The Belgian Congo and sushi

Mimi assured me she wasn't attending the performance in a professional capacity. We were at La Mama for the New York premiere of Blind Ness: The Irresistible Light of Encounter, an experimental theatre piece adaptation of Heart of Darkness. The show lacked an emotional core, playing more as a history lesson of Belgium's subjugation of the Congo. While interesting, the piece went on too long, unfortunately becoming overbearing and didactic towards the end.

The evening was a benefit for Ping Chong's theater company. Wine and hors d'oeuvres appeared afterwards, and Mimi and I snacked. Soon, hunger got the better of us and M. went to see if her friend wanted her to meet anyone. Her obligations filled, we left for dinner.

Too far from Sapporo East, we decided on Shiki, with its blend of Brazilian sushi. The restaurant is named after the head sushi chef, a retired boxer. Paper cuts decorate the wall, from island views and exotic animals to masks of George W. Bush. M. told me that he and the waitress are always there. The waitress, her hair cropped short and bleached blonde, always makes her finish her plate. I said we should be careful what we order.

For dinner we shared three rolls, one with banana fritters, another with mango accents. They were enormous and good. M. told me that last summer while unemployed she had wanted to learn how to become a sushi chef. She interviewed chefs at every sushi bar in the city, trying to learn what she could. Finally one chef offered to teach her. She would work with him in the evenings. He told her it would take her two weeks to learn the basics after seeing her knife work (she grew up in her parents' restaurant). But then, as her apprenticeship was about to begin, she found a job. Posted by eku at June 24, 2004 9:44 AM