Langley Real Estate

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Bob Long isn’t afraid to take a little heat every now and then.

That’s why he’s in the kitchen every chance he gets.

Born on Robbie Burns Day in England back in 1957, the Langley Township councillor developed a passion for the culinary craft at a young age.

While his father was a great cook, it was his grandfather who ignited the flame for his passion.

Long’s grandfather was Long TackSam, a world famous Chinese magician who travelled all over the world with his vaudeville act. He worked with the likes of Cary Grant and opened for the Marx Brothers on several occasions.

In the late ’20s,TackSam retired his magic act to open a restaurant in England. Long, whose diverse ethnic background is Chinese, Austrian, Japanese and English– enjoys cooking all kinds of dishes.

“It’s always a thrill to create something that people eat and enjoy. Nothing beats that feeling of having eaten a really good meal. To be part of creating that is pretty special.’’

Long recently opened Chicken Bob’s Cantina on Pacific Avenue in White Rock, offering a mix of Tex-Mex cuisine and live entertainment to Peninsula patrons. It’s his second restaurant – the first, Del Polos, he opened six years ago in his hometown of Aldergrove.

While the hospitality industry and the politics may seem like two different worlds to some, for Long the similarities are striking.

“In both cases, you are serving the public,” he said from his White Rock kitchen. “I enjoy being in the public realm.”

In this week’s edition of Local Flavours, Long shares his recipe for Almond Chicken Salad, a popular dish on the menu at Chicken Bob’s Cantina.

 
Almond Chicken Salad   Ingredients:   Dressing: zest of one orange 1 cup mayonnaise 1/8 cup honey 1/8 cup orange juice 1/4 tsp. of dried parsley Fresh 5oz chicken breast 1/4 cup sliced almonds Mandarin orange and sprig of parsley (optional) salad greens Instructions:   (This dish can be made quickly as the dressing can be prepared ahead of time. Simply mix ingredients in advance and refrigerate).Prepare chicken: saute chicken breast in non stick pan until brown on both sides –remove and let cool slightly–then cut into thick strips, return to pan and cook to your liking (not too much if you want it tender) then add the dressing and toss just until the sauce is warm - place over fresh salad greens and top with the sliced almonds. *You can also add a few orange slices or some mandarin orange and a sprig of parsley as a garnish.

The Schacter Team - Langley Realtors