Queues. Its a funny word. Even more funnier that this word is used to denote a straight line. The spelling is all over the place and starts with the most funniest letter in the English alphabet Q. I found myself stuck in one, the kind you’d find in any Indian government office or embassy abroad!!
The queue was already formed by some first comers, at the counter and I joined cause with the other bi-pedals.
Theres not much to do en-queue. The obvious thing is to stare at the nape of the neck of the chap in front of you or count the moles on the back of his head. Perhaps study the beard of the person from the Bohra community or admire the intricate design work of gold and white thread on the cap he wears. Your head automatically turns to watch people moving around the queue. Curiosity can get the better of you and you carefully tune into the conversations happening around you.
Suddenly, you realize that the gap in between the person in front of yourself and you has widened, not because the queue has started moving, but because the persons in front of you have moved to the side.
Why did they do that?? They were peering over the shoulder of the person In front of them and and they just kept moving aside to get a better view of the action happening in the window ahead of them. The Qers were just curious. The same quality of curiosity that lead to the invention of the crescograph or same language subtitling; all Indian inventions.
I turned around to see if the queue was any better behind me, only to accept the fact that this was just a queue in action. Thats just how it was gong to be. Its never going to be straight.
Queues
In between meetings, and being at the Avenues, we walked into Benihana to have lunch. We, as in my colleague who had flown in from France and moi.
Benihana, this particular outlet, has been in the news for all the wrong reasons of late, and enough has been said about it, but I guess I was curious to find out myself. I was expecting the place to be empty, but it soon began filling up. I guess any publicity is good publicity.
What this restaurant provides, is not just Japanese food, its a whole show!
In the video above, the chef arranged onion rings in to a pyramid, poured in oil and water and had a smoking volcano..cum train!!
From the beginning till the end, I had an experience, i am sure not too many places have to offer. The food, was palatable and I’d say more so because of the fact that it is prepared (atleast 75% of it) right in front of you.
It takes a lot of skill for those chefs to do what they do, with all the twirling and tossing of sharp instruments and a good dose of spontaneous humor. For those willing to try their hands at cooking, you could even learn a couple of things.
Besides the regular ala carte and the kids menu They have a set menu which includes a main course, a soup, a salad, steamed rice and green tea. I did shoot some videos but I guess they don’t do justice to the skill of the chef.
The music was mostly remixed Indian though I think they should play Japanese music, to complete the Japanese experience, though it might clash with the high thrill experience of having flippers and salt shakers twirled right in front of you.
I came up on this site in an email in my spam folder. The site is called, Kuwait Invasion: The Evidence. It contains photographs from the dastardly invasion carried out on Kuwait and its people, and the destruction left in its wake. For those who lived through it, these photos are bound to invoke memories, and for those who have only heard of it, these photos will bear witness to crimes carried out.
The site is well laid out and divided into sections, with search and even a comparison feature.
According to the site, which is created by a Kuwaiti businessman Adel Al Yousifi who took over 15,000 photos after he returned to liberated Kuwait.
Clearly, a tribute to those who lost their lives and loved ones, to those who bore the atrocities of the invasion, and a reference for future generations and all, lest they forget.
I have applied for permission to post one of the photographs and shall do so when it comes through! This pic is not from the site.
I might be the last one to find out about this and write about it, but I felt it needs to be known.
The local outlet of Benihana is suing a a blogger Mark (www.248am.com) based out of Kuwait for writing a review about the not so pleasant experience he had. The suit also includes illegal photography among other charges of loss of business and reputation.
The news has resulted in a huge outcry by the readers of the popular blog who have unanimously declared their support for the blogger as well as a boycott of Benihana which started it’s ops only a few months ago.
Being Japanese the management of the restaurant seems to be well versed in Harakiri. They seem to have forgotten they are only a restaurant and they live on the goodwill of the paying public. Suing someone for having an opinion on their service or food is immature and downright stupid.
On the other hand if all they wanted was cheap publicity they could have sued him for illegal photography and that would have aroused the curiosity of the public to check out the restaurants decor. Those footfalls could have been converted by offering good food and service.
Harakiri is a suicidal ritual used to preserve honor, Benihana got the order wrong this time!
I usually listen to the BBC world service while I drive. But it’s on the blink today…any idea why?
Mentabolism 