I’ve heard these words many times before. Normally, I remain composed and proceed to solve the problem with something like, “There’s warm, delicious food waiting for you at home. I cooked.” Works like a charm every time. Or I simply go to the nearest restaurant of her preference if there’s nothing ready to eat at home.
But this time after hearing such words, my gut went into overdrive. My brow started sweating. I gripped the wheel with two hands.
Hearing those words on that fateful day would let me know that not only hell knows no fury like a woman scorned; it knows no fury like a hungry woman. When the words entered my noggin, the thought process hit survival mode. It was all about self-preservation now so I thought to myself, “I should give her the wheel and walk home. It’s not too far and I love my arms.” I opted not to and braced myself to take it in the chin.
Confidently, I offered a favorite of ours, “Chick Fil A is close by.” Strike one big time! My woman wanted to eat a bear not a flimsy chicken sandwich. I offered by way of appeasement what I thought were a few better options. In my view, they would’ve taken care of the problem really quick, but I just stroke out a few more times. My silence between the options proposed began to increase.
Finally, I remembered a place I had come across while on a lunch break from an interpreting job I did some days earlier. It was a Japanese restaurant by the name of Jinya in the Mosaic District of Merrifield.
A month or so before, a documentary about Japan had caught my attention on Amazon Prime video. It’s name was Prime Japan and it spread throughout ten episodes with each one devoted to a different aspect of Japanese culture. Episode 3 was titled Ramen, the famed noodle.
Now, these were no mere mortal Ramen noodle soups that this documentary portrayed. The show explained in all its culinary delicacy how the Japanese had taken a simple and common Chinese staple and made it divinely their own. I was left hungry myself for some Ramen noodles after watching the episode.
So this Japanese joint named Jinya was my last blind resort to deal with my wife’s hunger from beyond. While I had the huge advantage of having seen what Ramen noodles were all about, neither one of us had tried the food. Not the way it was shown in the documentary. So once more I offered, treading ever so lightly,
“I know of a place that might interest you.”
She said, “Yeah, what?”
“Jinya. It’s a Ramen shop. Although the sign actually says ‘Jinya Ramen Bar’”, I said.
“What’s it about?”
“Noodle soup.”
I knew then I should have given her the wheel and walk home when I had the chance. “I don’t want no stinking soup! I told you I’m hungry!” Making a big effort to keep my cool, I said, “It’s like a Pho. It’s a pretty hearty soup.” But all I got was the stinking soup look.
I was at a loss as if trying to dig myself out of a hole but actually going deeper in it. My two hands still had a solemn grip on the wheel. The hunger of a female kind was still there intact, unmitigated. If there’s a boiling point for hunger, I was soon to find out. Problem was that I’d be its only witness. So I decided to zip it, but not before making a somewhat risky move. “You know”, I said to my woman, “when one has a problem one seeks solutions to it. If you’re hungry, why don’t you think of a place you’d like to eat? I’ll take you there.” I kept driving and went mum. The spoon was in her court.
Now, my dear reader, I had forgotten a cardinal rule of nature and that is that people don’t think too well when they’re hungry. I had put the ball in my woman’s court, but I had dealt her a poor hand. Totally unfair. Terrible. Somehow, I didn’t care. At that point, I had been reduced to a chauffeur.
After a few moments of heavy silence I couldn’t believe my ears. “What did you say the name of that place was?”
“Jinya.” I counted.
“Let’s try it.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
I did not look up Jinya online after that first time I came upon it. Real foodies might go ahead and do their homework beforehand. Or not. Real foodies might simply take the plunge, sit at the table and dig in. The experience of eating the food is what matters in the end. The more people around the table the better.
Jinya simply looked like a pretty good restaurant to me. Besides, the name sounded way cool for a restaurant. I just needed to try it and was hoping to be in for a treat with my hungry woman. And more than a treat we got!
From the moment we entered their door, the hospitality at Jinyo was superb. The hostess immediately recognized my wife as a teacher at FHS where she had been a student a few years back. Our waiter couldn’t have been more courteous and patient with these first timers at what was from the looks of it a pretty awesome food joint. He explained the menu and recommended a few choices.
We ordered.
We waited little.
We tasted.
We went to heaven.
And back.
If there’s such a thing as Ramen gods, they have set up shop in the Mosaic District in Merrifield! Our visit to Jinya was an amazing culinary experience. I could see myself in the people enjoying their Ramen soups in the episode of Prime Japan. What a delicious soup!
By the end of my quest to conquer a woman’s hunger, my wife was a different human being. She was happy and said, “This thing is delicious!” Isn't it amazing what a plate or, in this case, a bowl of food can do to us? Especially when it is food not just to be consumed but to be embraced and enjoyed? I had to try her Parsley Ramen soup. Yes, the dish was delish! Mine you ask? Did I share mine with her? No, I didn’t. I was hungry too!
Now, these were no mere mortal Ramen noodle soups that this documentary portrayed. The show explained in all its culinary delicacy how the Japanese had taken a simple and common Chinese staple and made it divinely their own. I was left hungry myself for some Ramen noodles after watching the episode.
So this Japanese joint named Jinya was my last blind resort to deal with my wife’s hunger from beyond. While I had the huge advantage of having seen what Ramen noodles were all about, neither one of us had tried the food. Not the way it was shown in the documentary. So once more I offered, treading ever so lightly,
“I know of a place that might interest you.”
She said, “Yeah, what?”
“Jinya. It’s a Ramen shop. Although the sign actually says ‘Jinya Ramen Bar’”, I said.
“What’s it about?”
“Noodle soup.”
I knew then I should have given her the wheel and walk home when I had the chance. “I don’t want no stinking soup! I told you I’m hungry!” Making a big effort to keep my cool, I said, “It’s like a Pho. It’s a pretty hearty soup.” But all I got was the stinking soup look.
I was at a loss as if trying to dig myself out of a hole but actually going deeper in it. My two hands still had a solemn grip on the wheel. The hunger of a female kind was still there intact, unmitigated. If there’s a boiling point for hunger, I was soon to find out. Problem was that I’d be its only witness. So I decided to zip it, but not before making a somewhat risky move. “You know”, I said to my woman, “when one has a problem one seeks solutions to it. If you’re hungry, why don’t you think of a place you’d like to eat? I’ll take you there.” I kept driving and went mum. The spoon was in her court.
Now, my dear reader, I had forgotten a cardinal rule of nature and that is that people don’t think too well when they’re hungry. I had put the ball in my woman’s court, but I had dealt her a poor hand. Totally unfair. Terrible. Somehow, I didn’t care. At that point, I had been reduced to a chauffeur.
After a few moments of heavy silence I couldn’t believe my ears. “What did you say the name of that place was?”
“Jinya.” I counted.
“Let’s try it.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
I did not look up Jinya online after that first time I came upon it. Real foodies might go ahead and do their homework beforehand. Or not. Real foodies might simply take the plunge, sit at the table and dig in. The experience of eating the food is what matters in the end. The more people around the table the better.
Jinya simply looked like a pretty good restaurant to me. Besides, the name sounded way cool for a restaurant. I just needed to try it and was hoping to be in for a treat with my hungry woman. And more than a treat we got!
From the moment we entered their door, the hospitality at Jinyo was superb. The hostess immediately recognized my wife as a teacher at FHS where she had been a student a few years back. Our waiter couldn’t have been more courteous and patient with these first timers at what was from the looks of it a pretty awesome food joint. He explained the menu and recommended a few choices.
We ordered.
We waited little.
We tasted.
We went to heaven.
And back.
If there’s such a thing as Ramen gods, they have set up shop in the Mosaic District in Merrifield! Our visit to Jinya was an amazing culinary experience. I could see myself in the people enjoying their Ramen soups in the episode of Prime Japan. What a delicious soup!
By the end of my quest to conquer a woman’s hunger, my wife was a different human being. She was happy and said, “This thing is delicious!” Isn't it amazing what a plate or, in this case, a bowl of food can do to us? Especially when it is food not just to be consumed but to be embraced and enjoyed? I had to try her Parsley Ramen soup. Yes, the dish was delish! Mine you ask? Did I share mine with her? No, I didn’t. I was hungry too!
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