The Shandong Place

I haven’t been in China for a week.  What do you want for dinner?  Well, what do you want for dinner?  Let’s go to that Shandong place.  And so we did. 

The “Shandong” place is over in Pinnacle Plaza.  This mall continues to sprout new establishments.  Someone, who had some fame for some reason and who hails from Qingdao opened this place amidst all the competition.     

The inside is simple, with faux seaside gear and request photos of the city.  Immediately after settling in, the table beside ours was filled up by five guys and their bottle of baijiu.  Soon, the familiar smell had reached our table and my younger daughter commented on it.  Half full, forever half full I suggested that she relish the smell.  “Some day, you’ll be far from China and when that smell hits your nose unexpectedly, a thousand memories will come flying back to you.  I was not particularly convincing. 

Continuing on all things olfactory, I asked my daughters, “what is a smell you can think of that could only evoke the US?  My younger daughter said “burgers” but then conceded that burgers were available in China as well.  My older daughter suggested “fresh cut grass.” Nice one, Marcel.  I can smell it now. 

 I have tried to sell my younger daughter on “Shandong” calamari.  It is leeks and squid and she isn’t fooled.  My older daughter won’t move beyond the chicken dish.  My wife and I are left repeating over and over that the dishes they won’t try are delicious.