Post by Ella
Back in Kagoshima proper after our venture in Sengan-en, time for a real meal. While staring at our phones, a woman (let’s call her Mae) rushed over and poked her nose between the two of us.
“I Help?” Or more like “I Help!” Demanding to help. Okay sure. We mimed eating. Mae frenetically motioned us to sit on a nearby bench (sit, sit!) while she ran into an office and called to another woman (I’ll call her Aki). Had Mae inadvertently misunderstood and thought one of us was having a stroke? Or maybe she thought we’d faint without immediate caloric intake.
Aki, Mae managed to convey, was the head honcho for the whole shopping arcade we were standing in.
Aki, after some wringing of hands and excited conversation with Mae, darted towards one end of the arcade, turned around and crossed her hands to indicate nothing there then trotted past us to the other end of the arcade. Ah success we guessed. She motioned us to come her way and as we approached at a more sedate pace, she practically shoved us inside a niche with four tiny eateries.
Aki took off before we could say arigato and Mae rushed over to say “eat, eat!”
We choose one of the four eateries based on Grubb seeing dumplings on the menu. That is, pictures of dumplings. Turns out, ONLY dumplings were on the menu. We plopped down on low backless stools at the only available table (this was a three table place). After some back and forth with the order taker and a lot of google translating the menu, we ordered some seared and some boiled dumplings with an assortment of fillings. Excellent. A spicy dipping sauce added just the right tang. Thinly sliced cucumber was served as an appetizer. I had plum wine with soda (really, I need to branch out). Grubb had iced oolong tea.
You know we are mostly willing to stop in anywhere, wherever we are when we get hungry. Every single meal has been good. Of course, the absolute best was our private chef back in Hidaka. But I’ll get to that in another post.
We hoofed it back to the hotel with a stop at the supermarket next door for bubbly water and ice cream bars. The grocery shopping experience here is much the same as at home except every damn thing, including produce, is wrapped in plastic. Oh and look at the price of eggs!
We’ve found staring at our phones here in Portugal can be dangerous. Twice since we’ve been here we stopped on a corner to look something up. We didn’t need any help, knew exactly where we were, going, but people wanted to help us find our way (i.e., point us to the Camino). We just patiently listen and then say “obrigada” (thanks). People really do enjoy being helpful. Sounds like you and Grubb got some great dumplings out of it!
Yes, a good ending. And same here. Stopping and looking something up can be dangerous or can turn fun!
Just curious: if you were in an arcade, was this a mall food court, and did you eat at the equivalent of a Panda Express? Not to say it wasn’t delicious and healthful even. Asia is renowned for it delicious street food, so why not a first rate dumpling place in a mall?
No, not a mall. There are many short, covered rows of shops I’m calling shopping arcades. Maybe akin to a row of shops on Central in Nob Hill, but covered. Sometimes places to eat are hard to spot unless there is a menu posted out front. We are getting the hang of it though.