Many a time, people have made plans to eat at certain places, to my objection. It is indeed funny then, that irony would bless me.

Case 1: Steven’s Corner Banana Leaf Rice

I’ve never been a big fan of Banana Leaf Rice, but my colleagues were all excited and hyped up, craving BLR. So we got in a car and went there.

Nando’s Flaming Hot Peri-Peri I can take without breaking a sweat, but Indian spices torture my tongue.

The food was alright, but they didn’t enjoy it. A colleague asked, “Why did we want Banana Leaf Rice again?”

I was the only person who finished my leaf of rice.

Case 2: SS2 Murni

I’ve never been a fan of SS2 Murni, since it takes ages to:

1. Call for a waiter (who will then signal to you that he/she will call someone to attend to you)
2. Wait for the waiter to come and take your order
3. Wait for your orders

Yeah yeah so you’ve got gigantic drinks in jars, but I’ve always settled for Teh O Ais (Iced Tea) or Sirap Ais (Iced Syrup).

Fate be it, then, that a big group of us were supposed to go to Hartamas Square, but couldn’t find parking, so plans were diverted to SS2 Murni. Slinky and I were first to arrive, and we found two tables across the road, near the drain. We ordered our drinks, then the others came later, and found two tables nearer, on the same side of the road as the shop, which was also brightly lit.

We adjourned to that table, and as I walked there I spotted the guy with my drink. I took it and sat down.

“Aiyooo, this place service very slow lah. Why did we come here?”
“Don’t worry, I know some people here.” (She then hails a waiter by his name, who then signals to her to wait.)

For the next 10 minutes, the rest of them looked at me jealously as I sipped loudly. I ordered another Sirap Ais when the waiter finally came.

The lights then went out nearby! So it would’ve been the same as where I sat. And yeah, they awaited thirstily.

Case 3: Italiannie’s The Curve

I’m not big on Italian food, or pasta, but the rest were craving the RM19.90 all-you-can-eat package. I ordered the RM11.90 minestrone soup instead, because:

1. I’ve heard that their pasta is done in a different style, an acquired taste, drier and cheesier that would otherwise cause slight nausea
2. I was broke, and I hoped that the soup would be in as big a serving as Fasta Pasta’s, so it would be both my food and drink
3. I wasn’t hungry, so an all-you-can-eat would be a waste, especially since I don’t know my pastas

My minestrone soup came first, and everybody else’s pasta came at different times, much later. The cherubic, innocent-looking Erin got hers last, after a waitress reminded us that all-you-can-eat cannot be shared (and then apologized).

As for the minestrone? Fasta Pasta was better, bigger, and had croutons! Baked crusty crispy bits of bread, soaking to their death in glorious minestrone soup!

So what is the lesson, people?

Listen to me when I say, “Hey let’s not go there!” or I will get my order first (for once) and everyone else’s will came loads later. I told you so.

…I just hope this doesn’t mean that you all won’t invite me to food outings anymore, lest such cases happen again.