You're the dish!

For lunch today, my colleagues and I decided to have Yam-Cha (or Dim-sum as it's commonly called) at our favorite restaurant near the office. I've been craving for Lausa Pao, and this place definitely has one of the best.

When we got there, we were met by this very nice, very gregarious girl who directed us to a corner table. In Yam-Cha places, the corner tables - especially the ones near a window - are coveted. And despite the place being packed, and with other people waiting, our group was lucky enough to be given a prime spot.

Joe was starting to write down our orders when the girl started suggesting some dishes. The girl turned out to be the Assistant Captain in the restaurant. Joe said that these people usually wait on tables of important people, and that we'd be in good hands.

Since she spoke in Cantonese, I had no idea what she was saying. But I did hear a familiar term "pangyao" which means "friend" and she pointed at me a couple of times. When she walked away, I asked my colleague why she was refering to me, and he said that she was actually suggesting dishes that she thinks I will like. Along with that, he was teasing me that the girl had her eye on me.

"Yeah right!" I told him.

So we proceeded to order, and we also ordered the Crab with Fried Noodle dish that the Captain said i'd like. She was the one distributing the portions and she gave me a big plate with a lot of noodles and a lot of crabs. She gave me the plate, looked at me, smiled and said: "Eat slowly and enjoy it." To which I said, "Thank you." My colleague was complaining that he had fewer crabs than me, and our other colleague said that the Captain put more crabs on my plate on purpose because "your friend will surely like this."

As our orders slowly came in, I noticed that she was there to explain each one and tell my Chinese friends that "your pangyao will surely like this one." And when the Lausa Pao arrived, she asked me to try it because it was their specialty. When i said that Lausa Pao was my favorite, she was so obviously delighted and giddy.

During most of our lunch, we'd see her hovering around the table, serving us tea, and talking about the Yam Cha we ordered. It was really THE VIP treatment we were getting, and we just felt lucky.

After the hearty lunch, we asked for our bill and it was still the Captain who gave it to us. After paying, we stood up to leave, and she gave her usual: "I hope you enjoyed your lunch and please see us again" spiel. To which I replied: "Thank you. It was really an excellent lunch."

I took a few steps away, then suddenly cornered me as my colleagues started to move along. She handed me her calling card and said: "This is my name card and that's my name. These are our numbers: phone number, fax number and my mobile phone number. The next time you want to eat here, just call me on my mobile so I can reserve a corner table for you and suggest the best dishes on our menu. And i'll also give you a 20% discount."

To this, my reply was: "Gee, thanks! That's really so nice of you." And it was followed by my trademark and default smile.

Then she said: "It was really my pleasure. Don't worry, i'll remember you the next time you go here. You're a very handsome man. I'll recognize you anytime, anywhere." This, of course, made me blush a bit. I hate getting attention.

After leaving the restaurant, my colleagues started to burst into laughter.

One said:

"Did you see the twinkle in her eye while she was talking to you. It looked like she was talking to a star."

The other said:

"I told you she likes you."

And the other one said something that best described what just happened, as well as our entire lunch experience. He said:

"Lester. You're the dish!"