Went down to Windward Mall to get a Triple Prime Bacon Cheddar Burger at Ruby Tuesday. Was seated almost immediately, which was a surprise. Guess it wasn’t very busy during the economic downturn – lots of empty tables. It took at least three minutes (probably more like five, but I don’t want it to seem like I’m exaggerating) for server first contact. She was a trainee being ghosted by an experienced server, so the fault really falls on the trainer no matter how nice she was. It is inexcusable to have that long a delay before a face-to-face with the customer. It is worse to use customer dissatisfaction as a training tool – don’t allow the customer to become unhappy then point out to your trainee, “you don’t want to do this,†instead, proactively address the customer and lead by example. I almost walked out. That whole “not busy†thing manifested itself in reduced staff, so even if it wasn’t for the trainee floor staff, the kitchen was understaffed, so food prep was slow. Continue reading ‘Customer Disservice’
Archive for the 'Review' Category
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Kirin has produced two recreations of their historical brews, one Meiji-era lager, and the other a Taisho-era Pilsner. Both have cans representative of the labelling during those respective eras. The Taisho one has the Kirin emblem that we are familiar with, but the older Meiji one has what at first appears to be a weird little dog. Both are 5% ABV, but the Taisho pilsner has rice as an adjunct as opposed to the pure malt of the Meiji brew. Both have a stronger bittering, but the Taisho pilsner has the distinct “ricey” finish common to American lagers that are adjunct-heavy – It’s not bad: It’s just not as malty. Continue reading ‘Kirin Retro Beers’
Finished packing for the most part and hunger was setting in, so I walked down to MOS Burger and tried the new Tobikiri Hamburger with cheese. Not bad. From the brief examination of the menu blurb, it might be domestic meat. The cheese is white and melty like a fluid or sauce. The meat is brushed with a teriyaki sauce before assembly. Those who know me know I don’t particularly care for teriyaki-anything, but since this sauce was more on the salty side and less on the sweet side, I could accept it. It was good overall, taste and quality wise. Since it is gettng into winter, the salad fixings are getting rather unhappy – the lettuce is pallid, and the tomatoes grainy. Value-wise, it is about on par with other midrange Japanese burgers, in other words, a bit expensive compared to what you’d get in The States, and volumetrically much smaller. I’d still get this again, though I would have preferred the cheese being less runny. Continue reading ‘Last Lunch’
This strong, dark ale from Hitachino is in the classic stout vein, from the dark roasted malt and almost syrupy decoction, to the strong hopping. This stout from Kiuchi Brewery in Ibaraki Prefecture in central Eastern Honshuu, Japan was more in the vein of the heartier Guinness Extra Stout than the lighter nitrogen-charged Pub Draught Stout in flavor, body, and gas saturation. It was a different experience altogether from even Hitachino’s own Sweet Stout. Since this was my beer of choice at a “BYOB†restaurant, I didn’t have the luxury of a glass, so I didn’t get to observe the color, clarity, head, or carbonation. The first taste was very strong on the hop, but this moderated on subsequent sips, allowing the malt flavor to shine through. It was less hoppy than say a Deschutes Obsidian, but significantly more than a Guinness Draught. This would probably put it in “danger beer†territory for chronic light American lager drinkers. The flavor was initially very hoppy with a dark-roasted malt note. The hop flavor was flowery, but leaned more toward the astringent than the sweet, but it was only mildly bitter. The perceived dryness was added to by the carbonation, as opposed to the more mellow, creamy effect imparted by nitrogen in a widgeted stout like Guinness Draught. The malt flavor was not dark to the point of being “smoky†or coffee-like, and the mouthfeel was thick and spreading with a moderate level of carbonation. The hop and malt tones faded out evenly to the finish, the malt lingering maybe slightly longer. Continue reading ‘Beer is Good – Hitachino Nest Beer XH’
How can you possibly go wrong with a line like that?
Rammstein’s latest album Liebe Ist Fur Alle Da got its USDM release today. Hooray! I grabbed the special 2-disc edition on sale for under $15 USD including tax at the blue and yellow place. The single-disc standard release is going for around $10 plus tax. I do not think the North American market will get the limited edition box set for some reason… I got almost all the way through the first disc while driving around this evening, and this is one of the first albums in a long time that had me grinning maniacally while cranking up the volume. This album is a return to the more hard-driving sound of Mutter era, but isn’t relying on formula – it combines some of their past influences from the electronic eighties into their overpowering industrial metal sound.
Go grab it while it’s on sale!
Highly recommended
Four out of four fleischgewehr grabbing schimpanzen
My Camelbak Better Bottle cap developed an annoying leak. With the nozzle in the open position, everything works as designed, but when the nozzle is flipped to the closed position, the contents leak out around the nozzle base. I wasn’t quite sure how the mechanics worked, so I took the cap apart with a security Torx bit, and found that instead of a system of seals, the valve utilized what amounted to pinching off the flow like kinking a garden hose. A short section of flexible hose runs between the cap and nozzle, and when the nozzle is flipped down, the hose is bent at a right angle and pinched shut. This is where the failure on mine occurred. The hose developed a perforation where it gets pinched. The paradoxical leakage is from the tube becoming deformed when bent allowing fluid to exit the perforation, whereas when straight, the perforation returns to a static closed position. Continue reading ‘Camelbak Better Bottle Cap Leak’
Just got back from the HIFF screening of this movie, english translated title being Vampire Girl vs Frankenstein Girl. This unabashedly over the top ridiculous blood gushing piece of bizarre entertainment. From much of the same creative talent that brought forth Tokyo Gore Police, Machine Girl, Meatball Machine, so you should know what to expect. Some of the initial camp didn’t click too well, when you see it trying too hard, but it settles down feeling more, how can I word it, natural? That should be about the last time the word natural should be associated with this movie. You just need to go for the ride and let it flow. Do not question how goth lolita, ganguro extreme, emo wrist cutters, kabuki mad scientist, naughty nurse, sumo gimp, samurai skelleton armor janitor, St. Francis Xavier, cameo by director of Juon, all comes together, because somehow just as with Dr. Frankenstein’s creation, it does. I actually found the “plot” of this film to be pretty cohesive, simple, and easier to follow than many of the other gorefest films I mentioned. And the sexual content is actually fairly minimal, esp in comparison. But the absurdity content is not, which is a good thing. I’ve seen other reviews complain about the low production values, they missed the point. I don’t have much complaints with the directing, there was maybe a scene I felt went on for too long, but in all the roller coaster ride worked well. I like the soundtrack, added to the absurdity of it all. I have to say I really enjoyed this movie. For fans of Japanese cult films, over the top gore fests, highly recommended for mature immature audience. For people who don’t get this kind of stuff, they’ll find much to be offended. I can’t believe with this title and all the promo materials that there were people who thought this was going to be a horror movie….
Stumbled across this at Foodland today and had to buy it. “Limited edition”, is this like the Beanie Baby tactics of the beer world? Anyway, I’m a sucker for a dark beer that promises to be good, since I like Guinness Stout. The draft widget one can’t be beat, except on tap. Anyway, on to this aniversary edition. Pours with a good head, opaque almost black, but doesn’t have the amazing inverted bubble action of the wiget or tap stout. Aroma is nowhere as intense as their usual stout. Taste is likewise. Hints of the classic smokiness. It’s pretty clean and dry, moderated bitterness that tapers nicely. The blurb on the label describes it well, “a refreshing taste, which underlies the complex flavor of stout.” I’d call it Guinness stout lite. It hints at stout, but lacks the originals intense flavor, creamyness. It is quite drinkable. I’m just about done with my first and contemplating another. No idea of the ABV percentage, stouts typically are low, I feel a good buzz hitting. But I also had about 3 shots of sake with dinner about an hour ago.
I’m not sure how to rate this. I’d take a draft Guiness over this any day, but it’s good. And as mentioned, quite drinkable. The normal Guiness stout tends to be a heavier slower drinking affair. And doesn’t always get along with food. I’d give it 3 out of 4 tipsy monkeys.
A few thursdays ago, Dave got the urge for pizza. And no, we did not want to settle for the ordinary Pizza But or Papa’s. And somewhere with beer is a definite plus. Fabio brought up J.J. Dolan’s, a less than year old eatery, located downtown on the fringe of Chinatown. He’d been there, but Dave and I haven’t yet. And they got beer. So it was off to find parking in the somewhat sketchy streets of downtown after dark. Kinda wish I didn’t have my bike in my car, should have left it at w0rk. Anyway, after scrounging up $6 in loose change to feed the parking ransom, I met the boys on Bethel Street. Continue reading ‘J. J. Dolan’s – pie and suds’