A Slow Lunch

Haven't been able to catch up with as many friends as I'd have liked this holiday season. The schedule's packed too compactly. It meant that instead of a long leisurely dinner, V and I met for a quick lunch instead.

The Clifford was convenient and provided decent food to fill the tummies. But it's a packed venue popular for business lunches. So that can feel boring. Luckily we didn't go for the two or three-course lunch. Just one dish would do. The restaurant seemed sufficiently staffed but food took fairly long to arrive. Our neighboring table waited for about 20 minutes for dessert. Terrible timings for a restaurant that ought to know every table at lunch would like to finish the meal in slightly under an hour.

If we didn't ask for bread, there would be none served and when a basket finally came, our mains arrived four minutes later. There were rather pinched smiles from the wait staff, as if everyone was on the edge because of some event going on. The vibe was starkly different from my other visits. Catching the attention of the staff was oddly difficult. The staff at the lounge felt the same, droll and impatient. It took an incredible 15 minutes after being shown to my seat before someone came along to take the order of one cup of espresso. Well, I was there to catch up with V, and she wasn't in a huge rush, so I wasn't too perturbed by the delays. Otherwise I would have been very miffed.

Very nice to listen to V's exciting updates about her US trip where good weather prevailed instead of the snowstorm this week. Was thrilled to get a little snack of quail eggs in a sealed pack. Love 'em! The eggs have been cooked in a base of Higeta Honzen soy sauce and bonito. Superbly tasty snacks. She's been supplying me with these little nuggets. She always seems to be able to grab packs in transit at Narita Airport and I keep missing them shops. Heh. Anyway. V and I were mad to have picked carbs for lunch. Pasta and risotto. I hope V didn't fall asleep at her desk.