welcome at mother

How can I forget to share pictures of more food? 

I was surprised when one of my team members invited me to the IT Girls Dinner gathering during my first week. I thought it was just one of their usual gatherings, so I agreed to join them. Later only did I realise it was a welcome dinner for me!

My direct supervisor was still traveling when I arrived, so I did not have the opportunity meet up with him during my first day. However I started to get to know the people on the team.

To think that the Chinese have their 8 course dinner, the Japanese course meal is as elaborate if not more. Since I was the guest, I was not aware of how "grand" the meal would be.

The restaurant could fit the most 30, and our table was the biggest taking up the most space. So did not expect perhaps than a simple set meal.

But the food just kept coming and coming that I had to ask my colleague how many more were to come. I felt a bit bad having to pause everyone from eating everytime I wanted to take pictures but I'm glad taking pictures is so Japanese!

Of course I'm not complaining, they were all delicious! It's always fun to have a little of everything, especially if these are Japanese fusion food. Think it's not such a good idea to post food pictures in the middle of the night when there's no mamak in the vicinity.

I don't remember what exactly I ate, but since it was my first week in Kobe and not knowing anyone it was nice to be able to have scrumptious food while the grrls tried to converse in English with me. They were keen to practice their English while I tried to respond in my equally broken Japanese!

Let me quickly go through the list of food we had before my stomach make louder noises : sashimi appetizer with fried garlic chips, cold dish of chicken and potato wrapped in jellied ham, buttered corn on the cob, minced tuna burger with seaweed, parma ham salad with avocado, nanba fried chicken in spicy mayo dressing, seared (cod?) fish with grilled vege, spaghettini in tomato sauce...

If you notice, they all have very different ingredients, cooked and served in various ways and yet balanced in colour and tastes.

At the end of it, the waitress presented a plate of assorted cakes for me. So cute ya! (^.^)/ It was a perfect end to the splendid meal. Sweet tooth or not, it's hard to resist something so cute.

At the same time, another colleague was also presented a similar plate. Waka-san had just joined a few months before me, but they did not have a proper welcome party for her, so we were both officially welcomed together. 

Presenting the IT grrls in my department. They are quite a varied lot, interesting in their own ways. Ok I better stop writing before the stomach growls.

Oh, just as reference, the restaurant is called "Mother". Don't ask me why.