No Sushi For You

This week's lunch expedition with my friend Jeff took us to a delectable sushi restaurant in the Asian plaza near our place of work. I had been to this establishment a few times before, actually experiencing my first sushi tasting during a business lunch some seven years ago. The quality of the food never disappointed. We were looking forward to the prospect of fresh fish, rice and wasabi on this beautiful California noon hour.

We arrived, and seated ourselves at the sushi boat. Many delicacies floated by on their colorful plates, and we each selected one. As I was enjoying my first unagi nigiri, Jeff suddenly developed a troubled look on his face.

"What's up ?", I asked.

"Well, I don't want to ruin your lunch, but..."

He moved one of the signs on the table, and out scampered a medium-sized cockroach, not two inches from the plate that held my food.

Gross.

My normal reaction would have been a startled scream, but luckily, Jeff had warned me that my lunch was about to be ruined. Gathering every bit of composure I could muster, I quietly declared, "We're done here." With a quick word to the server, we were gone.

It was all I could do to keep the urge to vomit at bay.

It's sad, really. We both enjoyed this restaurant in the past. I was willing to overlook the fact that the unagi seemed rather dry, and not up to the standards we expected. But, I simply cannot overlook a cockroach, the international symbol of Dirty Disgusting Restaurant, casually walking two inches away from the plate where I was eating my food.

Jeff, being a guy, indicated he might have continued eating if I hadn't been present. I, however, would rather starve.

So much for good, inexpensive sushi.