shochu

the problem with the london dining scene, i often lament, is how it rewards the well-organised. falling on the less-organised half of the line, i don't have my life planned weeks in advance. i wish i did, but visibility is something we sorely lack. but some times, being spontaneous has its perks. we planned to meet dear friends for a long overdue catch up but as with most weekends, our timing and theirs was so flexible what was intended as afternoon coffee ended up a fashionably late dinner. by the time we decided, roka was fully-booked but the hostess said they do walk-ins for bar and terrace. not wanting to second-hand smoke over dinner, we opted for bar seats and were told it would be a forty minute wait. not bad, considering it was already 830pm on a saturday night. so we headed to shochu to wait for our table and the time just whizzed by. was fascinated by the dry ice (cheap thrill) and huge carving block the bartenders were hacking at every now and again. the drinks were yummy (the mister had a nippon express with bells on) and by the time our friends came, our table was almost ready.

our friends had been traveling iceland and greenland before and we were keen to hear about their adventures. we've a soft spot for iceland, but have yet to visit greenland. although i doubt it'll be too long more after hearing about their amazing time there. i've known K since primary one and we reconnected during the bar exam course. the mister independently knew her lucky man and they're a couple that really fits. at an age where most of our friends are in serious relationships, it's always such an inspiration to be with a couple who are so compatible together. we lost track of time and before we knew it, it was 1am and the staff had long stopped topping up our drinks. the tasting menu was enjoyable as ever, but the company was truly the highlight of our evening. yay for marathon meals and friendships that last despite the oceans between.