First on the radar was Sakura. Near the office, value for money. But it was dropped for reasons I don't know. I'm ok, since I had it so many times these years.
Other places being considered and dropped were Furama, Swissotel Merchant Court for their durian pastries (too ex)... and a few others. The poor DS must have spent at least 2 weeks planning this. Unfortunately I couldn't contribute the places I have been to or lemming to go, as they were either too pricey or non-Halal, non-vegetarian. It's really a pain to think of a place that caters to all groups. I think a place that makes everybody happy doesn't exist. I wouldn't want to be guilty of suggesting a discriminatory venue. If we end up at Penang Place again, I would rather go home. I wasn't the only one. Even a few Indians weren't keen on the dinner because they thought they would be eating laksa and ice-cream only again (what the non-veg Indians ate at Penang Place).
The DS finally decided on River View Hotel, River Garden Coffee House & Terrace which is a non-Halal, non-vegetarian international buffet. What happened to all the dietary concerns?
L couldn't take it lying down. She replied to everybody in the email invitation, appending "NOT FAIR" to the email subject.
...
Are you implying that vegetarians and people who are particular about HALAL cannot attend ?
We are also part of the department. And if this is a departmental gathering please cater to us also.
Wa so fierce can? I didn't respond to the invite, in case they were going to quarrel or change the venue. In my project, Indians are the majority, but department-wise, Chinese are the majority. Because we have always tried to accommodate the lowest common denominator, I have never truly enjoyed the meals we had together. Because of halal alone, Jap, Chinese and Western food are out. Aiyah whatever lah, looking at this department, I'm resigned to eating Indian food or Penang Place for as long as I'm here.
So I will just watch the email war.
The DS's reply:
...
Thank you for your feedback.
Since you've raised your concern, I would now pass the organising baton to you.
Pls be reminded that the following criteria need to be met :
1) Allocated fund $1,300.00 for 50 headcounts
2) Halal certified compulsory for muslim staff (we have at least 3)
3) Indian vegetarian (some take egg, some don't - pls take into consideration)
4) Chinese Vegetarian (no garlic, no onion)
5) Chinese Food with some Pork dishes inclusive (majorty of populations within dept are chinese)
Boss, L will take over from here, pls follow up with her on updates.
Thank you in advance
Eeks L organize is 101% Indian food! Not twice in a week please!
L's reply:
You cannot pass the baton to me. I have raised a concern.Address it if you can
I am not accepting the Baton.
DS's reply:
The answer is, I CAN'T address your concern. Since you felt is NOT FAIR, then pls take up the challenge.
Anyway, I'm hands off for this.
If you not accepting the baton, pls find someone you can passed it on.
We shall stopped all emails from here to avoid flooding the mailbox.
Aiyah end of email war. Nobody did anything then. Bosses all not in also.
The next day, when boss came in, it's time for him to put his conflict-resolving skills to use.
What I overheard:
**
Boss: If you have something to say, you should just email DS only and not to the whole department! What is the meaning of sending to everybody?
L: No, I didn't mean anything! I just thought everybody should know and see if they want a change.
Boss: If they want a change, they will tell DS! No need to email everybody like that!
DS: I'm ok if you email me only. You know how much time I spent on this, trying to cater for everybody? You know how hurt I am when you sent that mail to everybody?
The truth is, I don't think anybody will speak up at all, except L. And she sure knows the power of sending emails to onlookers. She likes to cc the PM when asking me to assist in her official testing, and not cc-ing the PM when asking me to help in things she could have done herself.
**
L: I think it's discriminating against halal and vegetarians.
Boss: All along, we tried to cater to halal and vegetarians. But the Chinese always have nothing to eat! You know the Chinese must eat pork? No pork nothing to eat! If you look, the majority here are Chinese. So everytime the majority not happy when we go out to eat! Now we want to enjoy one time. What you are saying now is discriminating also!
L: No I am not discriminating!
Boss: No, no, no, you are. Discriminating means excluding a certain group!
L: Then the vegetarians have nothing to eat! Even the Chinese vegetarians!
Boss: How many Indian vegetarians are there? You want us to eat the same thing for the few people? How many Chinese vegetarians are there here? DS you are vegetarian right?
DS: Yes, I can only eat salad and dessert at the buffet but I still decided on that place you know.
Well-said boss! I know you are carnivorous, standing up for your own rights now!
**
Boss: Since you have objections, why don't you organize?
L: I can't, it's not my responsibility.
Boss: Then you shouldn't make noise! If you organize, you can go to a place you like.
Ya, so I don't make noise also hehe.
So we still stuck to River View and DS still had to organize. She asked the hotel for directions. She was told that the nearest MRT is Clarke Quay, followed by a 10-15min walk or 2 bus stops away. They even showed us a map on their website.
When I looked at their map, cannot be lor, trying hard to make Ngee Ann City look like it's only 1 street away! I checked out the street directory. At the default magnification of 6, I couldn't see Clarke Quay. 5 also cannot. 4 then can see lor!
Does this look like a 15min walk at all? If I used to take 8min to walk to AMK MRT, this would easily take 30min.Anyway, I wouldn't be walking there. Good luck to the rest!
Most people took 30-40min to get there, plus losing their way. The record was 1hr. Some gave up and wanted to take the bus, but they saw the buses but no bus stop. Many taxis cruising around, but too expensive at evening lah.
We were assigned tables at the alfresco area. Not warm lah, the Singapore
No soft drinks in the buffet. Must pay $3.50. Don't think their coffee and tea are included too. Not interested also, it's Thursday.
Their Coffee Pork Ribs looked interesting, but some commented there was no coffee taste. So... it's coffee-colored only? And it looked too tough, when a colleague was trying to cut it but made noise instead.
Things I didn't eat (and can remember):
- Prawn mee, laksa, sushi. Too filling.
- Roast pork, chicken and duck. Why, don't I eat them often enough? Except the pork.
- Ordinary-looking ham. Yawn.
- Smoked salmon. Not a fan.
- Marinated octopus. I strongly feel I might get to eat it at a coming wedding.
- Deep fried money bags. Not a fan of fried food.
- Cold seafood like scallops, mussels and prawns. Where are the oysters?
- Chilli crab. Not there to dirty my hands! Don't eat chilli crab anyway.
Things I ate:
- Prawns fried with meat-floss-like thing, which felt overcooked.
- Chawanmushi, which has corn in it.
- Chicken satay. Meaty with peanutty sauce, nice, but a bit cold.
- Sashimi, but as usual I was stuffing myself silly with salmon sashimi, which can hardly go wrong.
- Fruits. Got papaya, dragon fruit UNPEELED (how dare them!), apple, melon.
- Chendol drink and chin chow soy bean milk. For the chendol, they just put glasses of coconut milk with 料 in them and my colleagues took them just like that. Chendol what, where is the gula melaka and ice? Funny one haha.
- Various cakes, but not many varieties. The best was a warm pie, something like a watery Portuguese egg tart.
So I'm still quite a picky eater huh. Many warm dishes, but mostly not special enough. It's $28+++ mah, what to expect.
There was a handicapped live singer. Boss went to xian1 his minder and found that they are members of the hotel, so we got 15% discount!
By 9pm, people started to leave. 5 of us were going to lompang the bosses home, but they were still happily chatting, like don't want to leave! We waited a while more, but by 9.30pm, we couldn't take it anymore. So much to say meh? Or was it because the bosses' boss was there?
Me: How, they talk until 依依不舍.
K: Don't know ley, go and tell them?
Me: B, you go ask ley, PM more convenient!
B: Huh don't want, big boss is there!
K: Or I drive you all back lah! Boss J left his car keys with me.
Us: Huh why he gave you his keys? Men a lot of pockets one right.
K: Don't know ley, he gave me lor. Wallet also gave me lor.
Me: Maybe pants too tight.
(Anyway it's not the first time Boss J did that. Last time at xx event also throw his bag to a lady (again) and don't want to take back)
K: Can lah! You all got buy insurance right?
Me: Wallet also here? If out of petrol can go pump! And tomorrow morning can come pick me up!
Silence
E: How?
Me: K, we share cab lah.
E, H: We go first lah. Bye!
B, K, Me: (Shouting) Bye! BYE!!! BYEEEE!!!
E, H: Bye!
B, K, Me: (Shouting) BYEEEE!!!
Then the bosses said it's late and the girls wanted to go home, so they stopped! YAY! They caught the hint!
O this Boss J so cheapo, say don't want to eat buffet, want to drink beer only. In the end still kop the dessert to eat! At least he did lah, better than a drink-driver on an empty stomach.
In all, just slightly more than half the department turned up.
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