I can't top PDaane so I'll just post some pics after nodding to the diversity and fun of these events. The Chu Sisters were fun to meet and gracious about being the center of attention of so many competing foodies. LTH cranked out some terrific dishes. Octarine's kids behaved like I hope mine eventually will. A lot of fun and thanks to Louisa and Cathy for extending the invitation to the whole community and G Wiv for making it happen, they all really showed the generosity of spirit and openness to one and all that is our foodie community at its best. No matter how carefully researched and planned the meal, those who pick their dinner companions carefully miss out on more than they know by not embracing the wonderful, democratic randomness of an LTH (or in this case, LTH-squared) event.

LTH,

What a nice evening, great turnout, Louisa and her sister Anne tell a great story, are charming as all get-out and everyone was pretty much on their best behavior, even me.




While the 'Little' Three Happiness Usual Suspects were much in evidence, Crispy Skin Chicken, Salt and Pepper Shrimp Crisp rice noodles etc, we also had a few from a little deeper in the repertoire, including one I had not tried before, Salty fish w/diced chicken and eggplant casserole.

Couple of other quite nice dishes were Squid with Sour Greens, Rice casserole w/Chinese sausage, chicken w/bone and Chinese mushrooms, Ong Choi w/fermented tofu and Crispy Skin Pigeon and Crisp pan fried wheat noodle w/mixed seafood, which includes the euphemistically named Sea Cucumber.

Crispy Skin Pigeon



As has been mentioned, Octarine's kids are adventurous eaters I was really impressed with their absolute willingness to try everything at the table, not to mention what really nice kids they are. Octarine's son Andrew was quite funny, when told the odd looking, but tasty, little fish coming around the table were Salt and Pepper Smelt, he simply could not resist taking a sniff.



Louisa's timing for her first, in quite a long while, visit to 'Little' Three Happiness was impeccable, but I'm guessing her timing is typically impeccable, as 'Little' Three Happiness just underwent a full scale redecoration, including the bathroom, which Steve Z dubbed "like peeing in a Palace" Ok, it's still not exactly the bathroom at the Peninsula Hotel, but darn if it's not pretty nice.

Thanks go to Betty and Raymond, owners of 'Little' Three Happiness, for allowing 25 LTHers to pretty much take over their restaurant for 3-hours. And thank you very much to the wonderfully interesting Louisa Chu for being the catalyst for our get together last evening.

Enjoy,
Gary

You are all too kind. Thank you so much for coming out Wednesday night! Annie and I had such an amazing time meeting and feasting with everyone.

And we did break rice! One of our favourite dishes was also the chicken/Chinese sausage/black mushroom casserole - cooked and served in a heavy, handled iron pot. A bite of that flavour-infused crust, drizzled with Gary's smoky, deep homemade chili oil was absolute, pure bliss.

Thank you so much Gary for organising the extravaganza - Betty and Raymond and the entire restaurant staff for executing it all with such grace - and all the LTHers and family and friends whose company we enormously enjoyed and look forward to sharing again.

LTH,

A couple of people PMed about Wednesdays complete menu at 'Little' Three Happiness.

Enjoy,
Gary

11.30.05

- Shrimp Toast
- Salt & Pepper Shrimp, shell/head on
- Salt & Pepper smelt
- Clams w/black bean sauce, extra jalapeno
- Crisp, plain rice noodle.
-- Rice

Pause

- Dry-stir fried crab with ginger and scallion
- Whole Crispy skin chicken with shrimp cracker, cilantro, dredging salt and lemon
- Crispy Skin Pigeon
- Squid w/sour greens
- Pea pod leaf w/garlic

Pause

- Crisp pan fried thin egg noodle w/ mixed seafood and vegetable.
- Crisp pan fried rice noodle w/roast duck, BBQ pork and mixed veg
- Ong choi w/ fu yee and hot pepper
- Salty fish w/diced chicken and eggplant casserole
- Rice casserole- Chinese sausage, chicken w/bone, Chinese mushrooms
- Beef short rib w/XO sauce

Dessert:
Red bean soup
Sesame ball w/red bean
Coconut jello

Options:
Stuffed tofu casserole
Szechuan string bean w/minced pork
Snails w/black bean and garlic
Beef w/bitter melon
S & P pork chop
Stir fried watercress w/garlic
Lettuce w/oyster sauce

Gary, thanks again for planning this event. I always have a good time -- and a lot of good food -- at your dinners.

Ask Ellen how, when the pea pod leaf came out, our collective nose went up like an infield fly.

Hammond

G Wiv wrote:Pause

When did we pause?

As someone who has never been fully happy at LTH, this was my favorite meal there. Not just the company of Ms's Chu's. Several of the the non-stop parade of dishes really hit the spot. I especially liked the rice casserole mentioned above. The grease from the sausage and chicken nicely permeated the rice. I wish Cathy2 had not snagged it from in front of me. Also well to my liking were both green vegetable preparations. The watercress with bean curd did not look spicy, but it packed a whallop. All the flavors complimented the greens. Likewise, the peashoots were well complimented by their garlic saute. I've always liked the crispy chicken, and the other night's version was done perhaps better than my previous visits. I liked the similar treatment of the pidgeon, even if I would have preferred the birds a bit less cooked.

I still think LTH does a mediocre job on the fried dishes. Grease dripping through rice casserole good, grease frozen into the shrimp toast or smelts not so good--I also found the smelts too salty. I do not find the salt n' pepper shrimps close to the ones served at Lee Wing Wah or Happy Chef. Those shrimps are bigger, crisper and fuller of flavors. I just did not much like the squids with preserved mustard, but that was probably just me. In the end, it shows you a lot of happiness comes from what you order and what you like generally. A meal consisting only of *my* dishes, and I would have left very happy; the whole shebang, and I leave still not entirely won over by this place.

Needless to say, thanks for the arrangements and the pics above.

Rob

in his rave review, Vital Information wrote:My favorite meal! The non-stop parade of dishes really hit the spot! I especially liked the rice casserole mentioned above! I've always liked the crispy chicken! Left very happy!

Gary - thanks so much for posting the menu. And yes, thanks to everyone for posting photos and thoughtful comments for posterity too. So when were we supposed to elect those optional menu items?? I too missed the pauses! And it should be noted - for those playing along at home - that we had a delirious amount of food - which would have been completely insurmountable - had Mike not talked Gary out of twice the number of dishes.

LOL - MikeG, thanks for distilling to its very essence VI's glowing review of LTH!