We Didn't Survive the Outback....

but we did make a trip to Tokyo again! We all got dressed and ready to go to the Outback restuarant for dinner. Turns out when we arrive that the wait was 2 HOURS!!! You have got to be kidding me??? So we asked Grandma Auri what she would like to eat and she said "Let's go back to the fire restaurant." AKA Hibashi. We drove over to the restaurant and thankfully they had a wait that was more reasonable...10 minutes.

The place was jumping! We lucked out at the time that we arrived that we were seated right away because by the time we were leaving there was a 45 minute wait! What was funny was that they were shuttling people in and out. The party next to us at the table were complaining that they were offered dessert the moment they were served dinner. One lady, who was expecting, said "Wow, at least let me enjoy my food." I started joking to her "Remember in Seinfeld, the soup nazi, when you don't know what soup you want he would say NO SOUP FOR YOU! LOL So I said "NO ICE CREAM FOR YOU!!!!" They were all laughing. She did get her ice cream though!

One thing I love about Hibashi is the way you are seated you are in close proximity with other parties. I just talked about the party deprived of ice cream to our left....the party to our right were a rather interesting bunch. The chef was going about his business cooking and stuff and one of the males in the party got around to asking the chef "So when is it your New Year?" The chef looked at the man with this dumbfounded look on his face. "I'm sorry?" he said. OK, now doesn't everyone know that Hibashi restaurants are Japanese?? I guess someone forgot to tell this bunch because the other male in the party asked "Your New Year, When is it?" The chef answered "Today." The first male said "Your Chinese New Year" with an exasperated look on his face. To which the 2nd male said "Is it the year of the Rooster?" Mike and I looked at each other and gave each other that knowing look....DUH!!!! The chef finally told them "I am not from China, I am Japanese." I am sure he had a good laugh when he got back to the kitchen. By the way family to the right, The year of the Pig commences on February 18th, 2007.

We returned home contently full and took our New Years Pics with our hats donned...just in case the kiddies don't make it to the ball drop. Our New Years tradition is eating 12 grapes the last minute of the old year, and toasting the new year with champagne. The Champagne flutes are ready for the bubbly and the grapes are rinsed and chilled. Here's to a Wonderful 2007!