Monday, August 22, 2005
i love jap stuff
Alright! Today, I went for a Jap Buffet! And it's damn nice can.Hanabi Japanese Restaurant. 559 Bukit Timah Road #01-03 King's Arcade. Tel: 6465 5525.
Basically, it's just next to Coronation Plaza, and so it's damn easy to get there from NUS. (just take 151!) And the ala carte buffets are rather good. (lunch is like 26+++ and dinner's 30+++, which roughly comes up to 35 bucks per person) with a pretty decent variety on the menu (not that i really tried everything, i was merely fixated on the sashimi). Now, not that I'm a connoisseur of jap food or anything, but at least, the slices are relatively thick, and they don't start serving you ultra small portions after your 10th round or so (unlike certain other jap buffets i can name...). And the staff are how friendly! (or as my friend said, he'd love to work there. as anything. cos he thinks the girls are cute. ok larrr) Plus, I like the ambience there. Although some might say it's freaking crowded and noisy. (yeah, reservations have to be made, because it's freaking crowded after 630pm...btw, dinner buffet's from 6 to 1030pm. ample time to eat to your heart's content. as well as your money's worth)
Anyway, let me tell my tale now. I went there because I had a sudden wistful longing for the days of yore, when I went buffeting every weekend. Back when I still trained enough to disregard getting fat. But it'd been a while. And I miss Jap food. So, i concocted a brilliant plan. Let's eat a Jap Buffet! And let's invite my old buffeting buddies, my OCS Platoon mates! And since some of them are flying overseas to study, let's make it one good going away celebration! Anyway, I made reservations for 10-15 people (knowing my platoon these numbers are on a plus minus 5 basis) and when I went there today, I found out the nice staff there gave me a room all to myself! How sweet. And so the buffet began. Time: 630pm. Total people present: 3.
Skip forward about 2 hours and countless rounds of sashimi, tofu, beef, handrolls and other assorted foodstuffs. Time: 830pm. Total people: 8. (including scott's girlfriend, who became an unofficial member of our platoon for one night) Then came something which totally ruined my appetite. (somewhat. nothing can really get between me and my sashimi...really) The manager came in and asked if that was all the people we were going to have, because, apparently, I'd asked for 10-15 seats. And the minimum price for using that room was apparently $350. Now don't you wish people would tell you stuff like this in advance?
Well, we were all surprised for one thing. And marginally worried. And wondering if we were going to have to wash dishes to pay for the deficit. Or if they were going to throw us out of the nice comfy room where we were making a lot of noise. Or if they were gonna let us stay, and poison the food. But then, I was saved by the fact that my law readings came back to me! Contract in particular. For one thing, the management never did call me back to confirm the total number of people who'd be there. For another, I only told them about 10-15 people. No confirmation there, only an invitation to treat. And when they showed me to my very nice room, there was absolutely no mention of the fact that I had a minimum requirement of $350 for the bill. A lot like Chapelton v. Urban District Council, where the terms and conditions came after the offer had already been accepted. Ok, maybe not, since I hadn't paid yet. But you get the general idea. Anyway, I was all set to argue my way out of paying, when the nice manager actually came up and said, hey, it's alright man, we're out of space outside, so we won't kick you out (and besides, at that point in time i sincerely doubt anybody would have brought a party of 15 people in) so just chill and enjoy your meal. How sweet of them! (though honestly, I suspect they realised the fault was largely with them, and there wasn't much else they could do about it)
However, I'm still awfully pissed at the people who said they were going to come, and didn't. I mean, it was a platoon gathering. Not a 8 person meeting (though Billy was nice enough to come later). And at least tell me beforehand can, so I don't have to call you up to find out you decided not to come. (so yeah, that means I'm not pissed with the people who told me they couldn't make it) And it really spoils the mood to have something like that happen in the middle of your meal. Not to mention I'd have made all of you pay up if they had really insisted on the minimum covering cost. And freaking hell, it was like the last time you'd see some of these guys for the next few years can. I'm sure your schedules are all damn busy, and you're all damn broke (esp for those with scholarships) but at least some people bother to make the effort. Aiyah whatever. This whole thing just pisses me off. So I'll stop.
All in all, Hanabi Jap Restaurant rocks. So yeah. Go there. Eat. Enjoy. And I'll go look for more buffet places. Preferably with photos. And make this into a food junkie's haven.
Oh, and bye Effy, seeya Billy, and all the best guys. Don't think I'll be seeing you guys anytime soon. Kiatz I'll definitely see you before you leave, if only to get the shows and dvds. Sigh, but it sucks to think that for the first time this year, we'll have nowhere to go this Christmas, and Effy's bed won't get thrashed for the third year in a row. So saddening.
Btw, I think Hanabi was featured in Sunday Times (Lifestyle). At least, that's what people have been telling me. Myself, I don't really read the papers...
The Hanabi Bunchwen was dreaming at 11:49 PM