Odd man out

By Oliver Geronilla

With the current buzz on wellbeing, many people have gone the extra mile to make sure that they find not only the best but also the most affordable way to be in the pink of health.

Aside from regular workouts, avoiding vices and thinking positively, having a well-balanced diet is one of the many things that we have to remember if we want to stay in shape and live a long and meaningful life.

For busy and single people like me, it has become a daily battle when it comes to this. Thanks to my maid who never forgets to prepare my lunchbox of fruits and veggies, I munch on them whenever I feel peckish. That way, I can avoid bingeing. There are times though when I crave ``cardiac delights” ― dishes that our heart doctors tell us to eat in moderation if we can’t avoid eating them at all.

Once in a while, my gastronomical desires overpower me, so I give in. Luckily, there are many gourmet restaurants ― from Greek to American, from Middle Eastern to Asian ― that dot the main avenue near my workplace. Choosing where and what to eat is not easy for the uninitiated but for me, given my penchant for green and leafy vegetables, picking the right restaurant is a cinch. Korean restaurants, of course, are in the upper echelon in this regard. They offer healthy dishes without sacrificing taste.

Not to be forgotten is the tempting spread of free and ``endless” side dishes served in all Korean restaurants (that I’ve been to) making the Korean dining style totally distinctive. That, I guess, is one of the reasons why I love eating in those ubiquitous Korean restaurants that line the streets of many famous commercial districts in the Philippines.

Some months ago, my colleague and I craved for our favorite Korean dish, “yukgaejang,” a spicy beef stew. Since it was lunch time, we decided to go to the Korean restaurant closest to our workplace in Paranaque City. We’re lucky that yukgaejang is on the regular menu.

While waiting for our dish, the side dishes were served, as is customarily done. With gusto, we sampled morsel after morsel of the items given to us ― especially kimchi.

When the main dish was finally served, we had almost eaten all of the kimchi given to us so I called one of the waiters to ask for more. To my dismay, I was asked to pay almost a dollar more in order to have extra kimchi. The waiter explained that for each side dish that we would like ``replenished,” the same rule applies: ``There’s an extra charge.” That made me choke ― well, almost.

What happened to that unspoken rule of giving customers free appetizers to their heart’s content? Not wanting to create a scene, I phoned one of my Korean students who had been to the said restaurant to ask if she had the same experience. She said: ``Of course, not. It’s free.” That made me furious.

In order to avoid disturbing the other customers, I decided to stand up and look for the owner-manager to seek an explanation for such an unfair practice. The answer that I got was a curt, ``It’s our policy.”

I retorted: ``Is it your policy to charge Filipinos for extra side dishes?” Again, she said yes. I got it, and I didn’t want to argue any further. But I requested extra kimchi for free. Her answer: ``Only kimchi and not the other appetizers?” I said yes. The request was granted.

``Wow!” That was the only thing that I could tell myself after that not-so-pleasant encounter with a restaurateur. Not only is her policy discriminatory, but also mind-boggling and effete of common sense.

One of the things that I really like about Korean companies, big or small, is their seemingly inherent ability to make their customers feel like royalty. My experience in that place left an unpleasant taste in my mouth but it won’t stop me from going to other Korean restaurants. That one’s just, well, an odd man out.

The writer is a language instructor at Han Maum Academy Philippines. He can be reached at oliger95@yahoo.com.