Elise - S01 E44

Story 7 months ago

Elise - S01 E44

Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 44

Walking down to the restaurant was different from the middle of the night visits as the streets were bustling and all of the shops and outlets were open.

Reaching Charlie’s we entered the front door and sat in a booth near the window. A beautiful young American Chinese girl came,smiled and said hello to Elise and gave us menus and asked if we wanted drinks in the meantime.

"No thanks Lin just a pot of Jasmine tea for us please." Lin went back to the kitchen area. “No booze for me today as I will have to work in the bar so it is just tea for me.”

Not in a drinking mood either, I agreed with her."

"You know everybody in here?"

"I do. That is Charlie's neice, Lin Yue. She works part time as she is at college and Charlie hopes that she will become a doctor. He pays for her education but is not forcing her into a medical course just as long as she is happy."

Lin returned with the tea and asked what we would like to eat as

we sipped the piping hot fragrant tea while looking at the menu.

“You have to try the Hot and Sour soup here, it is great, either that or the Wonton soup. Aw fuck! I forgot you have been to the real countries for Chinese food so you will know what they are like as well as everything else!”

“Chinese food is variable depending where you are especially as some foods are regional and are not westernized to suit Caucasian tastes. Good food depends on the chefs and as far as Charlie’s goes I have not been disappointed so far.”

“Well you can choose what you like, Egon Ronay I’m having Hot and Sour soup, the Szechuan chicken with crispy wontons and egg fried rice.”

“I’d like the Hot and Sour soup too, along with steamed and fried pork balls and shrimp dumplings and lo mein vegetable noodles.”

I looked around the restaurant itself and it was tastefully decorated and had long wall friezes of mountains and rivers along with dragon scrolls hanging between them.

We did not have to wait long for the soup and it was excellently spiced and boiling hot as well.

Finishing off the soup it was just moments before the main courses arrived and I appreciated the quality of the dumplings that were with the noodles.

Elise was concentrating on devouring her meal as if she had not eaten for days rather than hours! She was extremely deft in handling the chopsticks and proffered a piece of her chicken for me to taste. It was excellent and slightly fiery as is the wont with Seczhuan food. I noted to myself to try it out the next time we were in Charlie’s.

"I know that 'Yue' means Moon but what does 'Lin' mean?"

"Lin's full Chinese name is Beautiful Jade Moon, suits her as she is beautiful."

We asked for more of the tea as it went well with the food and it was not long before Elise let out a satisfied sigh as she put her chopsticks down.