Eating in Japan

Life is good at Oceans Resort Hotel, yummy!

Well Oceans Restaurant and Bar has landed for the final night in Japan.  Well our round the world at Oceans meal game has finished for Japan.  The real hard part of being a General Manager with such a wonderful Restaurant is that you have to taste the food.  It is just one of those parts of the job that has to be done, regardless.

So with a sigh (oh please note the sarcasm I am dripping on my sentences here) I ordered from James our Japanese dish.  Marx, one of our newest staff members then brought to my office what I can only say was a delight of the senses.
Smoked Salmon Sushi, Vegetable Sushi, pickled ginger, wasabi (shaped as a leaf) soy sauce, Chicken teriyaki and Beef teriyaki served with chilli aioli.  Prawn Tempura, Scallop tempura and broccoli tempura served with a crisp vegetable salad.  Tuna Sashimi with an avocado and wasbi mousse AND miso soup!  WOW.

James our Chef preparing for the taste-buds

I didn't get my playing card like the rest of our customers as it will be a bit unfair when it comes to going in the draw for the cash win and playing the game of chance.  I think I can live with that.

So as we close our restaurant for the evening and our customers get back in their cars and head home, or for the lucky ones take an elevator ride to their rooms we will say farewell to Japan.  We will however start to get ready for our next port of call which is Sweden, landing Monday evening the 7th May.

So you may have missed out on coming to Japan with us, there were of course many of you that didn't miss out and actually came twice.  However we are in Sweden next week and I look forward to handing out even more game cards.  I will start preparing myself for that job of tasting the food. 

Can I also add that as of tomorrow we have our new Menu starting.  We are cooling down here in Tutukaka, (not as much as the rest of country), so our menu will start reflecting that.  You can check out the new menu here, as of tomorrow, being Friday 4th May.  I suppose I better start getting ready to taste that too, oh the things you do, the things you do.  Might have to start doing a few more runs out to the lighthouse and back, but it will be soooooo worth it:)

off to Dargaville

Coffee and muffins as we prepare for our day

Well Friday we all met at Oceans Resort Hotel, most had a coffee, some had breakfast and some had a beer (why not it is Friday after all!).  I personally had Coffee.  It was 9am!!!!!  And for those who know me you know full well that this girl does not really kick into gear until her third coffee!  (Can't open my eyes till the second!)
Then it was time to load Nimmo's bus with chill-bins, food, chairs, blankets, umbrellas and of course beer and head off to the Races!  We were heading to the "other" coast, we were going west, with cash burning a hole in our pockets. 


Checking out the new building works
That Blog will follow.  Oceans is changing



I am not sure, but am confident that they were ripping up the road and putting a new one in every 2 kms, the bus was stopped that many times with the man (or woman) holding a little sign.  The power of the little sign in holding up the fate of our group winning BIG at the races!!!!  I didn't mind as I hadn't travelled this road before and hand on heart can say it is amazing country!!!!  The last time I headed to Dargaville was when I was 12 years of age.  My interest of the countryside at that age was non existent.  Now it seems the peace that is promised in the rolling hills and gentle streams is something that makes you draw breath and hope for the lotto win - or the horsey win:)

The perfect spot nothing but sunshine

So we finally pulled up and manoeuvred the bus through the farm gates, Rob did a great job with the Nimmo's Bus and there were cheers from all seats.  We drove up the farm road and pulled to the right into the paddock and parked the bus where we all threw ourselves out from the bus and got to have a look around.  The description of "farm" is spot on really, we were far from the Melbourne races!  With the bus acting as a wind break and the chairs, food and beverage unloaded everyone set themselves up for a day of winning, laughs and fun.

Steve, husband, found the van that was selling the BIGGEST mussel fritters I had seen for a long time!  Then he found the bar so really his day was set and he was settled.  Most of our guys on the bus found the bar with surreal speed. 

The horses running - Dargaville Races

Then it was time to place my first bet.  My first bet EVER.  pfft should have really got a translation book before I went!  Most of the time their questions were met with one eyebrow raised followed with a slow "what?"

To cut a long story short (I don't do this often! ask my husband) but the day was filled with winning and losing and my final bet was placed with relative confidence and there was no smerk from the lady as I did so.  SUCCESS!!!!!!!!

I got back on the bus $4.50 up from what I started with.  Do that enough times and that farmlet with the rolling hills and gentle stream will be mine!

Tis the ladies of the day

Then it was back to Oceans, stopping at some pub in some town that I would have no chance of saying the name of, then stopping at another bar in Whangarei and then getting back to Oceans.  On the way home Rob did the draw for prizes on the bus, I missed out on the chocolates and plastic 'boobs' but with a smile I patted my pocket that contained my $4.50:)

 I will say right now that the wonderful group of people I got to share the day with really made the day.  It was full of laughter, smiles and fun, it was relaxing and the sun was beaming.  So thank you to everyone who came, to Rob for driving us and for Lew who organised it and of course Chippy who sang all the way there and all the way back, (he has a great voice so it was a blessing really:))

And just as I sign off, I won't mention names......but at 1am on the Saturday Morning as I went back down to the bar, there was many a horse watcher still dancing, laughing and having fun in the Oceans Bar,  no names will be given but you will know who you are:)  Bet they needed Coffee that morning!

This isn't the first time I will say this nor will it be the last time that I say this, but I am a very, very lucky girl to be living is such a paradise!