Jackie_m
Yesterday, the weather continued to be warm, and the only thing that felt cold was my heart. I walked north on the main street, passed by a porn theater, and headed towards a Chinese restaurant that was already open early. I wondered if they still make new porn films for theaters, or if they just repeat old ones, or maybe they show DVDs meant for sale in theaters. It would be nice if they showed them in the best screen in Japan, the IMAX Laser/GT Technology at Ikebukuro Grand Cinema Sunshine Penthouse. As I pushed open the glass door of the old Showa-era building, I saw a party with a man and three middle-aged women, which made me feel a little more relaxed. The menu only had individual items, so I avoided ordering the mapo tofu that I had tried before. The atmosphere in the spacious and dimly lit room was unique. I sat alone at a small, old round table and remembered a scene from a movie I saw on Sunday, where the main character mentioned that the coffee cup-shaped rotating table in the center was actually a Japanese invention. I ordered the weekly lunch set which included fried rice and "stewed shrimp and vegetables" for 1,080 yen. The meal started with soup and a side dish similar to Chinese pickles, which was served in a small dish. The main dish soon arrived on a plate! However, to my dismay, there was a shiitake mushroom, my eternal enemy, on the plate. I have been trying to overcome my dislike for shiitake mushrooms, but this one was too strong for me. I used salt from my bag and soy sauce from the table to adjust the flavor. Despite the shiitake, the bamboo shoots and broccoli provided enough balance. I chose fried rice instead of white rice, which worked well, and the side dish complemented the meal nicely. The atmosphere in this twilight restaurant, with its focus on "richness," appealed to me. As I finished my meal, a group of young women and another group of two women entered, making me the only man in the restaurant. Surprisingly, this retro space seemed to be popular among women. Two women sat at the table in front of me, and one of them went to the restroom, leaving me face-to-face with the other woman. She was beautiful, with long black hair reminiscent of a character from a period drama, making me feel awkward and nervous. I finished my meal and stood up, feeling full.