il Giardino Romantico

朋友，還真的是跟酒一樣，越陳越香。其實天仙算是很幸運的吧！除了常常有機會可以認識新朋友，也常常有機會可以與老朋友聚聚。其實兩種都給人不同的感覺。雖然老朋友可以很了解你，所以可以隨心所欲地談，但老朋友不也曾是新朋友來著？想一想，這天與我同行的友人原本也是半生不熟的同事來著。但因為當時我們同是社會新鮮人，在戰場上產生了一種革命情感。咱們兩有很多相像的共同點，但也有很大的不同。朋友不就這樣嘛！若兩者之間有太大的差異，會導致個性不合。又如果兩者太相像，那還有什麼樂趣可言呢？進入主題前會說這麼多廢話，其實是因為，我與這位友人，說常見面也不常，但我們卻能夠從出社會到現在都一直保持著連絡（即使在FB成為好友之前）。我想這並不容易。這段緣分也可說是得來不易，值得珍惜。

The longer the friendship, the better it gets. I suppose I am rather fortunate in that while I get a lot of opportunities to meet new friends, I also get  to spend a lot of time with old friends. These two types of gatherings give me very different feelings. Although an old friend may know you well, and you can talk about almost anything, these old friends had once been new friends, too, no? The friend who was accompanying me for this meal used to me a colleague of mine. We were both fresh college graduates. In facing the 'battlefield', we developed a friendship that would last a life time. There are many similarities between us, and many differences also. I guess that goes with all friends. I mean, if two people are so drastically different, they'll never agree on anything! And if two people are so similar, what fun would be in that!? Although we don't get to meet often, we always kept in touch (even before we became Facebook friends). I think that certainly says something about this friendship, don't you think?

其實說要吃飯說好久了。只是每次回台中不巧都是有事，不然就是快閃根本沒時間。終於等到了這次可以好好聚餐聊聊。友人找了餐廳後問我：居酒屋可以嗎？我回說：有酒當然okay啊！友人怕自己不能陪我喝我會掃興，我回：如果你不讓我喝才會掃興！

This meal had been talked of for quite a while. But whenever I was in Taichung, either I was preoccupied, or it had been a very short stay, too short for meal. Finally, we set a date for this long awaited meal. My friend asked if a Japanese izakaya would do, and I said: anywhere with booze would do. She wondered if she'd spoil the fun if she didn't drink with me, and I replied: only if you won't let me drink, will you be a spoiler.


這些都是客人的清酒。買一瓶，然後寄放。每一瓶都會寫上客人的名字。
These are bottles of sake of different customers. They would pay for the whole bottle, drink what they can, then leave it there till their next visit.



招待小菜
Complementary dish.


放縱的啤酒
Lager of indulgence


鮭魚生魚片 Salmon Sashimi

因為友人不敢吃軟綿綿的生食，所以這盤都是我吃的！@@
My friend did not dare to eat raw fish, so I had the entire plate all to myself.


牡丹蝦 Prawn

可是我卻成功地說服他嘗了這道美味的牡丹蝦。

But I did persuade her to try this salivating prawn dish!


也是招待的～ Another complementary dish.


泡菜炒麵 Kimchi noodles


照燒雞肉 Toriyaki (grilled chicken)


串燒香菇 Grilled mushroom


豆腐～ Tofu


茶碗蒸 Chawanmushi 


土瓶蒸 Doubinmushi


馬鈴薯 Potatoes


炸雞排 Fried chicken


Sauce for the chicken. 雞排的沾醬


半開放式的廚房 Half-open kitchen.

這樣的菜色看起來到底多不多啊？我們兩個人而已呢！而且因為友人也是我部落格的讀者，所以縱容我每一道菜都先拍照才開動。甚至還會提醒我要拍照。我很客氣的喝完了第一杯啤酒，他又慫恿我喝了第二杯。不過這裡的菜真是好吃。據說很多日本人都喜歡來這裡。從清酒瓶上的客戶名字就知道這不是亂蓋的。

Would you consider this a lot for two people? My friend is also a reader of my blog, and so she would kindly allow me to take pictures of every dish before we dig in. She would even remind me to take a picture before starting. After I finished my first beer, she also talked me into having another! The food here is absolutely amazing. Apparently many Jappers like to come here. From the last names written on the Sake bottles, I'm pretty sure that's more or less true.


穿和服的服務生 Waitress in kimono

 

拍完這張，我竟然發生了一件超不專業的事情：兩顆電池都空空！算了！還好重點都拍到了。

After this shot, a very unprofessional thing happened: both of my batteries were dead.... Oh, well... at least I got shots of the food! 


檢視較大的地圖 

天仙念： 我朋友本來怕我會介意坐在吧檯。不過我跟他說，居酒屋不是要座吧檯才更有feel嗎？後來我們進了餐廳，服務員跟我們說桌子有空的可以讓我們座，還被我們婉拒惹！哈有沒有這麼好笑的客人？這裡的服務也相當日式。雖然我沒去過日本，但從日劇中可以感覺得出來日本的服務精神。生魚片吃到一半覺得醬油不夠，離開位子想要去拿醬油，結果服務生看到了很不好意思的說：讓我來幫你拿就好了～～