...A few years ago, I was in SF on a business trip, and went into Japan Town for dinner. I was very tired, I had gone 'verbally panther' all day against a real B----- of an attorney. Usually, after times like that in SF, I just liked to get a table in a corner, and lean against the wall after drinking a flask of sake, and then ordering a bento box, or such.
But, this time, I sat at the sushi bar, and settled my butt on a stool and looked at the fresh seafood in the display. I ordered a flask of sake, and then a very safe course...salmon sashimi. (That is slices of raw salmon.) I drank the sake, and ate the salmon...and noticed that the chef was smirking at me...I was just another 'anglo woman' trying to be 'ethnic'. I got a bit hot under my collar, (Rags has NEVER seen me in that mood!) and ordered "Sweet Shrimp". The chef smirked again, and prepared it.
"Sweet Shrimp" is very unusual, when served, the two large prawns have been prepared in an interesting way. The tails are very lightly steamed, and the heads...yes...the entire head and carapace... are deep fried. All people, especially anglos, just eat the tails, and leave the heads. I ate the tails, and then ordered another flask of sake. When the flask arrived, I stared at the chef as I dipped the fried heads into a soy sauce and ate them...antenna...eyes...mouthparts...brains...and all. I smiled and nodded to the chef when I finished, picking pieces of shell from my teeth..."oishi desu" I said. (("That was delicious")). He grinned at me, and then I got into some REAL EATING!!! I didn't order anything, he would make a small plate of 'something'...and pass it to me...and I would eat it. Sometimes there were tentacles, other times it was clear.
He also ordered me two more flasks of sake. The bill was pretty hefty, but I smiled as I paid, and placed a large tip into a folded piece of paper for him.
It was a nice experience. God designed us to eat as a way to stay alive...God was very generous...IMHO...There are so many fun ways to eat.
