bruce and i went across the street to try pho 'n rice (289 beacon street, somerville), the new vietnamese-thai restaurant that opened up a few weeks ago. there were already a few lunchgoers there when we arrived and by the time we left the place was almost to capacity. bruce brought along his briefcase so i knew he had some business afterwards. their menu was a visual overload of choices; is there anything thai or vietnamese they don't have? we played it safe and ordered from the lunch combo menu, bruce going with a cashew chicken will i decided on the gra paw (stir-fried minced chicken). i asked bruce if he could look after my fish next week, and he told he was going to bavaria near the end of march for a conference. the appetizers and soup were good, but i found the main course a little too strong in flavor (i couldn't really tell if i really was eating chicken). nevertheless, there are so many other choices on the menu that i'd need to revisit this place a few times before i can voice an honest opinion.

in the evening i made some macaroni and cheese, which is now become my default food when i don't have anything else to eat around the house and i don't want to do ramen or canned soup again. even macaroni and cheese i don't think is a particularly healthy alternative, not with that velveeta cheese laden with sodium. i've always thought it's the kind of food that fathers make for their children when their wives are away. for dessert i emptied a can of lychees.