本來想到樓下的"飯堂"吃個便飯, 殊不知剛好有公司在那裡擺春茗; 與其要等位, 把心一橫, 把車駛到石澳去instead; 為的, 是一間近期在報章看到介紹的串燒店. 石澳的路不難找, 倒是有點兒難走; 在我們家出發也不遠 - 只是二十多分鐘的車程, 不過去到也已差不多九點. 這間串燒店就在石澳大街上, 巴士總站的附近 - 很容易就找得着, 見人車都不多, 管不了這是禁區, 就索性把車直接停在店子門口旁邊的ramp上面 (反正沒有警察這麼晚會長途跋涉走到石澳去抄牌吧!)
店子的裝飾很別緻, 木製的桌椅還有牆壁上仿木的掛飾, 佈置得像間海邊的戶外小屋, 令我想起布吉的Baan Rim Pa (可惜這裡沒有無敵的沙灘海景). 只是寥寥的幾張桌子, 再加上面向大街的吧枱和數張lounge chairs and tables: 不是很大的店子, 不過這樣反而樂得自在舒服 (到過又逼又窄又吵耳的南蠻亭吃串燒就會明白我的意思 - 雖然它的確是城裡最好的其中一間kushiyaki店, 只是有時有點兒覺得侷促).
餐牌十分簡單, 只純賣"日式"串燒, 不過食物的選擇就平民化 – 每間串燒店的staple items如雞軟骨, 雞腎雞肝牛舌之類固然少不了, 還有海產 - 據說是在附近撈獲的數款; 而本地特式的魚片牛丸和芝士腸也有. local adaptation無可厚非, 不過從這該看得出店子的定位, 幸好價錢亦然. 連飲品的選擇也十分straight forward: 只是啤酒汽水烏龍茶, 還有sake… 不過當我們問到sake的choices時, 就只得到有冷有熱還有不同size的"官式"答案 – 天呀! 就算你不告訴我酒名也該告訴我是辛口還是甘口, 是普通純米還是大吟讓吧? 得到這樣的答案, 有點摸不著頭腦, 想來sake也不會是甚麼好貨式, 乾脆要asahi算了. 還有, 串燒配熱sake? 這裡可不是冬天下著雪的北海道呢! 其實, 這樣的環境, 加一個小酒吧, 弄幾樣簡單的cocktail, 也是很好的配搭. margarita配yakitori可能不是an usual combination, 不過我敢肯定一定好過熱sake!
先來第一round的食物, 都是平常在串燒店點開的幾樣, 除了較特別的翡翠螺. 不過不失, 雞軟骨和白鱔還可以, 不過比起我們平常光顧開, 在跑馬地橫巷的那間小店, 水準就差了一截, 用料的差別尤甚. 試完這裡的燒牛舌後就特別覺得吃開的那間才像樣. 至於翡翠螺嘛… 個人還是喜歡生吃. 不過, 每串才十元八塊, 點的時候, 吃的時候也覺得特別暢快, expectation自然也應相應降低一點. 故此第二round, 也不bother試他們的燒蠔, 反正也應該會是此消彼長, 故此只試了烏冬和粟米這些較普通的, 反而覺得做得還好. 可能今天人客也不多, 老板拿了燒菠蘿和燒鱔骨出來請我們試, 都算味美. 雖然只是幾枱的食客, 不過上菜的速度和節奏倒有不少改善的空間... 看來從現在到夏季人流多的季節之間, 在運作磨合方面真的要再做功夫... 最少他們的服務態度也很好, 補救了不足.
就食物的質素而言, 這裡雖然並不是最好, 不過倒還算"抵食". 我想, 當我們把在家附近的餐廳吃厭了的時候, 又想找處地方靜一靜, 我們都會回這裡來. 雖然只是些non-descript的食物, 不過, 如這樣平日的晚上, 遠離一下市區, 隨便將車停在門口, 拿著啤酒, 吃著數串, 有興致的話再到沙灘走走, 也是個 evening well spent. 再者, 在甚麼地方賣甚麼樣的菜, 也算是餐廳的生存之道: 試想想, 如果這裡賣的, 樣樣都是如一百元一串日本A5和牛般的高價款式, 我想它也捱不到夏天旺季就壽終正寢了. 或者做人處世有時也要這樣, be at the right place at the right time doing the right thing, 可能才是上計, 每一樣都不理一切去追求完美, 可能到頭來只是自討苦吃... 只是有感而發吧!
details:
when? February 6 2009
where? Katayaki, 209 Shek O Road
menu highlights? 沒有甚麼特別, 倒是坐得挺舒服
Monday, February 9, 2009
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
open that bottle night
okay, i admit it, we too have our good share of so-called wine collection in our cabinet, that we are perpetually "saving" for those special occasions that never seem to come.
and the other day i saw this article and clip on wall street journal about "open that bottle night", or otbn for short - in case you didn't watch the clip, here's the story -
"We invented OTBN for a simple reason: All of us, no matter how big or small our wine collections, have that single bottle of wine we simply can never bear to open. Maybe it's from Grandpa's cellar or a trip to Italy or a wedding. We're always going to open it on a special occasion, but no occasion is ever special enough. So it sits. And sits. Then, at some point, we decide we should have opened it years ago and now it's bad anyway, so there's no reason to open it, which gives us an excuse to hang onto it for a few more decades. So OTBN -- which is now always the last Saturday in February -- offers a great opportunity to prepare a special meal, open the bottle and savor the memories. "
(Tastings: Savoring a Storied Evening --- The Many Ways to Celebrate Open That Bottle Night; Sediment and Sentiment; Dorothy J. Gaiter and John Brecher; 27 January 2006; The Wall Street Journal)
what a great idea that is, i think. instead of waiting for that special occasion to come, why not make opening that bottle an occasion by itself and enjoy a good sip with the good company of friends? at least this way, we will always remember the occasion in which that special bottle was open, and that's more important.
so mark your calendar - this year's otbn's going to be february 28!
Friday, January 30, 2009
10 things that happened during chinese new year
10. Found our wallet bleeding from giving out laisee money as more and more friends are having kids…
9. Eat, eat and eat; one day I found myself having already had three meals before noon.
8. Watching “Marley and Me”, and while I kept looking at my watch thinking why this crappy movie seems like never end, our friends were down to tears.
7. Eating all kinds of “go’s” in all kinds of places – from church to 17A to in-laws’ place to friend’s home…. Now I felt sick even hearing the words “lor bat go”.
6. Enjoying an afternoon of karaoke and gossips over dinner with friends – see how loving we are!
5. Watching yet another meaningless movie and saw how history (at least the version we knew) was tweaked and twisted to suit the director’s own liking.
4. A couple golf games on our extended days off – we hit the green while most people were already back to work – and knowing that felt real good.
3. Watching my favorite football team won only their sixth game this season against an even more pathetic opponent on TV.
2. Meant to prepare a simple meal for friends at 17A; ended up having 8 dishes for the evening.
1. Felt depressed realizing that there’s no more public holidays in all of February and March, but also excited as our UK vacation is inching closer.
9. Eat, eat and eat; one day I found myself having already had three meals before noon.
8. Watching “Marley and Me”, and while I kept looking at my watch thinking why this crappy movie seems like never end, our friends were down to tears.
7. Eating all kinds of “go’s” in all kinds of places – from church to 17A to in-laws’ place to friend’s home…. Now I felt sick even hearing the words “lor bat go”.
6. Enjoying an afternoon of karaoke and gossips over dinner with friends – see how loving we are!
5. Watching yet another meaningless movie and saw how history (at least the version we knew) was tweaked and twisted to suit the director’s own liking.
4. A couple golf games on our extended days off – we hit the green while most people were already back to work – and knowing that felt real good.
3. Watching my favorite football team won only their sixth game this season against an even more pathetic opponent on TV.
2. Meant to prepare a simple meal for friends at 17A; ended up having 8 dishes for the evening.
1. Felt depressed realizing that there’s no more public holidays in all of February and March, but also excited as our UK vacation is inching closer.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
The Law of the Garbage Truck
- David J. Pollay
How often do you let other people’s nonsense change your mood? Do you let a bad driver, rude waiter, curt boss, or an insensitive employee ruin your day? Unless you’re the Terminator, you’re probably set back on your heels. However, the mark of your success is how quickly you can refocus on what’s important in your life.
Sixteen years ago I learned this lesson. And I learned it in the back of a New York City taxi cab. Here’s what happened.
I hopped in a taxi, and we took off for Grand Central Station. We were driving in the right lane when all of a sudden, a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his brakes, the car skidded, the tires squealed, and at the very last moment our car stopped just one inch from the other car’s back-end.
I couldn’t believe it. But then I couldn’t believe what happened next. The driver of the other car, the guy who almost caused a big accident, whipped his head around and he started yelling bad words at us. How do I know? Ask any New Yorker, some words in New York come with a special face. And he even threw in a one finger salute! I couldn’t believe it!
But then here’s what really blew me away. My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean, he was friendly. So, I said, “Why did you just do that!? This guy could have killed us!” And this is when my taxi driver told me what I now call, “The Law of the Garbage Truck™.” He said:
"Many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they look for a place to dump it. And if you let them, they’ll dump it on you.
So when someone wants to dump on you, don’t take it personally. Just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. Believe me. You’ll be happier."
So I started thinking, how often do I let Garbage Trucks run right over me? And how often do I take their garbage and spread it to other people at work, at home, or on the street? It was then that I said, “I don’t want their garbage and I’m not going to spread it anymore.”
I began to see Garbage Trucks. Like in the movie “The Sixth Sense,” the little boy said, “I see Dead People.” Well now “I see Garbage Trucks.” I see the load they’re carrying. I see them coming to dump it. And like my taxi driver, I don’t take it personally; I just smile, wave, wish them well, and I move on.
One of my favorite football players of all time was Walter Payton. Every day on the football field, after being tackled, he would jump up as quickly as he hit the ground. He never dwelled on a hit. Payton was ready to make the next play his best. Over the years the best players from around the world in every sport have played this way: Tiger Woods, Nadia Comaneci, Muhammad Ali, Bjorn Borg, Chris Evert, Michael Jordan, Jackie Robinson, and Pele are just some of those players. And the most inspiring leaders have lived this way: Nelson Mandela, Mother Theresa, Gandhi, and Martin Luther King.
See, Roy Baumeister, a psychology researcher from Florida State University, found in his extensive research that you remember bad things more often than good things in your life. You store the bad memories more easily, and you recall them more frequently.
So the odds are against you when a Garbage Truck comes your way. But when you follow The Law of the Garbage Truck™, you take back control of your life. You make room for the good by letting go of the bad.
The best leaders know that they have to be ready for their next meeting. The best sales people know that they have to be ready for their next client. And the best parents know that they have to be ready to welcome their children home from school with hugs and kisses, no matter how many garbage trucks they might have faced that day. All of us know that we have to be fully present, and at our best for the people we care about.
The bottom line is that successful people do not let Garbage Trucks take over their life.
What about you? What would happen in your life, starting today, if you let more garbage trucks pass you by?
Here’s my bet: You’ll be happier.
How often do you let other people’s nonsense change your mood? Do you let a bad driver, rude waiter, curt boss, or an insensitive employee ruin your day? Unless you’re the Terminator, you’re probably set back on your heels. However, the mark of your success is how quickly you can refocus on what’s important in your life.
Sixteen years ago I learned this lesson. And I learned it in the back of a New York City taxi cab. Here’s what happened.
I hopped in a taxi, and we took off for Grand Central Station. We were driving in the right lane when all of a sudden, a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his brakes, the car skidded, the tires squealed, and at the very last moment our car stopped just one inch from the other car’s back-end.
I couldn’t believe it. But then I couldn’t believe what happened next. The driver of the other car, the guy who almost caused a big accident, whipped his head around and he started yelling bad words at us. How do I know? Ask any New Yorker, some words in New York come with a special face. And he even threw in a one finger salute! I couldn’t believe it!
But then here’s what really blew me away. My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean, he was friendly. So, I said, “Why did you just do that!? This guy could have killed us!” And this is when my taxi driver told me what I now call, “The Law of the Garbage Truck™.” He said:
"Many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they look for a place to dump it. And if you let them, they’ll dump it on you.
So when someone wants to dump on you, don’t take it personally. Just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. Believe me. You’ll be happier."
So I started thinking, how often do I let Garbage Trucks run right over me? And how often do I take their garbage and spread it to other people at work, at home, or on the street? It was then that I said, “I don’t want their garbage and I’m not going to spread it anymore.”
I began to see Garbage Trucks. Like in the movie “The Sixth Sense,” the little boy said, “I see Dead People.” Well now “I see Garbage Trucks.” I see the load they’re carrying. I see them coming to dump it. And like my taxi driver, I don’t take it personally; I just smile, wave, wish them well, and I move on.
One of my favorite football players of all time was Walter Payton. Every day on the football field, after being tackled, he would jump up as quickly as he hit the ground. He never dwelled on a hit. Payton was ready to make the next play his best. Over the years the best players from around the world in every sport have played this way: Tiger Woods, Nadia Comaneci, Muhammad Ali, Bjorn Borg, Chris Evert, Michael Jordan, Jackie Robinson, and Pele are just some of those players. And the most inspiring leaders have lived this way: Nelson Mandela, Mother Theresa, Gandhi, and Martin Luther King.
See, Roy Baumeister, a psychology researcher from Florida State University, found in his extensive research that you remember bad things more often than good things in your life. You store the bad memories more easily, and you recall them more frequently.
So the odds are against you when a Garbage Truck comes your way. But when you follow The Law of the Garbage Truck™, you take back control of your life. You make room for the good by letting go of the bad.
The best leaders know that they have to be ready for their next meeting. The best sales people know that they have to be ready for their next client. And the best parents know that they have to be ready to welcome their children home from school with hugs and kisses, no matter how many garbage trucks they might have faced that day. All of us know that we have to be fully present, and at our best for the people we care about.
The bottom line is that successful people do not let Garbage Trucks take over their life.
What about you? What would happen in your life, starting today, if you let more garbage trucks pass you by?
Here’s my bet: You’ll be happier.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
predictions
Saw this on InfoWorld. It's funny how people would say the most stupid thing, well, partly because we have the luxury of seeing things in retrospect to judge.
The 7 Worst Tech Predictions of All Time
1. "I think there is a world market for maybe five computers." - Thomas Watson, President of IBM, 1943
2. "Television won't be able to hold on to any market it captures after the first six months. People will soon get tired of staring at a plywood box every night." - Darryl Zanuck, executive at 20th Century Fox, 1946
3. "Nuclear-powered vacuum cleaners will probably be a reality within ten years." - Alex Lewyt, president of Lewyt vacuum company, 1955
4. "There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home." - Ken Olsen, founder of Digital Equipment Corporation, 1977
5. "Almost all of the many predictions now being made about 1996 hinge on the Internet's continuing exponential growth. But I predict the Internet will soon go spectacularly supernova and in 1996 catastrophically collapse." - Robert Metcalfe, founder of 3Com, 1995
6. "Apple is already dead." - Nathan Myhrvold, former Microsoft CTO, 1997
7. "Two years from now, spam will be solved." - Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft, 2004
The 7 Worst Tech Predictions of All Time
1. "I think there is a world market for maybe five computers." - Thomas Watson, President of IBM, 1943
2. "Television won't be able to hold on to any market it captures after the first six months. People will soon get tired of staring at a plywood box every night." - Darryl Zanuck, executive at 20th Century Fox, 1946
3. "Nuclear-powered vacuum cleaners will probably be a reality within ten years." - Alex Lewyt, president of Lewyt vacuum company, 1955
4. "There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home." - Ken Olsen, founder of Digital Equipment Corporation, 1977
5. "Almost all of the many predictions now being made about 1996 hinge on the Internet's continuing exponential growth. But I predict the Internet will soon go spectacularly supernova and in 1996 catastrophically collapse." - Robert Metcalfe, founder of 3Com, 1995
6. "Apple is already dead." - Nathan Myhrvold, former Microsoft CTO, 1997
7. "Two years from now, spam will be solved." - Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft, 2004
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