Hibachi

It’s a hot and humid Saturday evening, around 7:00 PM. My family and I decided to go out to dinner to this hibachi restaurant, which for those of you who don’t know, is when a chef cooks your food in front of you.

We are seated at a large table with a family of 6 and by the looks of all their serious faces I’m sure it’s going to be a great time.

I can’t help but look at each member of the family because they are hilariously odd. At the very end of the table is a young girl around the age of 12-ish, and she has the best poker face I have ever seen in my entire life. She wears this poker face throughout the ENTIRE time they are there. Next to her is a young boy who seems 8 years old, he’s sitting in his chair with his shoulders slumped over staring blankly at the tv in front of him, with his two large front teeth hanging out of his mouth. Next to him is his younger brother who looks around 6 years old, he keeps tugging on his father’s shirt to tell him something every 5 seconds. 

Then we get to the father. With his arm around his wife he sits back looking absolutely miserable, just staring at the table and not saying a word, trying to keep himself from exploding. Next to him is the wife, who also looks miserable and has said nothing yet. Her attention rotates back and forth between her husband and her other daughter, who is the best one of them all. Luckily for me I sat next to their second daughter who looked 4 years old-ish. With her elbows on the table and hands holding up her head, she stared at me the whole time we were there. When I’d look toward her she’d look away, but her gaze burned a hole in my face.

We sit there awkwardly for about 10 minutes before a chef finally comes over. The 12 year old girl is keeping her poker face steady while the two brothers lean over the table to watch the chef closer. The chef turns on the oven and asks the 4 year old girl if she likes fire...he then pour oils on the stovetop, takes out a lighter, and before you know it theres just this huge ball of fire. 12 year old girl does not care, 4 year old girl can’t even understand what he’s saying. He then begins doing tricks with the knives like flipping them and banging them against each other. But before I think he’s done he attempts to throw a knife back and try to catch it from behind his back.

He drops it.

He tries again, and nails it. The two girls could not care less but the brothers are pretty excited.

As he begins making the fried rice and look at the family again. The 12 year old stares at the chef cooking, with no emotion. The two boys are mesmerized by the flipping of knives but often look at each other and laugh or try to grab the attention of their dad to discuss the chef’s skills. The mother and father just watch, still looking pretty miserable. And finally the 4 year old who is still looking at me.

It’s incredible to me how different people and families can be sometimes. We have this family who is reserved and only slightly entertained by the chef. And we have my family. With my father cheering on the chef when the chef tosses a shrimp in the air and catches it in his hat, to my sister and mother who spent the whole time gossiping, I really find the differences so interesting.

After plenty more tricks and 15 more minutes, the chef has finished serving everyone their meals. This family quietly eats their food and doesn’t say much, minus the 6 year old boy asking his dad if he can eat his last piece of steak and the mother trying to convince the 4 year old to eat the fried rice. My family proceeds to examining what everyone else got and begins exchanging foods and talking while we eat. This family finally finishes, pays, and quietly gets up and leaves.

Hibachi isn’t for everyone I guess.

xoxo, Gossip Girl