Wok In A Box.

This is another story of a man following his dream like in my blog, “Doctor Or Carpenter?” And in fact it was in the Herald Sun Newspaper on the same day (7^th of Feb). Only this time it was a young Accountant on a foreign holiday when he came across his dream. And whilst a sharp change from his previous career, it was also in many ways an extension of it. He was sick of working as an accountant and wanted to do something new and so whilst on a Thailand holiday in 2002 this chap was inspired to go into the fast food industry via the Noodle industry.

So he brought the idea to Australia and set up his first “Wok In A Box”, shop in 2002. But rather than just stick to the one store, he used his accounting knowledge to take the business into franchising and now there are 34 stores across the nation turning over $ 15, Million in 206-07, with plans to have 100 stores in Australia and New Zealand by the end of 2010.

Now as my family will tell you, I am not really into Noodles in any way, shape or form, at all, (although they are,) so I have not seen, let alone tried the food at “Wok In A Box”, so will take his word that they ”do good, healthy take-away food at a reasonable price.”

What attracted me to this story was the example of a person finding something outside of his “normal Box” and pursuering it. This time using lots of his previous skills and trade, to make his dream more successful.

Again, is there something else that you would prefer to be doing, that you could perhaps use your present skills and abilities, but perhaps in a different way. I am not advocating, “chucking everything in” and chasing fanciful dreams, but perhaps there is something that you may actually be more productive and useful doing? I will leave it to you to ponder that long and hard before you decide. Walter

Why Didn’t We Check It Out Earlier?

In previous Blogs I have mentioned that we went to a Chinese Restaurant in our local Shopping Centre. As also previously mentioned I had long wanted to go there but had been put off by the word of one person, who said the place was too expensive, snobbish and busy. Well maybe it was a couple of years ago but not so now apparently as we found out for our selves and have since heard from others who have also been there but said nothing until jitney heard that we were going/ or had been there.

As we were heading towards its doorway our girls ran into someone from their church coming out and he heartedly recommended it. As had the Girl’s cousin the night before when she heard that we were going there. She and her Husband both like it as it as the food is good, not expensive and lots of Chinese people eat there, which is always a good sign that it is both good and authentic Chinese food. On top of that, they like it because it is also baby friendly too! (Although that last bit means nothing to me now!)

So when we finally went, we too found that it was not expensive, or snobbish as we had been led to believe; and we only wondered why it had taken us so long to check it out for ourselves.

What about you? Are you prepared to check some things out for your self?

I’m not talking about all things here. There are definitely some things that we should take the word of others for, no matter how small a minority they may be!

However for many other things, where a personal judgement rather than a moral one is being made, it might pay to check it out for yourself.

We deprived ourselves of the benefits of this place on the word of one or two people who were either incorrect or their information was well out of date. I am definitely not saying that you have to check everything out for yourself every time, but there are some things of a subjective nature that it might pay you to check out a little more thoroughly before you decide one way or the other. What say you?

A tale of Two Restaurants.

In recent Blogs I have mentioned two Restaurants that we have been to recently for Birthdays.

For my wife’s Birthday we went to a Mongolian restaurant nearby that has a good reputation.

Though we had heard of this place before, we had never experienced their cuisine before, so we all stepped out of our usual tastes and had Mongolian Barbeque that night. And all enjoyed it thoroughly. Although I think my son aptly summed up everyone else’s, till then unspoken thoughts, with, “Well, that was very nice, but I don’t think I will be rushing back here in a hurry.”

Since that time we have spoken to quite a few people who have also been there and they have all said very much the same as our son said. “It was good, but ….” It was also a little more expensive than some other places although not exorbitant by any means.

Then 8 days later we went to a Chinese Restaurant in our local Shopping centre. It has been there for a couple of years or so now and I have often wanted to go and check it out but was originally told it was expensive and snobbish so never did. However, this time we went and enjoyed it immensely and found that it was not expensive at all and in fact even cheaper than the Mongolian Restaurant.

As for being snobbish? Well that was a myth too, as we found out from a niece and her husband who occasionally go there. They like it too and they also like that it is baby friendly too! We like it too although we are long past The “Baby stage” now. Others also later heartily recommended it as being good.

What I found interesting in comparing the comments by others and ourselves about the two restaurants, is that while we all liked both places and would heartedly recommend both to anyone, all of us would only give immediate return business to one but not the other.

Both were good and commendable, but only one won voluntary commendation.

What about you? Are you basically good and acceptable but not getting repeat business? Maybe it is not really you; just that the market for what you are selling is too small for the supply out there. If there is enough demand for your services then you will stay in business. If there is not enough demand for your offerings, than you will either go broke or have to try something different next time around.

As the New Year is still new, maybe now is a good time to reassess how you are currently doing things and are they still in demand? Maybe you should continue on with what you are doing or maybe you should change your direction and methods. The real question is not which to choose, but that you are aware of the situation and not just ’Blundering and Blustering” along as in the past? Instead, do you actually know your true attractions and distractions and directions?

So in closing which Restaurant are you? “Good, but …” Or, “Highly recommended!” Over to you for now. Walter

How Do You Choose?

I have told you about my wife’s recent Birthday. Well anything she can do, so can I! So 8 days after she had hers, I had mine. Now anyone who has a birthday close to Christmas will tell you that it is no fun when you are little and gets no better when you are older.

We normally go out as a family for Birthdays but this year mine was on a Friday and so the two younger ones had normal plans for that night which couldn’t be gotten out of. So at first it looked like I would miss out on my birthday meal out, this year. Then Both Girls realised that as it was both their places of employment break-ups the day before, each was free for the whole day and so each independent of the other, offered to take me out.

In the past we had occasionally gone with the youngest to the Pancake Parlour for a late breakfast, and as she felt like Pancakes, she offered to take me there for breakfast, and of course I could not bear to disappoint her could I? Likewise when the older one later offered to take me out for lunch I couldn’t refuse her either, could I? So instead of Missing out altogether, I had both breakfast and lunch with my wife and two Girls.

Now when our son heard that we were going out for lunch for Chinese at Eastland he wasn’t too fussed as he thought we were going to the food Court like we sometimes do. However as it was my birthday I had other plans. A couple of years or so ago a “proper” Chinese restaurant opened there on the top floor. (Ironically right behind the Pancake Parlour!)

I had always wanted to go and check it out but was originally told it was expensive and snobbish so never did. However, this time I thought we should at least try it now for my birthday, even if it is expensive! Besides even if I am the only one who thinks this, “I’m worth it!” Especially when someone else is Paying, hey!!!!!!

Now when our son heard that we were going there he was most upset as he too has always wanted to go there but hadn’t. Like his nighttime engagement he couldn’t get out of his daytime one either and so couldn’t join us. When asked why he was unhappy now and not before, He replied along the lines of, “when I thought you were going to a “Crappy” Place like normal it didn’t matter. But now I know that you are going to a good place I want to come too!”

However He couldn’t come and so missed out, but I was left wondering how often we make decisions based on where the event is being held, rather than going to the event itself.

In my son’s case it didn’t really matter where we went, he was never going to be able to come, but again what motivates us when we consider accepting or rejecting an offer from “Friends” or Family?

Do we really go because we want to be with them? Or is our decision largely based on whether the place is interesting or not? Again, what motivates you most? The people or the Place? Something for you to ponder on.

Mongolian Bar B Q.

Between the 5 in our immediate family, we have a range of tastes in eating, when out. However most of us are happy with Chinese food and so when we go out for birthdays, or other special occasions, we usually settle for Chinese as it suits all of us. However even then some things are usually predictable.

We usually order a few dishes and share them between us all. However when it comes to my choice, the question usually goes something like this: “ And what do you want dad? Your usual sweet and sour pork?” More embarrassingly, usually I do.

Anyhow for my wife’s last birthday it was decided that as we live very close to a Mongolian restaurant that we should try it for a change. So we did. When we all arrived we looked at their menu and then decided to reject the other things on offer (Including S&S Pork) and go for their speciality, the Mongolian Barbeque.

This is where you go up to a cabinet and pick your choice of three different types of meat sliced very thinly (Beef, Lamb or Chicken; or like most, choose a bit of each!) Then you choose from a range of raw salad vegetables, all placed in the same large round bowl. Then you go to another table where there are about 16 or so large glass salad bowls filled with various liquids. Here you choose one of 4 receipts to make your own dressing (Mild, sweet, Hot and something else.) So you make your own dressing by following the receipt and putting in so many measures of whatever ingredient you are told to. Then, when your bowl is almost overflowing with this liquid and your food, you go up to a window on an enclosed Glass walled “Kitchen”.

All it contains is a round hot plate about the size of a largish round dining table and the Chef has two bamboo chop stick like instruments, a little over a metre long and he throws your food (literally) on this hot plate, whacks it a few times with his sticks, swirls it around a few times and then 30 seconds later, he uses his sticks to sweep your food off this flat hot plate, back into another clean bowl, then he does a couple of flamboyant swirls of the bowl in the air and hands it back to you through another window and moves back to the next in line.

So we all stepped out of our usual tastes and had Mongolian Barbeque that night. And all enjoyed it thoroughly. What about you? Are you willing to step outside of your normal and safe known routine and try the unknown, occasionally? If you go to a place, are you prepared to try the speciality of the place or do you always play it safe and go with the known and normal? Even if it is a while if ever any of us voluntarily go back to a Mongolian Restaurant, but if we ever find ourselves at one, we would have no reservations about recommending it to others as worth the experience.

What about you as we face this New Year? Are you going to stick with the familiar and predictable, or are you going to reach out even just a little, and try something new and different? I am not recommending new and dangerous, just new and different. You never know, you just may like it!

Anyway, have a great year! That’s an ORDER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!