The SS15 branch of a well-known franchise serving quality cakes and fusion dishes has always been a family favourite. Tucked away in a quiet street with little traffic, it was a place where I could enjoy dinners with my parents without bumping into anyone familiar. With air-conditioned temperature during rainy evenings, it even gave us a feeling of those little alleys in Cardiff which we enjoyed immensely. And many dinners were eaten there, especially since the franchise introduced its mouth-watering ‘Chocolate Lava’. Being a true chocoholic, it was indeed a yummy attraction as a minute (and cheaper) alternative to Chilis’ Chocolate Molten Cake.
So it was not surprising that we became familiar faces at the restaurant. While the staff may not know our names, they would know our preferences and to a certain extent, my father’s displeasure whenever we’re served with ‘deformed’ Chocolate Lava (flattened chocolate cakes underneath the vanilla ice-cream). In short, we find comfort from the easy air of familiarity as we treat the restaurant as our kitchen away from home.
Like many other days, we headed over to the restaurant for dinner yesterday. It started well as we ordered our usual dishes (complete with a pre-order of Chocolate Lava) and served by the same female staff. My dad joined us slightly later as he indulged himself with dishes from a nearby Malay shop. While waiting for our dinner to arrive, I had the usual chit-chat session with my parents, providing them with minute-by-minute of my mundane work and whatnots. Dinner arrived and the next agenda was obviously to start eating.
While we were eating, the lady staff took a seat at the table next to ours. My parents and I resumed our conversation and during one of those must-have gaps of silence (probably me trying to swallow a chunk of the aussie beef), she spoke to us. We were surprised because we have always been accustomed to one basic rule when it comes to food servers. They are not to speak to us apart from ‘May I have your order, please’ unless they’re spoken to. So the general mood was severely dampened when she said “Mama, Papa, when you’re done, I have something to share with you”. Obviously, neither my parents nor myself were amused by the fact that this stranger (though familiar) addressed them as such.
I immediately found myself with pursed lips and stared straight to the glass wall opposite me. The lady was seated next to me but I had no intention to look at her. All that was in my mind was to rush through dinner and leave. Mama was trying her best to keep a cordial environment despite the lady’s unwelcomed intrusion into our tightly guarded privacy. Abah immediately went on the offensive when it was clear that the lady was trying to persuade us to join one of those multi-level marketing schemes and in her words, ‘earn extra money’.
The lady was obviously unable to read our body language from our ramrod backs and strained expressions. Either that or she must have assumed that our terse responses were indications of interest in whatever she was trying to say. She did eventually stop as other customers entered the restaurant. Unfortunately for us, it was clear. Thanks to her audacity to cross the line and thinking that everything’s fine, yesterday’s dinner was ruined. All of us left the restaurant fuming and promising never to return to the restaurant again. Now, we have to start the search for a new dinner venue. Preferably one which has a good selection of desserts to boot!
So it was not surprising that we became familiar faces at the restaurant. While the staff may not know our names, they would know our preferences and to a certain extent, my father’s displeasure whenever we’re served with ‘deformed’ Chocolate Lava (flattened chocolate cakes underneath the vanilla ice-cream). In short, we find comfort from the easy air of familiarity as we treat the restaurant as our kitchen away from home.
Like many other days, we headed over to the restaurant for dinner yesterday. It started well as we ordered our usual dishes (complete with a pre-order of Chocolate Lava) and served by the same female staff. My dad joined us slightly later as he indulged himself with dishes from a nearby Malay shop. While waiting for our dinner to arrive, I had the usual chit-chat session with my parents, providing them with minute-by-minute of my mundane work and whatnots. Dinner arrived and the next agenda was obviously to start eating.
While we were eating, the lady staff took a seat at the table next to ours. My parents and I resumed our conversation and during one of those must-have gaps of silence (probably me trying to swallow a chunk of the aussie beef), she spoke to us. We were surprised because we have always been accustomed to one basic rule when it comes to food servers. They are not to speak to us apart from ‘May I have your order, please’ unless they’re spoken to. So the general mood was severely dampened when she said “Mama, Papa, when you’re done, I have something to share with you”. Obviously, neither my parents nor myself were amused by the fact that this stranger (though familiar) addressed them as such.
I immediately found myself with pursed lips and stared straight to the glass wall opposite me. The lady was seated next to me but I had no intention to look at her. All that was in my mind was to rush through dinner and leave. Mama was trying her best to keep a cordial environment despite the lady’s unwelcomed intrusion into our tightly guarded privacy. Abah immediately went on the offensive when it was clear that the lady was trying to persuade us to join one of those multi-level marketing schemes and in her words, ‘earn extra money’.
The lady was obviously unable to read our body language from our ramrod backs and strained expressions. Either that or she must have assumed that our terse responses were indications of interest in whatever she was trying to say. She did eventually stop as other customers entered the restaurant. Unfortunately for us, it was clear. Thanks to her audacity to cross the line and thinking that everything’s fine, yesterday’s dinner was ruined. All of us left the restaurant fuming and promising never to return to the restaurant again. Now, we have to start the search for a new dinner venue. Preferably one which has a good selection of desserts to boot!
