Rugby Food

I took the opportunity to watch the Under-20 World Cup Rugby at Chichinobu-no-miya Stadium recently. This is a reasonable facility - it's not the best in the world, but neither is it the worst. Except for the catering arrangements, which are deplorable.

First, the beer. It's served warm, in paper cups. Now you would think that even ex-front row forwards would understand that beer looks better in clear containers (preferably glass, although I understand that this wouldn't work very well at a sports venue). Nope - chug-a-lug it in wax coated paper cups seems to be the Japan Rugby Union's approach. [Note: However, the beer is served cold in glasses in the JRFU's HQ next to the ground].

Second, other beverages. Modern sports events are all about attracting affluent fans hopefully from both genders. You want women at the ground, enjoying the game and the facilities - right? After all, this will encourage men to be interested as well ... and those women are the mothers of the next generation of players. The whole idea of entertainment seems to have escaped the operators of Chichinobu - not only the facilities for the fairer sex simply despicable, but there's no wine or other drinks available. OK, maybe some chuhai.

Now the food. Imagine the world's worst cheese burger, say a reject from the McDonalds' cooking school. Or a limp weiner on a bun that is neither hot nor remotely meaty to the taste. Pre-package these hours before the game ... and then serve them cold! As an alternative, offer Pocky.

For the love of all that's precious - get the ground operators out to some sports facilities in other countries. Sheesh, I'll pay for it if necessary! With a very large mallet, drive it into peoples' heads that the catering at an event (a four hour event on this occasion) is up to 49% of the experience. Encourage catering vans to compete with one another at the ground (think Lords). Offer training and financial rewards for crowd-pleasing vendors (think MCG). Do whatever is necessary, but please oh please bring some sanity and sensitivity to the table.

If only the little lords at the JRFU could understand that the game and the event is all about entertainment instead of a little nostaglia about boys-own adventures, drinking water out of a kettle, and a catering experience reminiscent of cold and wet days spent on the training field. Make the venue and the facilities competitive with other enterainment options.

Then the game would grow, and a Japanese bid for the World Cup might be more of a serious option for the IRB.

Shuddup, and eat your greens

I have always thought that "eat more greens" was sound advice, dispensed by wise physicians and pharmacists though the ages. However, Eat More Greens seems to doing its best to persuade people otherwise.

Now I'm all for vegetarian food - my frequent flyer profile insists on vegetarian meals, and my annual Lent fast means no meat or fish for 40 days. I adore fresh fruit and vegetables, and you can normally serve me rice any way you like.

But this little venue in the Azabu Juban may force me to change my mind. Not only does the food fail to impress, but they take their NYC East Village metaphor to bold extremes that would shock Rudy Guiliani. The furniture is mini-me sized and truly uncomfortable, and the decor could best be described as Spartan (note the uppercase).

The menu tends to cute rather than cuisine - I had a vegetable soup that had more in common with vegetable stock than minestrone, and the side rice dish was at best good roughage. The glass wine from Argentina and California may be organic, but it's far removed from viniculture.

I'm prepared to be wrong and try it one more time, but this restaurant was a disappointment. That's a pity, because places like Le Garcon de la vigne show what can be done with great produce if talented cooks are let loose. Do yourself a favor, and eat less greens.