The American Steak House

Summer 2001

A Chinese friend recently took us to a restaurant called The American Steak House. We were the token Americans. It was an amazing and baffling marriage of images. On the entrance of the log cabin-ish looking building, was a illuminated sign which included a Fred Flintstone sort of character was kicking up his heels. Inside stone and log walls framed a large poster of an American steer with the different parts explained in Chinese, of course. Our host told us all the meat was shipped from the US. Then we crossed a little bridge over a stream that lead to a pond that had koi in it. The pond had a waterfall and around the edges of the room were the ever present restaurant fish tanks which I think were just ornamental, but it is hard to know for sure. Then between the tables meandered a gravel path. Go figure. We tried to get all the food to arrive at the same time, but old habits die hard. Our individual meals arrived one by one, with 15 minutes or so between, Chinese style. So, we shared our American meals Chinese style.