Fishy Buisness....

Let me tell you a rib-tickling fishy story of someone I know who can’t and don't eat fish but ended up savouring fish-cuisines like there was no tomorrow. The can’t and don't here, to be precise, akins to loathe. I do know being born an Arien, most Rams are better eating vege than meat. Its a profound thing to be a Vegemite or a 'vegesaurous' but eating fish for people born under the zodiac sign of The Ram is like asking T-Rex to eat banana-leaf rice.

Anyway, the story goes like this ...

This person whom I know too well was once an auditor for Benchmark Australia. He audited Quantity Surveying companies in Malaysia. One of his clients, a wealthy British firm in Damansara, was up for an external "Benchmark" audit. This audits are compulsory if a company is to get certified to ISO 9001-2000. All audit findings and certification is sent to Benchmark Australia for approval. Its like having your house Feng-Shuied by the Feng Shui guru. Get it.

When such audits take place, the company managers or directors go out of the way to DOUBLE PLEASE the auditor by way of making him feel-at-home so that the audit will go smooth and no questions raised or even get failed. One pleasant way of 'bribe' is to give the auditor a hefty lunch treat in a posh state-of-the-art restaurant. So my friend was in for a treat...a treat that truly changed his eating habits.


TIME & PLACE : in the meeting room, 1 hour before lunch:

Manager : What do like to have for lunch?
Auditor : Anythngla...aiyaa. no issues.
Manager : No..no, lets go out and eat. Company treat.
Auditor : (thinking ..) Okie, anything will do.
2nd Manager : Do you like Japanese food?
Auditor(not realising the nature of the question): Sure...haven't tried it. SURE.
2nd Manager : Good.

So as to not to disappoint his clients, the auditor went along with the idea but with internal crossed resentments.

Lunch time came and they all drove up to this POSH Japanese restaurant that serves one of the best fish food in Damansara. The auditor, and for the first time stepping into a Japanese Restaurant did not anticipate for the menu was all about raw and steamed fish fish and more fish.

So the whole team picks a table, comfort themselves and dived into the menu but minus the auditor. Not knowing what to order as eating fish is out of the equation, he decided to go along and waited for the host to order.

So, Bento was the dish ordered. Here is a dish one needs to eat to understand its fine Japanese culinary-art and taste. The dish is simply this:-

* Rice
* Cooked vegetables
* Fried prawns
* Small ringed squids
* Gravy : mint, ketchup and ginger (sliced and marinated).
* Japanese soup to go along
* Evenly-sliced cute pancake looking steamed(raw) fish namely: Salmon, Tuna, Cod and Herring all placed neatly in a lacquer ware boxed plate.

Well! the dishes arrived. Everyone jumped into it except the auditor who took his time to contemplate on his Bento. With pricking nerves and playing hard tunes he fidgeted, then reluctantly dipped his chop-sticks and ate. In under twenty minutes he finished his Bento including the slices of fish while the others raced to keep-up with him.

The moral of the story:

The Bento was so good, the fish was so delicious, the auditor set a date to visit this Japanese restaurant or for the fact any fishy business restaurant to savour more. How did a person who hates fish end up finishing his dish faster then you can say Bento?

Ohh! Mind you, the auditor mentioned above is none other than yours faithfully...heheheh.