++

Drink

• Verbena Cocktail (from Chandalier Bar in Las Vegas)

Snack

• Laksa (recipe)

Course #5: Dessert

Drink

• Mango Sticky Rice Cocktail (from Vesper Bangkok) (picture from Instagram)

Snack

• Apple, mascarpone, and honey pizza (Pizza Mafia Tokyo) (picture from Tabelog

I think the drink will be:

• Something like https://www.acouplecooks.com/mango-martini/ (a bit less sweet)
• heated (~75°) coconut cream + sweetened condensed milk in the iSi Whipper

Ingredients

ordered/acquired:

• [DONE] Coconut cream (1 can) [MSR cocktail]
• [DONE] sweetened condensed milk [MSR cocktail]
• [DONE] can of mango [MSR cocktail]
• [DONE] lemon verbena leaves [Verbena Cocktail]
• [DONE] buzz buttons [Verbena Cocktail]

lam's:

• [TODO] calamansi [Verbena Cocktail]
• [TODO] lemongrass (tough woody parts removed, minced) [laksa]
• [TODO] laksa paste (1 cup?) [laksa]
• [TODO] 2 can coconut milk [laksa]
• [DONE] 1 package soy puffs (halved) [laksa]
• [TODO] ~8 portions noodles (ideally Hokkien egg noodles) [laksa]
• [TODO] 6 shallots [laksa]
• [TODO] 2 cups mung bean sprouts (trimmed and cleaned) [laksa]

uwajimaya:

• [TODO] yuzu [Verbena Cocktail]
• [TODO] radish sprouts [salad]
• [TODO] red ginger [hashimaki]
• [TODO] yamaimo [hashimaki]
• [TODO] ginger (minced) [laksa]
• [TODO] daikon [kobini salad]
• [TODO] miso dressing
• [TODO] soft salad senbei
• [TODO] mikan/oranges

qfc:

• [TODO] white bread [sando]
• [TODO] katsu chicken/pork like cutlets [sando]
• [TODO] cabbage [hashimaki, sando, konbini salad]
• [TODO] baby kale [salad]
• [TODO] bacon [salad]
• [TODO] eggs [salad, laksa, hashimaki]
• [TODO] 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves [laksa]

liquor store:

• [TODO] Piper-Heidsieck Champagne