..and I ate every, single, last bite.
Watching: Discovery’s “World Poker Tour” off the Tivo
Last night I dropped by Tono Sushi with an out of town guest. Sitting at the bar with Alan, we were looking forward to head chef Hiro’s creativity. In that photo, Hiro’s the guy on the far left. (It’s not unusual to see Hiro run back to the kitchen and back to the bar. He’s a man in motion.)
Since introducing me to sushi in St. Louis years ago, Alan has since become a vegetarian. We hit several places around town where I know the chefs and challenged the chefs to make us something interesting. Hiro did not fail to please, using shisito and other hard-to-find Japanese vegetables to provide us an entirely unique and beautiful combination.
However Hiro’s big surprise is his dessert. The most creative sushi chefs I’ve met have other culinary talents that over time, get integrated into their cuisine. With Hiro it’s desserts. He makes a fluffy, perfectly moist and light green tea cake. But this night had a new treat: green tea creme brulee.
The dessert is amazing, and obviously, Hiro can only make a small handful every night. After our vegetarian feast, Alan and I ordered the cake and the creme brulee. The patron next to us, near forty, balding, and who had boisterously tried to bully us into ordering “fresh wasabi”, asked what we were eating, and then before he had finished eating his main course, said, “I want one of those”.
Hiro: I’m sorry sir, but that was the last one.
Patron: I want that!
Hiro: I’m sorry, there aren’t any more.
Patron (to the waittress in full tantrum mode): I want that!
Waittress: I’m sorry, no more.
Patron: I want it!
Hiro: Perhaps you can come back tomorrow.
Until the tantrum, I was going to offer him some of mine. After the tantrum, I started repeatedly and loudly complimenting Hiro for how good the creme brulee was. The creme brulee was good and you should go try it (yes it’s that good) but torturing this guy was an extra-special treat.
I’m not a mean person; I resisted the urge to lick the dish.