New thing to do—Little TOKYO food!
I thought I had tasted everything, but recently when I was in downtown Los angeles, on my way to an audition, my hunger forced me to stop my car for food. I ran into a place that would not ALLOW take-out. As I looked around I realized that I was surrounded by “Little Tokyo” and the only place open was this cute hole- in- the -wall -totally authentic tokyo diner. (is there such a thing?) My instinct was to get back in the car and find a nice fast unhealthy fast food drive -thru. Yet, I had never tried authentic Tokyo food, and this was the year of doing NEW things so…
I sat down, met a girl who also was in a hurry to eat but could not order it “to go”, and the two of us were forced to sit together at the food bar, and order the ”Tokyo lunch special”. The best part of this was that I got the chance to meet this really cool girl, and exchange philosophies about life, metaphysics, spirituality, and of course, the concerning escapades of Tiger Woods, all over raw fish and a soup that still remains a mystery.
So for YOUR new thing, forget take -out food, and sit at an authentic restaurant that is in a place like “Little Tokyo” (or a japanese place that seems VERY authentic) and order whatever they recommend as the “special”!!
I admit, McDonalds would have been the safer bet, and saved me a little more time, but, the only reason I did this one was because I am committed to —TRYING SOMETHING NEW!!!!!! I encourage you to do the same!! 
(not to mention I now have a really cool new friend!)
I haven’t seen the video yet–I smell Oscar buzz about it already, though–but let me immediately applaud this post as a textbook example of what it means to “do something new.” Too many people are too squeamish about trying foods new to them–hell, why don’t they just swath themselves in Pampers and grab a rattle?–and theirs is an inanimate, just-dump-my-body-in-the-river-and-be-done-with-me attitude toward life that I have never been able to fathom.
I say all this, too, to set up a little vignette. Some years ago, in New York’s Chinatown–
whose alleys and strange smells were, at that time, nearly first nature to me–I went into one
of my favorite restaurants, and asked a waiter to bring me “whatever they’re eating in
the kitchen.”
He looked at me strangely–there was a language barrier–and shook his head, laughing. Yet,
I persisted, and finally wore him down. (A thought, now, looking back: the AK-47 I was carrying might have, in the end, turned the tide in my favor.)
A few minutes later, he put a plate full of food down in front of me.
“What is this?” I asked, brightly.
“Creature,” he said.
I ate it, it was delicious, and my universe expanded accordingly.
Nice work, boulevardier. I dedicate the ground buffalo, Sardinian goat cheese, 2004
Akin Vineyards Zin, and pear-with-vanilla-and-marsala crisp I ate (and, in the case of the
crisp, made) last night…to you.
L,
P
I haven’t seen the video yet–I smell Oscar buzz about it already, though–but let me immediately applaud this post as a textbook example of what it means to “do something new.” Too many people are too squeamish about trying foods new to them–hell, why don’t they just swath themselves in Pampers and grab a rattle?–and theirs is an inanimate, just-dump-my-body-in-the-river-and-be-done-with-me attitude toward life that I have never been able to fathom.
I say all this, too, to set up a little vignette. Some years ago, in New York’s Chinatown–
whose alleys and strange smells were, at that time, nearly first nature to me–I went into one
of my favorite restaurants, and asked a waiter to bring me “whatever they’re eating in
the kitchen.”
He looked at me strangely–there was a language barrier–and shook his head, laughing. Yet,
I persisted, and finally wore him down. (A thought, now, looking back: the AK-47 I was carrying might have, in the end, turned the tide in my favor.)
A few minutes later, he put a plate full of food down in front of me.
“What is this?” I asked, brightly.
“Creature,” he said.
I ate it, it was delicious, and my universe expanded accordingly.
Nice work, boulevardier. I dedicate the ground buffalo, Sardinian goat cheese, 2004
Akin Vineyards Zin, and pear-with-vanilla-and-marsala crisp I ate (and, in the case of the
crisp, made) last night…to you.
L,
P
Watched this video. I’d forgotten that you are, at times, a picky eater. This reminded me. But,
I sense you doing your best to overcome that. Kudos.
Also: what I mentioned yesterday, about eating “creature”…
Despite the comic flourishes I tried to provide, that really happened. And the Chinese waiter
never did tell me what “creature” was. I didn’t care, though: moral of story.
I have also eaten pig’s ears. You have to cook them a long time, to break down the cartilage.
That’s really all they are. They were served, by a great French chef I knew, in a mustard
sauce. I can remember the whole thing, still. Great with a dry white wine.
Have you ever eaten chitlins? Or cow’s heart?
And let’s not forget, at a sushi bar: a shrimp’s shell, crispy-fried in oil.
Thanks for the reveries.
Love,
P
Watched this video. I’d forgotten that you are, at times, a picky eater. This reminded me. But,
I sense you doing your best to overcome that. Kudos.
Also: what I mentioned yesterday, about eating “creature”…
Despite the comic flourishes I tried to provide, that really happened. And the Chinese waiter
never did tell me what “creature” was. I didn’t care, though: moral of story.
I have also eaten pig’s ears. You have to cook them a long time, to break down the cartilage.
That’s really all they are. They were served, by a great French chef I knew, in a mustard
sauce. I can remember the whole thing, still. Great with a dry white wine.
Have you ever eaten chitlins? Or cow’s heart?
And let’s not forget, at a sushi bar: a shrimp’s shell, crispy-fried in oil.
Thanks for the reveries.
Love,
P