I normally don't take pictures of my lunch, let alone write about them. I often write about the conversations I have at lunch though, as they tend to be interesting. However today, I have reversed the pattern, because I ate by myself. I was not only the only one at my table, I was the only patron in the restaurant. This is normally a pretty bad sign, but last week I had eaten at this place for the first time with a colleague, and it was fantastic.
Handmade dumplings.
I took shrimp (again) and they were bloody fantastic. And they looked so good on the plate, that I actually felt like taking a picture of them. It was like a plate of crispy sunshine.
But, what I think is the most noticeable thing about this particular restaurant, is that it is so bland inside. When I first arrived in Finland, the same place used to be a pizza place that was only ever frequented after 3 am in the morning, and drunk. It went through a few other things since then, but it pretty much hasn't changed much, other than the owners and the food on offer.
They have made an attempt to brighten it up a little with some decorations, but it doesn't do much to make it inviting. But does it have to be if the food is good?
Apparently so.
Granted, it was a bit of a late lunch for me and Finns tend to eat relatively early when at work (around 11 am), but still, I was there for over half an hour and only one other person came in, ordered, sat down, and then changed his mind and took it away instead.
Was it the d茅cor?
Probably not, but the experience did have me wondering how easily blinded we might be by our surroundings, to what is actually happening. Across the road is another place that has Asian food and it is always full. The food is good there also, but the menu doesn't change much from day to day, but it is always full. It looks much nicer however, and of course, there is a buffet, which Finns love. the dumpling place is cooked to order, fresh and sizzling.
Quantity over quality?
Not having someone sitting with me for lunch today was a blessing, as I was very busy and had several meetings with a lot of people packed into them, so I needed some space to recharge. The walk to the restaurant, the food, the environment and the walk back, fit the bill. And once I was able to get that mental rest, my head started thinking clearly again.
Well, as clear as it gets.
I prefer eating with colleagues most of the time, because it is a rich environment for interesting conversations, but I really don't mind eating alone. Time to think for me is normally after everyone is down and asleep for the night, so it felt a little luxurious to have a window during the day, and I think I will make more of a habit of it and maybe once a week, sneak out without inviting anyone along for the ride.
Do you prefer to eat your lunch with colleagues, or alone?
Taraz
[ Gen1: Hive ]