Lo-fi songs are great

[venta]

As several people who read this could testify, one of my favouritest things in the world is miso soup. However, attempts to make it at home have failed utterly. One can buy packets of 'instant miso' or 'miso paste', which produce watery, bland, salty ick which does not really resemble my idea of miso soup at all.

So: what do I do ? I dare say the answer lies in the oriental supermarket near the station, but that place daunts me a little.

And on a related note, I did try using a packet of miso paste to make a base for some ramen this evening. Noodles, and vegetables and prawns and stuff, and some soup to slosh it about in. While I wouldn't describe it as an unqualified cooking disaster, it certainly wasn't all that nice.

Anyone want to offer me some handy advice, or recipes they can vouch for ? I'm wondering whether I want rice noodles rather than egg noodles, for a start - they certainly didn't seem to taste at all right.

Don't say I didn't warn you: this bit really isn't very interesting.

After the cooking, I fell over a pile of CDs into my room. Again. Desperation set in, and I worked out a way to fit another CD tower in my room - found one that would be ideal in Argos. 7:30pm - just time to get to Botley Rd and sort it all out before closing at 8. Checked the online map on Argos's site just to make sure I knew where it was: just past Abbey Rd.

Vrooom, to Botley Rd. Now, it turns out Abbey Rd is just past the station, where The White House is. And where a large thing like an Argos definitely isn't. So, I keep driving up Botley Rd, peering about, until i reach the ring road. Not so much as a hint of an Argos.

I pull over, get the store's number from directory enquiries. They don't answer.

Decide I must be mad, and drive back to Abbey Rd. Nope, there really isn't an Argos there. Sod 'em, I'll go to MFI.

MFI is large, deserted, and I wander undisturbed by staff (or, sadly, CD racks) through a barn-like spread of bathroom, bedroom, and study. Eventually, leaving, someone asks if they can help. No, they don't stock CD racks; Argos would. I explain. They give me directions - apprently it's behind Wickes.

Wickes is clearly signed. Behind it is a large, fenced off area full of empty boxes and cack. Then some trees. Despairing, I drive out past the entrance to Comet, and eventually locate, far beyond, in an unlit, dead-end of carpark: Argos!

Of course, it's now past 8, and the bloody thing's shut. It isn't visible from the road - there are buildings in the way - and there are no signs for it. Presumably most of their trade is from passing psychics.

No CD tower for me :( That's not a problem, really, I'll get one another time. The annoying thing is that the whole thing would have been avoidable if they'd put a correct map online, or bothered to put bloody signs up.

I came home and wrote their customer services a stroppy letter. And I grumbled to Frances when she came in (making sure I stood between her and the door, so she had to listen to the whole story). And now I've ranted here, so perhaps I've now got it all out of my system and no one else will have to listen to the sorry tale tomorrow :)

Comments

[leathellin.livejournal.com]

I'm worried now, the Argos on Botley road really isn't tricky to find. Just past Abbey Rd may not be the most accurate description but never mind... If you go into the Wickes car park it is just behind you in a large shop/carpark you have recently driven past. So before you turn into Wickes there is another car park (after PC World - before Wickes). May have a Comet/Currys.

Well I never found it tricky even if the description apparently is...

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[venta.livejournal.com]

So, how did you know where to look the first time you went ? Since you can't see it from the road, you have to know it's there.

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[ao-lai.livejournal.com]

I too completely failed to find it the first time I looked. I had to get someone to actually point it out eventually...

Argos

[wimble.livejournal.com]

Annoyingly, their store locator is producing a "Generic Application Error" at the server end at the moment, so I can't see what the directions say.

I'm very suprised that Abbey Road is involved at all, as it's at least half a mile away, and on the wrong side of Botley Road. BT's online directory enquiries put it at "Unit 2a, Botley Road", and... they provide a link to the map. Which is wrong, showing the end of Abbey Road.

Yeah, we've had this problem before, trying to track down (I think) Lynx couriers for narenek's laptop. The problem is that (allegedly) the post code information provided by the Royal Mail is wrong. Or (possibly) they are asking Multimap for the wrong postcode.

[ex-kharin447.livejournal.com]

There's an Argos call and collect in Woodley you could try?

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[venta.livejournal.com]

Thanks, but I don't think that's much of an option. Getting a 6' flat pack in the car isn't a problem, but fitting the other three passengers in to go home might be tricky :)

[uitlander]

Argos have a 'collection only' shop in Woodley - the chip shop end. You can order what you want on-line, and just go and collect it (saving the delivery fee) 1 or 2 days later. The online tracking tells you when its arrived in store, and both times I've used the service they have called my mobile to tell me its there. Any use?

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[venta.livejournal.com]

Thanks, but see above :)

And incidentally, favouritism! They never ring me to tell me stuff's in :(

[kissifa.livejournal.com]

What I do for ramen is very simple - I take an instant packet of some flavour of noodles (my favourite is prawn flavour) and use the flavour sachet to make the soup base, however I then add to that a good glud of Amoy's Light Soy sauce, a good glug of Amoy's sesame oil, and a good glug (depending on how hot you like it) of Blue Dragon's Thai sweet chilli dipping sauce. Then chuck in the noodles and it's all done.

What I also think is nice is to add a tin of Tiger brand stir-fry vegetables - cause they're crunchy and nice and you can either add them to the noodles right near the end so they're warm but not soft, or fry them up separately in a little sesame oil and chilli sauce and soy sauce (note the three key ingredients). I find that makes a nice soup base that just adds a little depth on the usual noodle flavour packet.

The Chinese supermarket by the station is really nice (they've got lots of miso, and mochi, and pocky!) I really recommend you give it a try - it is daunting at first, but the staff are friendly and it has some damn fine food. Let me know if you fancy going food shopping in it sometime - I love going in there. :)

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[venta.livejournal.com]

Let me know if you fancy going food shopping in it sometime

Oooh, might take you up on that. I went in once, years and years back - the staff weren't unpleasant, but no one seemed willing to help me out, and I couldn't read the labels :(

Maybe it was just a bad day, or I looked like a serial killer, or something.

I've made ramen using packet noodles before - they are nice, but Not The Same.

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[kissifa.livejournal.com]

Many thing in there now have English language labels slapped on somewhere - cause they've realised it's a good way to tap into the young trendy market.


The instant noodles being not the same as proper jobbie miso goodness is very true, however it's amazing how a budget can make your tastebuds more appreciative of the simpler (and cheaper) tastes in life. :)

[mr-tom.livejournal.com]

Miso soup: easy to make badly, nigh-on-impossible to make well, and even more difficult to choose the 'right' recipe.

It goes something like this, IIRC:

* Make dashi from kombu[1] and bonito in slowly-to-the-simmer water.
* Pour dashi onto some miso paste, add bits of tofu, wakame, spring onions, bonito flakes, salt cod[2]
* Don't boil.

With any number of variations on that theme....

[1] Apaprently this is a strong source of 'umami', the 5th base flavour.
[2] Not all of them. Which ever you like. Or all of them if you like them all.

[lanfykins.livejournal.com]

There's an Argos on Botley Road?

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[uitlander]

yup, and has been since the days when I was a student.