06 08 2004
Atarashii tokoro omedetou (congratulations on your new place)
K opened a new restaurant down the road from his yakitori a few days ago, and on the night after the grand opening, OT, BT, my girlfriend, her best friend and I arranged to meet there. It was just down the road from K's yakitori place, and it didn't take us long to find it. We walked in to be confronted with a relatively nicely furnished interior, about the same size as the old place but a different kind of shop. A high set bar counter stood next to about 10 natural wood chairs (each about $350, apparently). On top of the counter were a number of the dishes being served that night, in big open plates which they served from. This new place was an izakaya (traditonal bar / restaurant) rather than a yakitori (meat on sticks place), and so there's a bit more of a focus on good food and less of a focus on alcohol. We sat down at this big communal table, that was filling up the rest of the shop. The table was big enough for approximately 12-16 people to sit down, and the lack of other seating apart from at the bar meant that you generally sit down near people you don't know. This is mildly unnerving at first - if you're perched across the other side of the table from someone you don't know, it feels a little funny to be staring into their face. But at the same time, it's kind of a friendly atmosphere. I apologised to my companions for my lack of genkiness (energy), as I was a bit dazed by my head cold. But I was happy to be there. We ordered a variety of dishes and some beers. The girls didn't drink, as they had to drive. There's no legal driving limit in Japan. Any in your blood and you're in trouble. BT had brought a bottle of shouchuu for K as a little thank you gift, which "unfortunately" resulted in K's staff donating a bottle of shouchuu from the shop back to him. The food started coming pretty quickly, and there was an interesting variety of things on the menu. The highlight (much to the chagrin of readers back home, no doubt), was strips of raw chicken, dipped in a mix of soy sauce and wasabi. They were really fresh, and just divine. Also on the menu was a salad with tofu and .. I'm not sure, it looked like onions but tasted like something sweet. And these mini potato-like things, about half the size of a golf ball, with a furry skin which you clasp and push the potato-esque affair out of. And a separate dish of just tofu, sprinkled with katsuo bushi (shaved fish flakes) and a bit of shouga (ginger). Tofu is generally quite delicate here, and it's really difficult to pick it up with chopsticks. I'd like to think I'm usually okay with chopsticks these days, but tofu gets me every time, and I end up accidently mashing it to pieces while attempting to pick it up. Much to OT's amusement, though he fumbled some food later in the night and I took the opportunity to get him back. After the girls went home due to work commitments the next day, we decided to go back to K's yakitori place - mostly because I was suggesting to OT and BT that a place with food would be good, rather than just a bar somewhere. We ordered a bunch of meat on sticks which was particularly yummy that night. K was working there at the time, and he introduced us to a type of sauce based on halapenos which isn't even on the menu, because it's too hot for the tastes of most of the customers. It was great. BT decided to go home shortly after, as he was dog tired and slightly inebriated. I suggested to OT we drop by a texmex bar/restaurant that we've both been to, and OT seemed receptive to the idea. We were 2 of only 3 people in the restaurant (which perhaps isn't surprising for 3am on a Thursday night). We ordered some burritos and "spicy pickled cabbage" - which just turned out to be pork kimchee (buta kimuchi), though it was yummy. We sat around and talked computer geek talk for a while before deciding to meander home and get some rest.