The Elegant Art of Dining: Bohemian San Francisco, Its ... - iMedia

Artistic Japan
We wish it were in our power to describe a certain dinner as served us in a
Japanese restaurant in the days that followed the great fire. Desiring to observe
in fitting manner a birthday anniversary, we asked a Japanese friend if he could
secure admission for a little party at a restaurant noted for serving none but the
highest class Japanese. We did not even know where the restaurant was but had
heard of such a place, and when we received word that we would be permitted
to have a dinner there we invited a newspaper friend who was in the city from
New York, together with two other friends and the Japanese, who was the
editor of the Soko Shimbun. He took us to a dwelling house in O’Farrell street,
having given previous notice of our coming. There was nothing on the outside
to indicate that it was anything but a residence, but when we were ushered
into the large front room, we found it beautifully decorated with immense
chrysanthemums, and glittering with silver and cut glass on a magnificently
arranged table.
In deference to the fact that all but our Japanese friend were unaccustomed
to chopsticks, forks were placed on the table as well as the little sticks that the
Orientals use so deftly. At each place was a beautiful lacquer tray, about twelve
by eighteen inches, a pair of chopsticks, a fork and a teaspoon. Before the meal
was over several of us became quite expert in using the chopsticks.
When we were seated in came two little Japanese women, in full native costume,
bearing a service of tea. The cups and saucers were of a most delicate blue
and white ware, with teapot to match. Our first cup was taken standing in
deference to a Japanese custom where all drank to the host. Then followed saki
in little artistic bottles and saki cups that hold not much more than a double
tablespoonful. Saki is the Japanese wine made of rice, and is taken in liberal
quantities. At each serving some one drank to some one else, then a return
of the compliment was necessary. Having always heard that Orientals turned
menus topsy-turvy we were not at all surprised when the little serving women
brought to each of us two silver plates and set them on our trays. These plates
contained what appeared to be cake, one seeming to be angel food with icing,
and the other fruit cake with the same covering. With these came bowls of
soup, served in lacquer ware, made of glutinous nests of swallows, and also a
salad made of shark fins. We ate the soup and salad and found it good, and then
made tentative investigation of the “cake.” To our great surprise we discovered
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