IB and Blaze's Flirt House relaunched as... a RESTAURANT!

A man does not live on bread alone... he also needs quality food from Hot and Light Restaurant.

Are ladies welcome?

Because if so, I could send some over.

I was flirting with happy music ... but it failed to excite me so ... I'm going back to my long lasting love affair with more depressing music.

Everybody's welcome! Especially vampires. Blaze has a thing for them, don't you baby?

Feel free to play the track that excites you the most right now. Our very own DJ will take care of all your... requests.

Gents, I brought you a bottle of champagne as a Flirt House-warming gift. Where shall I put it?

Well, I'm told I go well with champagne...

There's nothing I can say to that that won't make me sound really creepy.

Certainly! Speaking of which, why don't you come inside Cleome? We certainly have a special way of entertaining guests.

I know! That's why we have that special champagne pool where guests may get their share of drinks... that's how we define flowing. And yeah, feel free to take a dip.

We have red and white wine pools too. And fruit wine waterfalls - the peach is delicious.

I should have used that post in the "kill this thread game"

My, where has everyone gone? Perhaps Blaze and I are flirting too much. Come, Blaze, let us take our flirting somewhere private so our guests won;t feel too awkward about watching us.

Because IB and I decided to take our flirting somewhere private (but still available upon request), we are re-launching this thread as--RESTAURANT!

We serve everything from classic appetizers, exotic dishes, sinful desserts, to chow mein. You can always find something here that will suit your taste.

Everyone's welcome!

As a lover of all types of cuisine, color me interested! Is there a local fish dish you both can recommend? I'm trying to eat more fish.

Waiter, there is a fly in my soup!

I'm HUNGRY!! <bangs hands on table>

You came to the right place. Steamed grouper is our specialty.

You want it:
> with sizzled soy sauce oil
> with Ginger and Yellow Beans
> or in Black Bean Sauce?

Teehee, the fly is one of IB's creations which regulates the temperature of your soup to keep it warm.

Also, did I say it's edible?

Hey Peebz. May I get your order? *winks*
Here, have some Spinach and Artichoke Dip Appetizer, on the house.

(Whew! Running a resto sure is tough.)

Hey IB, looks like we'll be needing you to call on your other selves for help.

I can also make it with combinations of honey, sesame oil, bell peppers, Philippine lime, lemon, orange juice...

Aw Blaze, you're doing really great running the restaurant while I'm away. You competent little baby you.

Sure, let's get all seven of me in here. *splits in a flash of light*

So, three of me will cook, three of me will wait tables, and the seventh will reward Blaze for all his hard work

who's doing the pots? who's doing the prep?
and you need a good dessert person....HELLO?

2 of you should wait tables. 1 needs to bus.

Looks like we got ourselves a consultant. Thanks, Pete. We DO have a crack staff in the kitchen, though.

For desserts, would you mind giving them some classes? We don't have the expertise for that quite yet.

Specials for the week:

Cream of Squash
Ham and Cheese Dumplings
Sizzling Shrimp Gambas
Lemon Chicken
La Paz Batchoy
Paella

to be continued by Blaze

I hope there's a "sampler" platter, because I'd say "yes" to all of these, no sweat.

cleome, for you, you get 3 sauces for the price of one!

So we decided on naming our restaurant Hot and Light, because our food is served piping hot with all-fresh, all-natural ingredients to cut down on unnecessary, empty calories. Dig in, all

Fresh lemonade on the house for our first 10 guests!

With just the right amount of honey

Another fish treat for Cobalt Kid - Crispy Fish with Pineapple Salsa !

we make variations of most of these in my shop.

best summer pies from saveur magazine\'s website

What's your favorite pie, Pete? Blaze and I would love to have some pie-making lessons.

the banoffee. we do it with graham cracker crust, condensed milk boiled in the can for 2 hours so it turns into dulce de leche. when thats cool pour into crust, refrigerate. add sliced bananas and top with sweetened fresh whipped cream. i like to stick it the freezer for a bit before eating, but thats me.

Thanks for the lesson, Pete I think Blaze and I will be needing your help from time to time.

You know, you could start your own dessert place.

probably be deserted.

Hot and Light Restaurant offers you a taste of the amazing countries in the world through our culinary wonders.

Now relax as we whip up a storm of dishes after dishes brought to you by IB and Blaze.

In this series, we present to you... Southeast Asia!

Thailand - this beautiful and exotic nation is proud to be the only Southeast Asian nation to never have been colonized by a foreign power. Consistently among the most popular, if not THE most popular of the countries for tourists, Thailand's long independence has led to it retaining it's very unique, Thai culture. Thai food is known for strong flavors and is very spicy.

Pad Thai. Stir-fried rice noodles in a special sauce mixed with bean sprouts, shrimp, chicken, or tofu. Pad Thai Sauce is made by mixing Tamarind pulp (for the sour flavor), Fish sauce (for the saltiness), Palm sugar (for the added sweetness) and Paprika or Thai chili powder (for the spice).

http://odintangvald.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/pad-thai-shrimp.jpg

Laos - The "forgotten" Southeast Asian nation, Laos is the sleepiest and most laid-back in the region. Its acronym, "People's Democratic Republic", is joked about in backpacker circles to stand for "Please, Don't Rush!". Given Laos' vast amount of mountains and its landlocked status, it's not surprising that its cuisine is characterized by flavorful herbs and raw vegetables.

Larb. The freshest raw beef coated with choice spices: mint, coriander, chillies, peppers, seasoned with fish sauce and a dash of lime juice. Enjoy!

http://laocook.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/08/p7070130.jpg

Myanmar - once known as the black sheep of Southeast Asia, Myanmar has made great strides in the past year by slowly opening up to democracy. This is good for locals and tourists alike; the latter can now find it easier to enjoy all that this country has to offer, such as the literally thousands of beautiful pagodas in Bagan. Its geographic location has also opened Burmese cuisine to Chinese and Indian influences.

Laphet Thote (Green Tea Leaf Salad). Laphet means picked tea leaves and thote means salad. In this part of the world, tea is not just drunk, it is also eaten! Pickled tea leaves are seasoned with oil and served with sesame seeds, fried garlic, and roasted peanuts.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ea1zzDfBom4/SZujFjyODGI/AAAAAAAAALw/2a7f5g-ZQCw/s400/Picture+1083.jpg

Cambodia - Cambodia is most well-known for the brutality of the Khmer Rouge and the grandeur of Angkor. Such is the beauty and historical value of the collection of ruins that the entire Angkor Archaeological Park has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and tourists who have been there swear that three days is barely enough to fully enjoy it. As such, Cambodian food is usually overlooked in favor of the sprawling temples. Cambodian food is milder than in its neighbors, but manages to combine influences from Thailand and Vietnam while still retaining a unique flavor.

Amok - Arguably the most well known Cambodian dish. A coconut milk curried dish less spicy than those found in Thailand. Amok is usually made with chicken, fish, or shrimp, plus some vegetables. It is sometimes served in a hollowed-out coconut with rice on the side. Quite delicious.

http://www.satreykhmeronline.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/cambodian-amok.jpg

Brunei - the tiny, oil-rich sultanate of Brunei is one of the richest nations in the world thanks to natural gas and petroleum resources, and a strategic location near vital sea lanes in between the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Although smack dab in the middle of Southeast Asia (Brunei shares an island with Malaysia), Brunei is relatively free of the natural disasters that so often plague its neighbors. Brunei cuisine is spicy and has influences from Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore, plus India, China, Japan and Thailand.

Ambuyat. Ambuyat is made from a mixture of sago and hot water. This is eaten by rolling the sago around two bamboo sticks and dipped in a thick and spicy sauce before eating it. Side dishes usually accompany Ambuyat, like meat wrapped in banana leaves, deep-fried seasoned meat, or soup made from dried fish.

http://www.aminaharif.com.bn/images/AMBUYAT-SET.jpg

Timor-Leste - the youngest Southeast Asian nation, Timor-Leste hasn't seen that many tourists yet. The nation does hope to capitalize on rich opportunities for community-based ecotourism, as the young nation boasts many stunning natural sights and strong traditions based on legend and poetry. Timorese cuisine is heavy on fish, and also has strong influences from its history as a Portuguese colony, with sailors from all over the Portuguese Empire bringing their cuisine with them.

Ikan Saboko. Simple food for simple people of Timor-Leste, who for centuries had been farmers. The lowly fried fish gets an upgrade as we cook it in banana leaves with tamarind paste.

http://www.ntnews.com.au/images/uploadedfiles/editorial/pictures/2010/04/01/timor-cafe-3.jpg

Was a lot of fun researching those We better get to work perfecting these!

Wonder who our first customer would be.

Well, Cobalt Kid is our first customer since the relaunch Shall we give him a special prize?

I meant for the Southeast Asian dishes.

Hmmm... Cobie may request any dish of his choice, on the house.

can i be the guest pâtissier?

i'll make Khao Niaow Ma Muang.

one night and one night only.

btw...i'm very impressed with Blaze's food knowledge. i've made pad thai at the old job (plus thai fried rice). not listed here, but i assume its a real thing.
everything else Blaze mentioned was new to me and of course i found it all quite interesting.
i also made "bun" at the old job, can we make that a special?? do you guys know what that is??

Hear that, Cobie?

Pete, you're welcome to be the guest chef at our resto. What IS a "bun"? And Blaze did do a very good job researching on these dishes We both had a lot of fun selecting among them and writing them up.

"bun" is bangkok street food. like a new york hot dog. sort of a an herb salad with lettuce and cucumber, rice noodles. thin grilled strips of pork. with peanuts and pickled carrots and fried shallots as the garnish. and a sauce. fish sauce. nuoc chom. that's how i remember it. i loved saying nuoc chom. i also loved saying bangkok.
no one new what was going on until i showed up. everyone had their skills...but i was the only one who knew how to read a recipe.
boy, i miss that job.

Sounds like a complete meal in and of itself, Pete.

Sounds like a complete meal in and of itself, Pete.

not for those hungry college kids it wasn't.



mine didn't look like that. btw.

Description courtesy of Facebook

PANSIT PALABOK is a noodle dish with shrimp sauce and topped with many ingredients. It is called palabok because of the bright orange sauce and toppings that make an attractive garnishing. Palabok is the Filipino word for garnish or embellishment, but the garnishings in palabok are more than just decorations.

menu picture

Vigan Empanada - a nice, tasty and filling meat "bun" with plenty of veggies such as papaya, carrots and bean sprouts.

Only a dollar each!

menu picture