Above all else

I got a steak lunch treat from a friend earlier this week, and I must have failed to express the necessary effusiveness about the quality of the meal (for the avoidance of doubt, because I know he reads this blog - it was good :D), because he asked me, actually, what do you like to eat XD Anyway - my honest answer was, Thai green curry, as well as rice noodles, like Vietnamese pho or Ipoh hor fun.  To which his reaction was, you like simple food!  Yes I do :) I have to say, over the last few years, for various reasons, I have had some pretty fancy multi-course meals.  I had never heard of "palate cleansers".  Let's face it.  Eating something to forget what you just paid a bomb to eat is just mad.  I had never heard of "omakase" - the idea of forking out enormous sums in order *not* to be able to choose what you want to eat sounds... ridiculous?  But what do I know! Which brings me to another dinner conversation I had earlier this year.  Someone was t