With CJ’s inane work situation (he doesn’t work), there’s no
reason not to leave for Northern Virginia a day early, but we do. Following a
long drive we dine at Hama Sushi. CJ
sent an email to Yong announcing our intent. It turns out to be a magical
evening.
When we lived in Northern Virginia, once we discovered
sushi, we were regulars at this place dining there every Friday evening and
often twice a week. Since we moved four
hours south, we return when we can. Yong
appreciates our loyalty and if he knows we’re coming to dinner, arranges to be
in residence.
When we moved and spent the last few days in a hotel after
the packers emptied our kitchen and bedroom, we dined there three nights in a
row. On our last evening, knowing we
were overnighting in a local hotel, they packed us a Japanese breakfast to go.
Yong is on the phone when we arrive. We hear him tell the person he must go. He guides us to the sushi bar where he takes
up a seat on the other side of Carol. He
will remain there most of our dinner. On
our last visit, he suited up (donned his sushi head gear) and personally
prepared our meal. This time he
announces he’s going to enjoy our company. He orders a sake to drink while we enjoy ours.
We chat
throughout the meal.
When Carol remarks that he’s drinking a filtered sake and
while we drink an unfiltered sake. He
responds that he can’t afford the unfiltered version and we have a good laugh. At one point Carol tells him he must
compliment his new sushi chefs but CJ interrupts and tell Yong “but not until
after he gives them their next raises”.
Another good laugh is shared; and so goes the entire evening. The time spent with him is magical.
The ‘fresh’ board is loaded with goodies this evening. How special are we? There is uni from Japan
and only two orders remain and Yong has saved them for us. He knows how much CJ craves uni. There is
fresh tuna, fresh fatty tuna and the rarely available ankimo, the Japanese
version of fois gras.
When Yong indicates its Japanese fois gras a conversation
ensues that ends with a promise by us to return and introduce him to the
pairing of Sauternes with French fois gras.
His new sushi chefs are even better than the previous
pair. Kenny hails from Korea and is a
master at presentation. The other makes
a killer hot tuna roll. We find this out when the discussion turns to spicy
food. When Yong discovers CJ likes spicy
he makes a last minute change to the order and the next thing that appears is a
beautiful and delicious roll.
Yong knows what we like and we never place an order here. He orders for us. We are never disappointed.
We're off to a good start!
At one point when he leaves to check on other customers, the
sushi chef informs us that he arrived at 4pm even though we told him we’d
arrive around six. Various computer
foibles delayed our arrival. The chefs
told him he should to home and his response to them was, “I can’t leave, my
friends are coming for dinner.” That’s
special!
Yong escorts us from the restaurant and outside there is
great 60’s music blaring. The three of
us dance on the sidewalk before hugs and kisses announce our departure.
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