I met up with Susie on Sunday for our pilgrimage trip to Muji headquarter near Yurakucho station. When being asked for lunch idea, I suggested the yakitori place that I have read on internet (where people refused to go with me because it is too seedy, too old fashion or whatever the reason is). I walked past this grill chicken paradise a number of times but never had enough courage to walk in and order some grilled skewered chicken with my broken Japanese.
We sat down in the small table, the ceiling is literally above my head (this is the small join underneath the Yurakucho JR station, to be exact, right under the railway. You can feel the wall trembling when trains go by). Later the seats next to us was occupied by 3 Japanese men, the older one started to chat us up, offered us food and drink. It was very much pleasant meeting.
It turned out the old man was one of the iron chef challengers, he runs a restaurant in Ginza and the 2 other young men are also in charge of restaurants in Asakusa and Yebisu. Strange Tokyo, people are so snobbish sometimes yet so friendly if you go to the right place.
The very strange thing is that the youngest chef was doing all the service for the iron chef, I mean, he refilled his glasses and ours with much attention but you don't feel annoyed. He even diluted my drink with water when the iron chef insisted to pour me more liqour while I was eyeing him not to. He skillfully made his master happy and not get me drunk at the same time. Whenever the master talks to him, he would grab his ear (he sat next to the young chef) and dragged him over, the young guy looked exactly like the son being submisive to his father. Is this an act or he is doing it out of an habit?
>
No comments:
Post a Comment