Well, I was back in Stuttgart on late night Saturday after a long week away . Mai, one of the new friends, who was with me the whole trip, convinced me that we should enjoy our last day of the trip by eating out, though we spent a lot of money in the past week.
So we went to this Chinese fast food restaurant in the city where I, S. and José once had buffet. Actually, I find the food there nothing like Asian food, they’re just well, chicken wings with salt, noodle with salt, veggies with salt and some other things with salt... but I was surprised by the fried rice with egg and chicken I ordered that day. I thought I found my new favorite take away for some depressing days that I want to treat myself something nice.
Oh did I forgot to mention the waitress? She’s a small middle aged Chinese woman, who I think also is the wife of the restaurant’s owner. She asked us in German “Do you speak Chinese?”, “No, we’re Vietnamese” – said my friend. She surprised us by answered in Vietnamese asking us what we want to order. LOL, she reminded me of the District 5 in Ho Chi Minh City, the chinese food center of the city where Chinese/Vietnamese live and speak Vietnamese as good as their own language.
The waitress brought me a dish of fried rice and my friend a dish a noodle along with 2 pairs of spoon and fork wrapped in napkins. After tasting my friend’s food and my own, I started to notice my friend’s behavior was kinda strange… She suddenly didn’t talk much, silently finished her meal which I knew had something to do with the Chinese, but I was busy looking at some young hot couples sitting next to us and I swear some of them looked back and smiled at me .
I went upstairs to the bathroom. OMG unlike some cheap fast food restaurants, there was hot water in the bathroom, but ONLY hot water, I mean boiling hot water can you believe it? When I came back, it looked like the owner had asked my friend if she wanted to pay, although she hasn’t finished her dish yet (but the portion was too much, I must say, but still, isn’t it rude?). So we paid and received our change back on the table. Yes the owner put it on the table and went away without saying anything.
As we walked out of that place, my friend started to talk and here’s the detail in the eyes of a woman (Yes, the women’s observation is more complicated than us men).
- We don’t have trays while other have.
- My friend’s noodle was cold and was only reheated by microwave for 1 or 2 minutes.
- The restaurant owner insulted his workers with harsh words in front of the guests.
- Their attitude changed after we told them we’re Vietnamese. Needless to say, the owner was rude to us, asked us “Wanna pay?” from a mile away, came to our table, took the money we put there and walked away, came back with changes put them hard on the table and walked away again.
Why Chinese people have to treat us that way? After what they have done and intend to do with our country? Can’t they at least, as the restaurant owners, pretend to be polite to their guests?
Well, no wonder we don’t like them.
And I thought I can finally have some nice Asian meals some time… Well bye bye chinese restaurant!