Tonight kristie and I had a dinner we will never forget. When I worked at Studio C, we used to go to this dim sum place for lunch, and I hadn't taken Kristie, so I thought it would be fun to go tonight.
I am much more adventurous about trying super sketchy locations and different foods than most, and understand that I need to prepare people before they get to the restaraunt for what they will likely experience. I told her about the run down strip mall this place is in, about the questionable bingo hall-esque interior that is not in the best shape. I countered this by telling her about the tasty food, and great reviews it gets.
Then we got there.
First of all, the place was packed, which is not the case at all during lunch. Second, after we were seated, I realized they had given us menus, and no carts were to be found. We got the server's attention, and asked about the dim sum. The answer was for her to walk away and talk to another server. After about 15 mins of back and forth involving some serious translation, and a good deal of guessing, we were told they weren't doing dim sum for dinner, but if we wanted, they could do a limited menu. They gave me a menu, and honestly, I had no idea what to do, because I usually just point at what looks tasty, or let the asians I normally go with do the picking. I just eat it. I have no idea what its called.
I made some guesses and after some more back and forth, we got our order in.
Ok, so you might be wondering what the big deal is, right? Well, to put it simply there was a vietnamese wedding reception going on in the back half of the restaurant, and it was loud. And awesome, and totally unlike anything either of us have ever experienced. It was amazing and familiar and crazy and awesome all together in one.
The band was rocking tv theme songs from LA Law, Dynasty, or The Love Boat, or maybe a mix of the three. There was a guy in traditional ceremonial dress acting as an MC, who was yelling in Veitnamese, and then giving english translations to everyone. The bride and groom seemed confused by the whole thing and spent the whole time we were there walking around aimlessly. People were dressed in some awesome threads, including one dude in what I think was the outfit Eddie Murphy wore in RAW. The ladies were something else entirely. It was like they came straight from an anime convention.
Things were out there to begin with and then the MC began mixing in singing with his talking. Not normal singing that went with the music, but like childrens songs. He would do that for a while then introduce a different singer for one or two songs in vietnamese. After one childrens song, a white dude got up there and started singing in Vietnamese. Apparently this dude knew the hits, because the guests started clapping after the first line. Some how vietnamese singing coming from a middle-aged white boy was wierder than coming from a chick dressed like a fairy princess warrior.
As we were waiting for the check, Kristie and I were talking about how wierd and foriegn it was, and I could just imagine these same people staring at a bunch of white people at a different reception, trying to make sense of the chicken dance or the hand jive. If they'd been at our wedding, they would have been writing about the interesting ceremonial music/dance where everyone got in a line, put thier hands on the hips of the person in front of them, did this dance/ walk around the room.
Anyway, it was an unforgetable experience, so if you pass a dim sum restaurant and notice a car out front with just married on the back window. Go in.
I am much more adventurous about trying super sketchy locations and different foods than most, and understand that I need to prepare people before they get to the restaraunt for what they will likely experience. I told her about the run down strip mall this place is in, about the questionable bingo hall-esque interior that is not in the best shape. I countered this by telling her about the tasty food, and great reviews it gets.
Then we got there.
First of all, the place was packed, which is not the case at all during lunch. Second, after we were seated, I realized they had given us menus, and no carts were to be found. We got the server's attention, and asked about the dim sum. The answer was for her to walk away and talk to another server. After about 15 mins of back and forth involving some serious translation, and a good deal of guessing, we were told they weren't doing dim sum for dinner, but if we wanted, they could do a limited menu. They gave me a menu, and honestly, I had no idea what to do, because I usually just point at what looks tasty, or let the asians I normally go with do the picking. I just eat it. I have no idea what its called.
I made some guesses and after some more back and forth, we got our order in.
Ok, so you might be wondering what the big deal is, right? Well, to put it simply there was a vietnamese wedding reception going on in the back half of the restaurant, and it was loud. And awesome, and totally unlike anything either of us have ever experienced. It was amazing and familiar and crazy and awesome all together in one.
The band was rocking tv theme songs from LA Law, Dynasty, or The Love Boat, or maybe a mix of the three. There was a guy in traditional ceremonial dress acting as an MC, who was yelling in Veitnamese, and then giving english translations to everyone. The bride and groom seemed confused by the whole thing and spent the whole time we were there walking around aimlessly. People were dressed in some awesome threads, including one dude in what I think was the outfit Eddie Murphy wore in RAW. The ladies were something else entirely. It was like they came straight from an anime convention.
Things were out there to begin with and then the MC began mixing in singing with his talking. Not normal singing that went with the music, but like childrens songs. He would do that for a while then introduce a different singer for one or two songs in vietnamese. After one childrens song, a white dude got up there and started singing in Vietnamese. Apparently this dude knew the hits, because the guests started clapping after the first line. Some how vietnamese singing coming from a middle-aged white boy was wierder than coming from a chick dressed like a fairy princess warrior.
As we were waiting for the check, Kristie and I were talking about how wierd and foriegn it was, and I could just imagine these same people staring at a bunch of white people at a different reception, trying to make sense of the chicken dance or the hand jive. If they'd been at our wedding, they would have been writing about the interesting ceremonial music/dance where everyone got in a line, put thier hands on the hips of the person in front of them, did this dance/ walk around the room.
Anyway, it was an unforgetable experience, so if you pass a dim sum restaurant and notice a car out front with just married on the back window. Go in.
4 comments:
mmmmmwe LOVE dim sum. but yea we have only ever done the cart thing and pointed, i would have no idea how to order off of menu. however it might be safer to order off menu IF the list the prices. since our dim sum place in SF uses little stamps on a ticket and you don't know how much you have spent until the check comes. never a problem for us since the in laws usually pay...but wow it's expensive we had one check come up to $265 when they took us and Jordan's BFF Emma along.
totally worth it though...YUMMY stuff!
J is sitting here telling me to tell you, "Tell Uncle Scott not to be jealous but i had dim sum with Granma and Grandpa last week." i tried explaining that you just had it too and that it was someones wedding and it was tons more fun, but she's not hearing it...
ANYWAY...sounds liek it was a lot of fun.
time for me to let J register her new webkins (SPOILED). i am glad to see you and Meg blogging more. it makes me happy!
again...WHAT IS dim sum? Vietnamese food? I know several people that lived in Vietnam and after hearing about their experiences, well...how can I be sure that I am not eating dog?
and HolleeAnn, seriously. $265 for DINNER? You must have eaten a purebred.
I liked that post a lot.
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