Today, as I do every Sunday, I went home to my family to go to church and to hang out. Unlike other Sundays, though, I had a “birthday dinner” with more family–uncles, aunts, cousins, grandparents, and the like–at Sanamluang Cafe, an oft-frequented restaurant my family goes to to satisfy our Thai-food cravings.
Going to a great college so close to home definitely has its perks.
I honestly think that this place is great. I’m not Thai–though I’ve been called Thai before–but compared to other Thai eateries I’ve been to, this place really does seem to have great food.
Sanamluang Cafe is located in Pomona, just a few miles from the Claremont University Consortium. It’s really close to Mix Bowl, but it doesn’t deliver. You can’t call them late at night and expect a guy with your food in a to-go container right outside your residence hall. As such, many people at the 5Cs don’t know about it. Really, though, I think this place is way better than Mix Bowl.
Usually when I’m there, I order Pad Thai, Pad Se Ew, or some kind of dish of roasted duck.
Being there with family definitely brought me back. I haven’t hung out with them since I’d left to Pomona. I remembered the family-style thing that Asians do: We each order a dish, but leave the dishes in the center of the table so that everyone can get a serving of whatever there is. The Lazy Susans frequently found at Chinese restaurants really come in handy for this. Also, I remembered that when we invite others to eat out like this, the one who invites everyone has to treat everybody. Props to my mother.
After dinner, I got a handful of disposable chopsticks for my room, and one present–another reminder that I usually get money as gifts for any occasion that requires gift-giving. It’s a jacket that looks like a varsity jacket, but it isn’t. Besides that, I got money. No cake this year, because the not-so-frequent treating of guests leaves my parents to think that a cake is quite expensive! I can’t blame them, though I do wish I’d have been able to blow out those candles and make my turning 18 “official.” Maybe yesterday’s fountaining will suffice.
The jacket reminded me of One Direction’s Zayn Malik. I’d thought about buying a pair of red pants and white shirt with horizontal black stripes for Halloween to be Louis, but perhaps I’ll change my plans for this year.
So, that marks the likely end of my birthday: Fountaining, a card and a cupcake, spending time with family, and presents. Except it’s not over till I eat the cupcake.
I look forward to inviting my new Pomona friends to eat here with me one day.
Thanks to everybody for a great first birthday at Pomona College!