Rev. Larry Lorenzoni once joked, “Birthdays are good for you. Statistics show that the people who have the most, live the longest.” Just a couple of weeks ago, I was fortunate enough to celebrate another year in existence. I’ve always enjoyed having a birthday in February. Not that I had a choice. But, I often hear people complain of their birthdays. “It’s too close to Christmas.” “My sister’s birthday is the same week.” “My birthday almost always falls on Thanksgiving.” I just don’t get why people complain about things they have no control over.
Back to me. My birthday is always at the end of February. A few years ago, a good friend recommended spreading out the celebration and it was expanded to “Birthday Week.” Lunches and dinners with friends throughout the week was a brilliant idea. It has become so popular, that it has been dragged out past just the week. This year I started a week early with a trip to Austin to visit the sister and, while it has slowed down to a trickle, it is still going on.
One of the birthday lunches that I most look forward to is the one with my mom. Yes, she usually cooks a great meal on or around the actual day for me and my family. In hindsight, I should probably be the one cooking for her. After all, she did all the work on that February night many years ago. I actually had the easy role. Nonetheless, she also insists that she and I have a “Date” and we do lunch.
This year was a nice surprise. Surprised in that when she mentioned where we were going, I was surprised that it was still open. It had been a dozen years since I had been to China Jade (5274 S Hulen St). My first reaction was, “Really?” To which Mom said, “Yes, really.” Being the guy who loves to try new (old) places, I was ready to revisit a blast from the past.
We went during the week and walked in to a nice crowd, but, it was not a problem to get a table. We were greeted with a lunch menu with a ton of choices and at a great price. Most dishes were under $6. The lunch includes: soup, an eggroll and a biscuit, the entree, rice and a fortune cookie.
I went with the beef and broccoli. Everything was super fresh and hot. This was one of my favorite dishes as a child and reminded me of that. A little bit ironic because I was with my mom. She opted for her favorite, chicken chow mein. It also was prepared with fresh vegetables, tender chunks of chicken breast and, because we were celebrating my birthday, a little bit of extra love.
China Jade is open for lunch and dinner. If you two are looking for traditional, tasty Chinese food , then I’d sure suggest China Jade. One other thing. I opted for using utensils. When it comes to the “other” choice, I tend to side with the sexy and sultry Miss Piggy when she so eloquently stated, “You do not sew with a fork, and I see no reason why you should eat with knitting needles.”
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