Pregled posta

Marketing

character


(long... no worries if you don't read it, just felt like writing something to go along with this and got a little long-winded)

It was a brisk and chilly Saturday afternoon when I stepped out of the wind and into this "Jeff's NY Deli," just off Spring Street near Centennial Park and I was less than impressed. The decor was bold, but sparse... and cheap. A KLH boombox honked Christmas tunes well before Thanksgiving, and through a fog of white noise, to boot. Exposed pipes, ductwork, and electrical raceway but not in a trendy fashion. Two tables shoved together supported newspaper coupons, comics, crosswords, as well as a time-worn (and possibly war-ravaged) coca-cola mug. A refrigerated display cabinet next to the cash register with dated-looking potato salad, fruit sald, etc. and another cooler full of various soft drinks awaited farther in. A braless, frumpy matriarch with questionable dental integrity hovered over a plump, silent boy of middle school age, frustrated that he is not picking up the (apparently) family trade with adequate velocity. They are receiving and calculating a customer's order.

On a normal day, I'd have revolved and walked right back out. However, pressed for time and tummy grumbling, knowing this 10 minute window was likely my last for some hours, I continued to the counter, waited my turn behind the only other customers (mother and son) placed my order and sat down. I was slightly depressed and uncomforably impatient.

I surveyed the scene again - in more detail this time. Mostly noticing more cheapness, more corners cut, more dirt. Annoyed and still impatient, I pulled out my camera and started checking it over, making sure I was prepared for the photoshoot to follow. Everything checks out. Still hungry. They already have my money - might as well wait. Frumpy matriarch busies herself behind the counter while the boy shuffles some of the newspapers and plays with his hat. I consider engaging him in conversation, think better of it, nod, receive his reciprocal nod and decide to start shooting. With the camera, of course.

I start to look at the room in a different way, now. I'm looking for something. But what am I looking for? Something good, for starters. I'm looking for interesting light, interesting geometry, interesting... anything. I quickly find it across the narrow room from me and slight to the right - towards the door. It's the sun reaching in, dousing the room with warm ambient light as well as a few fingers of bright rays. Casting a fragile but intense shadow deep into the deli, the ray of interest penetrates not only the physical space of the room, but my perception of this restaurant as well. One of the beauties of photography is finding beauty where you otherwise might not notice it.

After taking a few photos, my sandwich arrives. It is a monstrous mound of honey cooked ham with deli swiss on new york rye bread accompanied by the aforementioned dated-looking potato salad. Oh, and lettuce, tomato and deli mustard as well. Having expected a frumpy sandwich to go along with the frumpy appearance of the shop as well as the preparer, I now felt guilty. The sandwich was, quite honestly, one of the tastiest sandwiches I've ever had. I was beginning to wonder if their "Best sandwiches in Atlanta" claim was not so insulting after all... in fact possibly even true.

Now, I have never visited New York, so I have no idea if this place resembles, in any way, a typical NY deli. My guess is no. But one inescapable conclusion was that I had miscalulated, misjudged, and damn near missed out on this place and what it had to offer.

What they lacked in appearance, the shiny surfaces, the trendy furniture, the beautiful staff, the friendly smile... they made up for in substance - a warm, natural, and unassuming place to eat and a helluva damn good sandwich. I guess the best way to put it is: the place had character.

-true story

We were recently at the newly re-furbished and re-named "Metro Market" Shopping Centre at Biggera Waters at the northern end of the Gold Coast. Having just returned from Brisbane, we were also starving and looking for a place to eat when we spotted "Sushi Maru" a very small Korean-Japanese Teppanyaki Restaurant. Through the left window, you could see into the kitchen that was kept spotlessly clean. The sliding door on the right displayed the menu... and the prices were very reasonable... so we decided to enter and order a meal.

Entering the restaurant, we were immediately impressed by the refrigerated display counter on the left that also prominently displayed the temperature inside the display counter... The restaurant was very small with only three small tables and three stools at a small bar at the window, which meant that the restaurant mainly catered for take-away customers... As one table was free, we sat down at that table... as the lady was serving two customers at the counter, her young daughter promptly came out and handed us a menu... and came out to take our order as soon as she had finished serving the two customers.

As I am not familiar with Korean or Japanese food, I went for a chicken curry... as many Asian dishes contain coriander, which I can't stomach, I asked if she could make it without coriander, but otherwise hot and spicy... and I was delighted that she was very accommodating and eager to prepare the dish just as I like it. My wife, having more knowledge of Japanese dishes, ordered a beef teppanyaki, mild but with coriander... and she was likewise very pleased that the dish would be prepared in accordance with her wishes.

In less than ten minutes, the meals were ready... we were very pleasantly surprised that we were presented with two excellent meals that were very tasty, prepared just the way we liked them... we had a very enjoyable meal and a very pleasant and memorable experience... Since then we have eaten here at least one to three times a week and often accompanied by our daughter or friends who have been equally delighted by the fabulous meals served here !!!

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