The Warm Service and the Help-Yourself

It's six thirty in the morning and I have been up for three hours. Commuted from Kobe to Nara at noon yesterday, and after all the train transfers, friendly but still not attention-free, I went to sleep as early as nine last night. And like I said, when I feel hungry, I read or write about food -- now it's time. As well as the time for a come-back to this food blog of mine.

Among all the Japanese food that I have tried and loved, panfried noodles is not one of them. I have to try it and see if I am gonna love it. A friend who works in Kobe recommended this stir-fry noodle place at Sonomiya (三宫).

I found this place without a GPS (shout out to myself by mere wandering). Cool, I have to pay before I get to sit down and eat. How? Well, with the machine to the right in the picture below, looking exactly the same as a vendor. Having trouble understanding the Japanese menu, I was saved by a spreadsheet with pictures next to eat. Problem solved. I ended up choosing a beef noodles with poached egg (small version) at 600 yen (about $4.8). What a deal.

An old lady took over the meal ticket I just purchased, welcomed me and set me down with a corner seat. Passing a cup of ice water to me, She reminded me not to sit too close to the illuminated sign board because of the heat, and at the same time putting down a basket to get me off the hook from my bag.This cup of ice water has been the most thirst-relieving thing ever. No weird taste of tap water that I always complain of (and get judged because of my pickiness) in the states -- does Japan have better water?!!Well, time to enjoy the water and see what the chefs are up to! With all the customers circling the work table and facilities, everything looks fired-up and instantly exciting.It was less than two minutes before the chef approached me shoveling a pile of noodles from a pan to this blackbelt of heater right in front of me. I didn't expect it to be where the noodles would be laying! Then I got to realize what the scoop was for on my plate: it was ME who was responsible for mixing the poached egg with the noodles, and with the heater, the noodles 'd never get cold!I finished this pile of food in four times of transferring them bit by bit onto my plate. Well...large bits.