Aloha!!! from China

Tonight the boys and I had THE BEST MEAL EVER!!!

Ok, perhaps that is overstating things a little, and I mean just a little, but it was amazing!

Why, you ask?  Because we had a fantastic meal of good ol' American COMFORT FOOD in CH**A!

The Aloha Diner has been open 5 years and it was a gift straight from heaven!

Not only did the staff speak perfect English, but....

The Food was all made from SCRATCH!

 -that's right, the BBQ was pulled there, the tortillas (flour) were made fresh, the sour cream- fresh, the cheesecake milkshakes...made with REAL New York style cheescake and icecream, the lasagna noodles- you guessed it, from scratch!

The owner, Janie Corum, was a very gracious hostess to our crew this evening.  Ya'll, her restaurant was immaculate!  Eat off the floor clean!  The bathroom was warm, had western style toilets, and warm water to wash your hands.  The hand dryer even blew hot air!

If you've ever been to China, you will understand the novelty and rarity of these small luxuries.

No matter what side of town you might be in when you next visit Wuhan, you MUST go there. I don't care of you have to crawl the entire way. That is how special this place is.

So, let's get to the real issue- the food!

I had a BBQ sandwich on a homemade roll, hand-dipped onion rings, french fries and ROOT BEER!  (In CHINA!)

There was actual purring going on while we ate.

Our friend Anne Little's son, Jack, is studying Chinese in Wuhan right now and it has been a pleasure to get to know him. He has been a very delightful host and joined us for dinner tonight.  He may have come out of a sense of hospitality toward us, knowing that I was traveling alone with the boys, but I am quite sure he was selfishly thrilled that he went once he finished his meal!

Jack enjoyed TACOS!  Tacos in China. With sour cream and pico!  The real deal folks.

  Even if I hadn't been starving for American food, and even if I hadn't been cooped up in a small hotel room all day with two squirrely boys, and even if I hadn't been starved for the sound of a familiar language, this place rocked!

And did I mention Dessert?  There really are no adequate words for dessert...

Could it even be December without EGGNOG?

Well, Aloha did not disappoint...

We enjoyed an Eggnog milkshake.  It was heaven.

I have never eaten a milkshake so slowly in my life. I didn't want it to end...LOL

Even the boys liked it so I got one for them to split.  (Hey, only those who will truly appreciate it deserve a whole one, right Jack?)

I wish my other boys had been able to share this meal with us.  Even Tom, with his mad cooking skills would have enjoyed this meal immensely!

This restaurant was clearly a labor of love for Janie and she can justifiably take pride in what she offers weary travelers and natives alike.

God has blessed her establishment and will use it for great things, I am sure.  Thanks Janie!  We had a wonderful evening.

P.S. Anyone who has plans to travel to Wuhan, please email Janie if you might be willing to bring something from the states. While most of their raw materials come from China, there are a few items that they fly in from the states.  She would graciously accept gifts of food stuffs, or happily reimburse you with a receipt.  They have a facebook page, so check them out!