A preamble (or verbal ramble, take your pick):
My reviews of…read morerestaurants tend to follow a certain pattern. I write about ordering a ton of food, joke once again that I'll have to start that diet very, very soon and bemoan those days long past when I used to eat like Art Carney's Ed Norton and drink like Ralph Kramden's Jackie Gleason and never gain a pound.
Well, that "very, very soon" diet has finally, belatedly, become a reality. A few weeks ago, I went to my pulmonologist, and I weighed more than I ever have in my life. It shouldn't have been a shock, but it was...a bit. I talked with my oldest friend, who is my age (I'm older by 3 months), and he weighs what he weighed in high school. I don't think that's going to happen to me, but I'm thinking if I really seriously diet and lose the excess weight, maybe I can reverse or at least ameliorate some of these medical issues I've been dealing with lately. As my friend said, "At the very least, you'll feel a lot better."
So... I'm trying. In the past few weeks, I've managed to lose 15 pounds. I don't think I'm going to make high school weight (which, if I remember right, was in the 190's), but I've got a good momentum going, and I'm committed to seeing where it will lead.
What possible relevance does all that have to a review of Teri Teri Japanese Restaurant in Union City? It means I'm not going to be reviewing the appetizer, or the soup, or the large, spicy meal, or the rich desert, or the headache-inducing-but-soul-satisfying Coconut Bubble Tea.
In other words, I'm going to eat moderately and healthily, and the review will reflect that (even if, as is my self-indulgent custom, I'm not writing a review that's moderate or...healthy? No. Let's say moderate, concise and to-the-point).
Preamble over. On to the actual review...
In the past, the Lunchbox Mafia where I work used to order from Okinawa and I liked their Bento Box. Sadly, they no longer offer the Bento Box, and we haven't ordered from them lately. A few times, though, we've ordered delivery from Teri Teri, and I've been satisfied. The Chicken Combo was a pretty good Bento Box replacement, with soup, salad, rice, tempura, slices of ginger (love 'em!) and a 5-piece California roll (I loathe sushi, but I can handle the California roll).
Recently, the Lunchbox Mafia was going to order from Teri Teri, asked if I wanted to join them, and I checked out the menu-- and it was certainly a novel experience for me, perusing the items offered for "healthy choices." I decided on the Salmon Plate, which came with salad and rice. Delivery was quick and the prices seemed reasonable. I can't remember what The New Godfather of Lunch or Sir Cheapness (former Godfather of Lunch) ordered, but I had 2 very large pieces of perfectly cooked Salmon, and a massive pile of rice, which I picked at sparingly. The Salmon was delicious and very filling all on its own. And the salad was comprised of quality lettuce (it has
always been my experience that if you receive a salad made up chiefly of Iceberg lettuce, you're eating at a cheap...in terms of quality, not necessarily price...restaurant).
Once my heart had recovered from the unexpected shock of my healthy eating, I imagined I could hear it offer up a faint but...dare I say it?..."heartfelt" paen of thanks to whatever God or Gods exist that I've finally...at long last... changed my ways? (I think my liver offered up that same paen of thanks when I stopped the drinking and the opioids).
In any event, all of my usual verbose nonsense aside, I've liked what I've had from here, and whether your tastes run to heavy, spicy meals or more healthful alternatives when it comes to Japanese cuisine, Teri Teri is highly recommended.