I was invited to my pastor's 50th birthday party which was tea at the Tokyo Grill House last Saturday night. I've never been there before but had heard about it. Customers sit around a hot grill while the awesome chefs do their work cooking up a feast. It's quite fascinating to watch them and it was certainly an entertaining evening. I began by ordering a tsunami. Just a little 250ml one but by the time I got it it had grown to 275ml. It was a Japanese sake cocktail with lychee and muscat. Quite nice and made me feel I was in the mood--having sake at a Japanese restaurant. Then began our three and a half hour feast. All of us who were squished around two grills had an almost seemingly endless banquet. And being non-seafood eater I was quite happy that there were only two out of ten courses I didn't eat--the seafood soup (I did taste this one....eww) and the garlic butter shrimp (wasn't gonna try it...gross). It was a little strange eating a course of chicken, followed by a course of beef, followed by a course of cabbage. Usually I eat this stuff all together. The fried rice was the most entertaining part. Our chef tapped some eggs and stood them on the grill and then handed a bowl to one of us. Then with a flick the egg was lobbed into the air with the intention of the customer catching it in the bowl. Mostly that happened except once down the other end it landed on the table but that was coz the chef didn't lob it far enough. Then he got the eggs frying and it was quite impressive to see them slice it up. It was fast and every so often a big aimed slice would send a bit of egg flying your way. You were suppose to catch it but they were a bit wild. Mostly that went everywhere. What a laugh! The last few bits were saved for the toss at which each customer was to catch their bit of egg in their mouth. I'm proud to say I caught mine! At 10pm I was thinking I should head home soon as I had to work at 6am the next day. But then they brought out the birthday cake. Can't leave before that! And it was a totally scrumptious black forest cake. Best I've had I reckon. The guy was serving out seconds before I'd finished my first piece so when he asked me I quickly scooped up my last mouthful and offered my plate. He he. And P.Steve insisted they take some cake for the staff (they did do a great job) and so he called for a plate and slopped a nice big chunk on it for the staff. I turned and saw that one waitress was standing there waiting eagerly at the kitchen door smiling with a fork in hand. Dessert for the workers tonight! Then came green tea icecream and cuppas. But the most impressive thing in my opinion was the guy who cut the cake came around and to the grill once all the cooking was done. He took the salt shaker and started pouring it on the grill. I hear this is to "season the grill" but the impressive part is that he wrote this message....upside down! (So it was the right way up for us to read.) I've never seen anyone write upside down in cursive with a flow of salt. Yes. Quite impressive.
It was a good night. Good place to eat. And I hope Pastor Steve had a great celebration! I certainly enjoyed sharing in it.
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