It was a birthday party at 1075 Duval and it was a lovely evening to be out with a bunch of police officers. Mark on the left and Tami on the right, both work night shift. I get to tell them what to do, and sometimes they listen.
Niko's mother is Japanese and John leaned over to ask her how to say "Happy Birthday" to Rachel the birthday girl. "Happy Birthday" Niko deadpanned. She's a police officer, paramedic, and emergency room nurse, always working somewhere to help people, but she doesn't speak Japanese. 
Some of us ordered sashimi, some ordered tempura or teryaki while I alone ordered an Udon, but we all had to wait a while.
After an hour and a half my soup appeared with a pile of fried vegetables which one is supposed to dip in the broth. I am Americanized so I like my fried food to be crunchy. I slurped like a proper Japanese, not least because I had been anticipating eating for a good long while. My Udon was the last to appear so I pretty much vacuumed it up.
Someone brought a cake and we embarrassed Rachel by singing Happy Birthday (in English).
Rachel and I have worked in dispatch together for years as she is one of three dispatchers who have been there longer than me. Next year we agreed we will have dinner someplace where the food appears in less than two hours. Not fast food perhaps but at least not glacially slow; a place where excellent food can appear in less time than it takes an inexperienced officer to write an arrest affidavit.
Niko's mother is Japanese and John leaned over to ask her how to say "Happy Birthday" to Rachel the birthday girl. "Happy Birthday" Niko deadpanned. She's a police officer, paramedic, and emergency room nurse, always working somewhere to help people, but she doesn't speak Japanese. 
Some of us ordered sashimi, some ordered tempura or teryaki while I alone ordered an Udon, but we all had to wait a while. 
After an hour and a half my soup appeared with a pile of fried vegetables which one is supposed to dip in the broth. I am Americanized so I like my fried food to be crunchy. I slurped like a proper Japanese, not least because I had been anticipating eating for a good long while. My Udon was the last to appear so I pretty much vacuumed it up. 
Someone brought a cake and we embarrassed Rachel by singing Happy Birthday (in English).Rachel and I have worked in dispatch together for years as she is one of three dispatchers who have been there longer than me. Next year we agreed we will have dinner someplace where the food appears in less than two hours. Not fast food perhaps but at least not glacially slow; a place where excellent food can appear in less time than it takes an inexperienced officer to write an arrest affidavit.
4 comments:
Dear Sir:
I left a nice comment about 2500 posts back on your new pannier bags, which I thought were very practical,clever, and good looking. I can't believe you waited 90 minutes for flavored hot water with fat noodles in it, and a side of tempura. Was the kitchen run by zombies?
Tell us a bit more about Tami.
Fondest regards,
Jack • reep • Toad
Twisted Roads
I put a good face on a difficult restaurant and pointed out we were here to cheer on the birthday girl and it was a lovely evening etc...
Tami lives with a fellow officer who reminds me of Vic in "The Shield" to look at, though his morals, as far as I can tell are of a different sort altogether. Tami is smart, funny, dispatch trained and grew up in Bend Oregon. She is armed and trained to use her assorted weapons- I just wanted to warn you. I think she may be more than you could handle. battered bay seal look and all.
Being a restaurant owner, I'm guessing your long wait was at least as painful for the kitchen staff.
There is nothing worse than being in the kitchen with a long string of orders hanging and feeling like you are making no progress.
Was the place very busy? Maybe your large group was a factor, I know that when we get large groups it stalls the kitchen immensely.
Or, maybe the place could care less since they have an endless supply of willing tourists to fill their seats. We have no such luxury with our rural location in central Wisconsin.
It was very busy inside and out. No wonder if everyone was being served that slowly! I won't be going back, not least because I not a great aficionado of Japanese food. It is something you have to love (or your partner has to love) to make it worth your while.
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