Putting the FU in Fun

There is something about dinner with friends that puts a big ol' smile on my face. Not that Marc and I don't enjoy dining out mano a womano*, but that whole "the more the merrier" thing often rings true, especially when it's a casual Friday night outing. (*yes...I made that up.) That's why I was extra happy when Marc asked me last Friday if I wanted to have dinner with our friends, John & Troy, at my very favorite Chinese restaurant.

Last spring, a church friend introduced us to Chang Fu, a hole-in-the-wall Chinese restaurant on the far northwest side of Indianapolis. It's not "on our way" to anywhere but one bite of those oh-so-tasty BBQ spare ribs, and I fell hook, line, and sinker. I've found that I actually crave their veggie Lo Mein, and for awhile, Marc and I became regular Sunday patrons. We typically make the trek to Chang Fu at my urging, but I know that Marc doesn't mind the 25 minute drive for their delectable General Tso's Chicken. If the good food isn't enough to keep you coming back, then the people who run the place are. Marc particularly likes the "head guy," who he says looks like a Chinese Zach Braff. Check it out sometime...you'll definitely catch the resemblance.

We got a bit of a late start last Friday, but I don't think it really detracted from John & Troy's maiden Chang Fu voyage. In fact, we closed the place down (at about 10pm). It's not a very fancy place...you order at the counter, pick a seat from five or six booths, and then they bring your food out. No fountain drinks here...just bottled drinks from the soda case. I think that most people come in for carry out, but our food would definitely be cold by the time we made it home. So, we showed the guys the ropes and then waited with bated breath for the feast to begin. When the food first arrived at the table, we all laughed about how big the portions were and how we would have to take home doggy-bags. Then we started eating, and talking, and eating more, until lo and behold all four of us became members of the Clean Plate Club. You can see visual proof of our good work below. Check out all of the plates! I'm not sure where it all went.

John eventually pointed out that the employees were packing it in for the evening, so we moved the party on over to Starbucks. I can't exactly tell you how I managed to down a caramel apple cider, but it was just the perfect treat for a brisk fall evening. My hope is that John & Troy enjoyed Chang Fu as much as Marc and I do, but at the very least, they didn't go home empty bellied.