customer #1

In addition to a day at the movies, today was also a day at the restaurants... yes, you read right. Plural... restaurants.
(Note to Giddy: Don't ask me abt my new year's resolution... it never took off from the get go, haha...)

First stop, while waiting for our screening time, was Waroeng Penyet. Recommended by Tao... a fellow foodie, I decided to give it a try, since our original destination was not open yet (more of that later).

It was just before noon, but there were already several customers waiting for their ayam penyet. Good omen... restaurant already with customers before lunch time. Music by PeterPan was on air and the menu were in Indonesian... complete with the Malaysian translation. How cute is that? ;) The setting was simple... but as we later discovered, the taste was anything but. Despite the *fast food joint* look, it was based on home cooking taste.

We had Ayam Penyet (mestilah try... the shop was named after it what), Bakso sup, Siomay Bandung and Soda Gembira. Hahaha... I kid you not! That's really the name of their sirap bandung with ice cream soda. Talk about funky names that make you smile :)

The food was good... we were happy. As usual, we did our food musical chair... food rotated around the table to enable everyone to taste everything.



Our original intent was to manger at Bubba Gump. Ever since our first taste at the restaurant's outlet in San Francisco, Ina Abg & I have been dreaming of a nice bowl of spinach artichoke cheese shrimp dip. So imagine my delight when I saw the signboard while on a mission to get cupcakes for ZCD's birthday last Tuesday. I literally squealled in excitement! AAA ARG SHH were amazed with my reaction that day, haha.

Little did we realise that today was their opening day and that the restaurant will only accept its customers from 4pm onwards. Undeterred, Ina and I agreed to wait until 4pm (and *forced* Amt to follow us, hehe). So after the movie, we loitered around The Curve while waiting for the hour to strike dong.. dong.. dong.. dong..

At 4pm, we went to the restaurant... and were informed that they won't start operations until later... maybe around 5 or 5.30. WHAT?? Not a good start for a restaurant... with an unhappy customer. My dissatisfaction must have been clearly evident from my face because soon we were ushered to our table.

The staff were eager... a little too eager if you ask me. We were asked whether we'd like to place our order 3 times. I know lah the restaurant just opened... but don't you have better things to do? It also felt rather uneasy to have a swarm of waiters and waitresses around you... just waiting for you to turn the sign.

Oh... I forgot. One unique thing about this restaurant is that if you want to call a server, instead of lifting up your hand trying to get service, you just need to use their *signs*... "Stop Forrest Stop" (in case you haven't caught on, this restaurant is based on the movie Forrest Gump... Bubba is his shrimp loving friend. Geddit?) We never had to use the sign because every 5 minutes or so, someone would come by our table to ask whether everything is ok.

Having craved for the yummy dips for over 3 years now, obviously we ordered the dip, alongside Cajun Shrimp and Bourbon Street Barramundi. The dip wasn't as nice as the one we had in San Francisco, the shrimp was good and the fish a bit bland (although Ina kata it tasted fine... I agree that the sauce was good but the fish no longer has its natural sweetness).




Then someone more serious looking came by our table as I was about to put a morsel of food into my mouth. We were informed that we are officially their first customers and in our honour, they'd like to have us sign the order form which will be hung in the kitchen. Also in appreciation, we were each given a goodie bag. Cool! Thankfully I've perfected my signature, haha... rasa macam celebrity ;) The guy introduced himself as the operations manager and beside him the head chef. They asked me how the food fared and I told them the truth. If they were expecting something nice and polite, they've got the wrong person, haha. Well... better to be told the truth, right? Of course I could see that they had not expected to hear something like that on their opening day, from their first customers... but they should be given credit for accepting the comments positively. Something that don't kill you will make you better....

Hmm... maybe I should have been more diplomatic and berlapik, but I guess having experienced the *are you or are you not open yet?* encounter and feeling like I was being watched over every bite and munch had lessened the magic to it all.

Whatever it is, I'm pretty sure that it won't be my last visit. I would recommend both Ayam Penyet and Bubba Gump to others to try.

Be adventurous, try something different... you only live once!