And let me tell you, I’m just the slightest bit scared.  Not that I don’t like Chinese food because I do. But for one, I’ll be meeting my husband’s entire work team (going away/maternity leave party for his boss).  Secondly, they’re all also really adventurist diners and well, they’re Chinese and Vietnamese. On top of that, it’s also the first time I’m meeting everyone.  So either way, a little nerve-wracking.

And let’s keep in mind, we were complaining (toungue in cheek) that my friend and his wife served our table the Americanized version of Chinese food at their wedding.  But as he explained it…being told to expect that a full chicken with head and feet is coming to the table is not the same thing as seeing it.  His co-workers are totally into the chicken feet sort of thing and they talk about it at work (no really, I do believe that 3/4 of them are either immigrants themselves that came over as a young child or first generation).

The Yelp reviews of the place we’re going are good though.  I could always just get something that I’m comfortable with, like um…noodles or the shrimp in mayo (yum!).  Of course, back at the office they’ll probably get a good giggle out of that.  But really, I can’t say I’d blame them.

Coming from an immigrant family (okay, I was raised by my first generation grandmother, but we lived with my immigrant great grandmother), I never really had food from other cultures until I was an adult – spaghetti and pizza don’t count.  Heck, I never had Mexican food until I was like 17 and even then, it was from ChiChi’s (and we all know that doesn’t count).  The only Chinese food I’d had was chicken lo mein and that was at my elementary school cafeteria (again, don’t really think that counts).  I didn’t have Indian or Mid-Eastern food until my late 20’s.

Since meeting my husband, I think I’ve tried more ethnic food that I can think of.  So it’s not that I’m scared to try new or unknown foods, I’m just not sure I’m up for the chicken feet or braised pork belly.  We just didn’t eat that sort of thing growing up (though those Eastern Europeans do seem to love their tongue and liver – nothankyouplease).

Wish me luck!