84TH BIRTHDAY AT 84 YESLER RESTAURANT
Jan
14
CUISINE WITHOUT BORDERS
Last week Kelly asked, “Where do you want to go to celebrate your birthday?”
I remembered that our friend, Sam Takahashi, had announced the opening of his new restaurant when we met at garden party, last summer, held by the Japanese Consul General. I emailed him to ask the name of his place and he wrote back: “84 Yesler at 84 Yesler Way.”
I explained to the girls that my Sam and I have known Sam and his wife Kitty (Katsuko) for 50 years. We have a “Kintsugi plate” (gold repaired antique dish) displayed on our living room shelf that we bought from him when he managed the Mariko Tada Japanese Antique store on Fifth Avenue Seattle between Pike and Union. We had gone to their wedding in West Seattle.
This morning started at 6:50am. I drove Kirin, in the darkness and rain, to catch a ride to her high school Drill Team competition in Redmond, WA today. The Mercer Island High School Drill Team planned to go to the Red Robin Restaurant for dinner, but Mom Kelly said, “Grandma’s birthday is special,” and talked Kirin into joining us instead.
By daylight time, it turned out to be a beautiful sunny day. So Mom, Kaori and Grandma decided a birthday breakfast and a walk on Alki beach with dog Suki was the best way to begin our celebration of someone born in the lucky year of the rabbit. Then we hurried to get to Redmond, WA to watch the various schools in the greater Seattle area perform their routines. The ceremony and Drill Down lasted longer than we expected so we didn’t have time to go home and dress up for our evening reservation. Kirin was in her drill team outfit and had dramatic make-up. Kaori was in a Christmas decorated gray sweat shirt and I was in pants and a t-shirt. We decided it was more important to get to our reservation on time.
Getting to the restaurant in the Pioneer District of Seattle, we were surprised to be greeted at the door rather dramatically by Michael, the Maitre D, “Welcome, we were expecting you, I understand it’s your birthday.” We were being treated like VIP?
Mom Kelly was somewhat vocal in expressing our embarrassment in dress, but exchanged comments about how we knew the owner and had gone to his wedding. As we began to look at the impressive menu and ordering, it all of a sudden occurred to us that we were at 84 Yesler and this was my 84th birthday.
Shortly, we were further surprised by Sam and Kitty with an unexpected personal appearance with flowers and a letter with the picture of their wedding with Sam and me in the background - confirming that we had been to their August 4, 1973, wedding in their friend’s West Seattle back yard with a view of Puget Sound.
It’s bedtime now and raining again, but what a memorable and beautiful day it has been. We are commenting, "There is no other restaurant we would be able to duplicate what Chef Christina creates." Our fifteen-yr-old is happy she chose to came to celebrate Grandma’s birthday instead of a Red Robin hamburger with her friends; but those of you who live with teenagers know that turning down friend activities for a family dinner is not a simple choice. The food choiceS were unique and delicious!
