Knee Deep in the Rivers of Rage

It's July 19, 2005. Joined by Robert Kastigar and the FANTASTIC Ted Bluey, I go to The Empress of China (at 838 Grant, between Clay & Washington). I've been here before. For the rehearsal dinner of Dusty & Suzanne (www.freecalifornia.typepad.com). Turns out, this was the first restaurant that Robert had ever been to in San Francisco, when he visited SF with his Dad, back in 'the year 79. First order of business: the house drink. Mai Tais. Savor the bounty! Loaded with rich, noxious Myer's Rum, they did us up in a hurry. Then we ordered the 'Princess' dinner for three, including fried wontons, tea and some pork thing and some beef thing. I don't know. After the mandatory second round of Mai Tais, I couldn't focus on the food. Only the gnawing hunger within. I do know, however, that the service was EXCELLENT. We didn't even have to serve ourselves - they did it FOR US! It was JUST like being at a RESTAURANT!!!!!!!!
And from below us (the restaurant is 6 floors up, possibly the highest restaurant in the whole entire world) a FROG watched with rapacious envy.
The fortunes arrived: Mine was the one about beauty. Ted's was the 'sweetheart' one (he's married). Robert's was the THIRD one. Finally, Robert and AUTHOR posed with the hostess. Farewell, Empress!