Tonight I ate dinner at my favourite Japanese place near my apartment. It had currently gone through a refurbishment and I was eager to see the new look. Firstly let me explain a little about what I loved about the old place:
1. It was characteristically un-restauranty (if that can be a word.)
2. The decor was so mismatched and there was a TV blasting out Japanese channels that it felt like a tiny cafe in some back-ally of Tokyo.
3. The owner of the shop was a very friendly old man who was naturally the sushi chef at the front of the store.
4. It was perfect for eating alone – they had numerous books and magazines to read while waiting for your food that it didn’t feel odd eating by yourself.
Which brings me to the refurbishment. Instantly I noticed that they had gone to work on the branding of the restaurant. It felt much more fitting the locale of other high end shops and eateries – with its modern Japanese artwork on the walls and hovering waitresses. It took me a while to realise why this place seemed very different and the main reason was that the friendly old man and the TV were missing. Instead there was a younger chef and ambient music. It just didn’t feel right.
At this point I should state that the quality of the food itself had not changed all that much, which was ultimately a good thing. However, it did force me to realise how much I had appreciated the ambience of the place before.
Since the menu’s were all changed it took my friend and I a little while longer to choose, as we couldn’t just settle on old favourites. This I realised was a great thing, as it basically made me try new and exciting dishes. In some ways, it was through redefining itself that allowed me to appreciate the food.
So what does this all mean, well on the one hand I am annoyed that the younger generation of the family run business decided to take over from their parents. However I should still be happy as long as they continue to make the best curry udon and donburi I have ever tasted.
