Turning over rocks

He's got a point but I have a fundamentally different view. The dining experience in Japan, especially Omakase (and other intimate high-end establishments), isn't really just about the food but the relationship you cultivate with the restaurant and the owner-chef who works there. Like aging fine wine, it gets better over time. If you're just trying to get decent sushi, then sure, conveyor belt sushi by all means is a solid choice. But for either people who live or frequent Japan, the richer the experience gets at one place, the more times you go. It's more like what a long-term relationship is to a one-night stand. The head chef, or the "Taisho' will remember when you last came, Over time, he'll remember what you like, what you don't like. Usually, they'll see your name on the reservation list so they know what to prepare. Maybe he has a special sake waiting for you. They'll greet you like an old friend that you haven't seen in ages, they'll know your kids' names, you'll know how his family is doing. A few weeks ago I was taken to an omakase that a friend frequents. He lives abroad, so they were surprised to see him again! Even though I was the guest, I heard the chef whisper to the waitress to remember and place any cutlery on the left side because he saw I was left-handed. One thing they were genuinely panicking about is whether my friend wants different dishes or the same as before - because maybe he just likes eating the same thing every time - but since he lives abroad, maybe he wants something 'different'. At this level, it's also an art form. Forget the fish, that's just one part. The chef had 4 different type of soy sauce he uses for different fish/dishes. He even made us try just the soy sauce by itself, which was freshly opened; it tastes noticeably different because it's been transported from their supplier in a specialised air-tight container and hasn't oxidized. The attention to detail isn't just from this omakase place but also their soy sauce supplier, the knife maker, etc etc. That one sushi is a culmination of millions of small decisions made by these people with a craftsman mentality seeing most won't even bother thinking about. Perhaps this is just a microcosm, but like my friend, there's a place my family goes to often on special occasions. My dad has been going there for the last 47 years! These places have many such customers. You'd think during times like Covid they would suffer, but this place got through without a problem. These 'old friends' just kept showing up, again and again. And the Chefs appreciate this too - theres even restaurants with the policy of "Ichigensan Okotowari" where first time comers are denied without a referral from an existing customer. This relationship and loyalty is also why some places don't raise their prices nearly as much as they should, because they don't want to do that to their long-time customers. So to me, it's not just about the 'eating', but it's the friendship that grows over time and the idea of generations of families growing up going there even as the Chef and his families continue to run the business. The moments you share in that intimate space is priceless. And I find that beautiful, and one of the reasons why dining in Japan can be so different from any other country in the world, bar none. Like the Patek slogan: "You never actually run an omakase. You merely look after it for the next generation" (lmao)

Took a little while to work but refiners are moving now - will be deemed infrastructure of national significance soon enough.. $VEA.AX $ALD.AX

Lots of talk about an Aussie windfall profits tax on oil/gas and possibly coal companies. Let’s assume worst case scenario of 25% levy that has been floated in media. Santos ($STO.AX) still looks pretty attractive even in this dire scenario.

All I had read for the past few weeks is how Trump is either gona win or Taco and oil prices are gona tank… yet all the reputable oil gurus (I get the conflict of interest) are screaming that supply/demand will go $200+ unless conflict resolved. I think I’ll follow the guru’s.. at least for now.. but hoping for a resolution or a taco 🌮 I’m pretty hungry