Sunday, July 24, 2016
Dinner was at a teppanyaki style restaurant at Kyoto Gion Mikaku . I didn’t understand what teppanyaki style meant until they said that it was prepared tableside. I immediately thought “Benihana” and that sounds good. We sat down and to my right was Ryan Hilton, Roy and Denise Choi. To my left was Sophon and the rest of the group. I wasn’t the only birthday boy on this trip. Roy had his Birthday 2 days ago and Carter, the son of the tour organizers, was turning 13. The started out with Birthday Champagne and they sang Happy Birthday to Jim and Carter… and then toasted. Carter wasn’t allowed to have champagne.
Off to the one side of the room was the cutting room. The slabs of meat were brought into that room where they were cut up and we could all watch through a window. I was impressed with the large knives as well as the large cuts of beef. Sophon does not eat beef. He is not vegetarian, he does not beef for religious reasons that have to do with giving up something that he liked. He eats other meat, just not beef. They told him at the restaurant that they were preparing seafood. Lobster to be exact. A couple of people asked “Who is getting the lobster? Whose birthday is it anyway? Personally, I like steak as much as I like Lobster. I wanted the beef. No problem with him getting lobster. I was going to enjoy every bite of that steak! I am sure Sophon would share a few bits of his lobster!
Roy bought a bottle of Sochu and shared, I need to return the favor with him sometime. After we got back to the hotel, went to have a few drinks with Susanne, Ellen and Sophon. I checked my messages which were starting to come in from the USA. Here it was time for me to go to bed and my birthday had just started at home. I guess I along with the other birthday boy (Carter) could celebrate the next day as well.
Anoher Long Day but a fun one!
YUMMM and glad you had a great bday!
Sher