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chopstick compliment

April 12th, 2008 at 04:41 am

Saving log - $3 tip box
Spending log - $1.19 coffee + $8 lunch

I ate a little bento box lunch at the food court of Uwajimaya. I sat down, as I picked at my food with my chopsticks the middle aged woman next to me promptly said, "What is that? You handle chopsticks like a Korean!" (She was Korean.)

Her daughter, sitting across from me smiled and said, "don't mind her, she's always amazed when she sees a Westerner handle chopsticks well."

I laughed. "I first learned to use chopsticks to keep me from eating so fast. It didn't work, I just learned how to eat fast with chopsticks." Then I told them how I impressed my french MIL in Paris by deboning a fish using chopsticks.

We talked a bit more. Mother lives in Tacoma, daughter lives in Lynnwood, so Uwajimaya in south downtown Seattle is midway. There's a Korean spa just south of the Alderwood Mall that will let you in for free on your birthday. (gotta file that one away - its my birthday in two weeks.). And I told them about the kimchi bar on 155th and Aurora - cabbage, radish, squid, anchovy, dandelion green, etc, all arranged in a bulk food/salad bar setting complete with sneeze guard.

Hit the Safeway this evening. Last night I saw a very good price for tomato sauce - 10 for $6. Can of chopped tomato were at an okay (for these days) price - 10 for $10. Bags of pasta again 10 for $10. Odwalla bars for 10 for $10.

The strategy here was that I had a 10$ off coupon for $50 or more purchase. Tough to try to keep at $50 (which would make it a 20% off coupon). We ended at $55. Next time we set the Odwalla bars for last. When it gets to $50, no more.

8 Responses to “chopstick compliment”

  1. Maismom Says:
    1207975071

    Haha! That's funny.

    I wish we had Uwajima-ya type of store here. I love bento-box lunches. That's one thing I really miss about Japan. There are so many variety of bento-box everywhere!

  2. monkeymama Says:
    1207977981

    LOL.

    What is REAL fun is my dh's aunt speaks Cantonese. (She lived in Hong Kong for man years). Anyway, yeah, it is so fun to take her out to chinese restaurants, that is for sure. A white person speaking chinese! She loves the chance to practice the language, and then of course she becomes the side show. Your story just reminded me of that. I can only imagine what she hears when no one thinks she can understand what they are saying. Wink

  3. Nic Says:
    1208007721

    If there's one thing I miss living in Utah, it's Asian food. We do have wonderful sushi. REAL sushi,not the California roll sideshow. The gentleman who owns the shop is from Kyoto and his maki sushi brings back childhood memories. But alas,no decent Chinese or Thai restaurants,NO Korean restaurants at all and forget Vietnamese food. If we yearn for any of the Pacific/Asian foods,we'll drive to Lo$t Wage$ (Las Vegas)to eat and shop.

  4. Broken Arrow Says:
    1208008109

    Oooh, that's high compliment! Smile

  5. Joan.of.the.Arch Says:
    1208014874

    Wow, that is a big complement.... I was laughing once with my Chinese friends about differences in table manners. I had to confess that the prissy way in which Americans are supposed to eat soup is not always easy for me. I mean, you balance the spoon's contents all the way up from the bowl to your mouth which is supposed to be held way up atop your super straight spine, and you are not supposed to lean forward to get the soup. No wonder my shirts are always stained. I'm not competent in expertly getting food to my mouth in any "language." I would feel happy if my own mother would say, "My, you eat your soup like a big girl, dear."

  6. scfr Says:
    1208017335

    Ahh ... Reading about Uwajimaya makes me a bit "homesick" for Seattle. We just found a decent place for Vietnamese food here in Austin ... Chinese food is so-so ... But no good Japanese places that aren't really expensive!

  7. monkeymama Says:
    1208020465

    Joan - that reminds me I totally forgot in JApan we were constantly reminded to slurp our soup noisily. To sip it prissily was not looked upon fondly. Just a funny memory I had forgotten. YEah, the Asians have that one right. Wink

  8. baselle Says:
    1208052204

    monkeymama & joan.of.the.arch - I'll have to remember to slurp when I hit the ramen places. You know the recession has even hit Seattle when I read three restaurant reviews on finding the best ramen in Seattle. Big Grin!

    I also love how its considered polite to bring the bowl up to your mouth to get the last crumbs with your chopsticks. Means cleaner neckties!

    scfr - I miss decent TexMex and Latin American food - Guatamalan, Mexico City Mexican (heavy on the french influence), Sonorian. Only the basics in Seattle. So no matter where you are, you're missing something.

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