Today we drove up to Orlando, the home of the Happiest Celebration on Earth TM, to do a sake tasting at a 'Japanese-style' Restaurant.
Folks around these parts care not about the finer details of authenticity when it comes to things oriental. Japanese restaurants are run by Thais, Thai restaurants by Vietnamese, and Chinese restaurants by - well, I haven't seen anybody pretend to be Chinese before but it could be out there. The interiors of these restaurants are as 'Asian Fusion' as you can get, with big buddha statues next to Zen-inspired water fountains and random kanji inscribed on antiqued scrolls hung from bamboo rafters. Throw in a gaudy mural of Mt Fuji and Tanaka's your uncle.
The sushi chefs will often introduce themselves with a 'Hi, my name is Got and I'm from Japan,' and show little embarrassment retracting their nationality when Kentaro questions them in Japanese. The locals couldn't care less as long as they get their Lobster Bombs, Mexican Spiders and Dragon Rolls, which are essentially sushi rolls created to suit American tastebuds. They're easy to make. You first create a normal sushi roll, and the quality of the fish doesn't matter too much because next you deep-fry it and smother it in mayonnaise and sweet sauce. "I LOVE Japanese food, it's SO LIGHT!" choruses around the room and Got smiles because he knows what he's doing.
After the tasting was finished we went to Downtown Disney and amused ourselves freaking out the Japanese tourists. We don't tend to get many in South Florida so were pleased to be able to perform our little show, in which I only speak really loud Japanese, as fast and colloquial as possible, and Kentaro only replies in English. This causes double, triple and quadruple takes by the bamboozled Japanese tourists (the other tourists couldn't care less and probably figure I'm talking Spanish), who stare at me like I stare at the tourists over 400 pounds covered in tattoos. There was one of them actually though he would have only been a measly 300 pounds, and he was covered in DISNEY tattoos complete with a Mickey Mouse shaved into the back of his head. Kentaro wanted to take a picture but I didn't want to break the camera.
***AND DEAR LORD I JUST GOOGLED FOR THIS GUY AND FOUND HIM - SO HERE FOR YOUR VIEWING PLEASURE IS THE 'DISNEY TATTOO GUY'***
Hmmm I have nothing more to say after reading his website. Bye.
3 comments:
There seems to be something seriously obsessive about this man covered in Disney art. At least we know that he can grow more space on his body to share his passion with innocent little children enjoying the frivolities of a Disney fantasy. Welcome to America where even the crazys are righteous!
Yeah, I've seen the Disney Tattoo guy before...I worked at the Magic Kingdom and then Downtown Disney from 1995-2003.
He kept getting escorted from the Magic Kingdom because he would take off his shirt and turn into a walking attraction. The Mice didn't like that.
You've never needed sake for the Disney to go down! -SB
Post a Comment