Hot Plate

Seeking bliss? There are several options available to you. There's a nice Cistercian monastery I can recommend, and I know of a really good ashram. Or, then again, if neither is your cup of tea, there's always meditation. But if you're in a hurry -- if, in other words, you want to get from here to serenity as quickly as possible, your best bet is the always reliable Golden Room (1209 Montrose, 524-9614). It's a pleasure just stepping into this place. But what really sends me into raptures is the ka prao moo ($9.95 at dinner) -- stir-fried pork served with onions and a mound of nicely gummy rice shaped to look like Texas, of all things. It's incongruous, yes, but believe me, you'll be so blissed out, it's unlikely that you'll notice.