The End of Octopus Paul

The Royal Meridien Hotel has not treated us like kings.
They have done several very rude things that beggar comprehension.
For the most part, we have made few friends here among the staff. That's kind of unusual for long stays like this.

Chef William is the exception.
He's a big, happy Chinese guy whose favorite thing is to come in beside you and put his head next to yours as though he was posing for a picture. He's always beaming and acting astounded and happy that you are having a nice meal. He likes to send little treats and surprises over to our table to see what we think of them.
One day Mike asked him about the South Indian coffee. They make it by mixing a thick coffee syrup with steamed milk. Often they do it at the table so you can have them adjust the strength. Delicious, but how do you make the syrup? Mike asked Chef and he brought out the coffee maker and explained how it works. We never would have figured it out on our own; the brewer looks nothing like a Western coffee maker. Val and Jona went out and bought them following William's help.
On one of the first weekends, Mike and Jona had dumplings at the buffet that they raved about. Since Chef was always ready to whip us up some goodies, I asked for a some. He was a bit crestfallen; they could not be prepared immediately, but if we came back tomorrow night he would make a special dinner just for us. It turned out to be a multi-course dim sum feast. A delicious and welcome change of pace from rice.
During the meal we told him that Mike and Jona were leaving soon. Chef seemed a bit broken-hearted to lose such dear friends but took comfort in the idea that he could make us another special dinner; cooked at our table around the grill. Sure, Chef, but we can't do dinner, we work at night. Chef decides to break custom and do it as lunch.


It was a great lunch, even though it was embarassingly large. There was a salad and then a veggie course followed by shrimp, chicken, fish, beef, octopus, rice, soup and desert courses.
Now, the octopus was the star of the show. Chef took great delight in revealing it. "Oooh" he would laugh "No more World Cup! Octopus Paul work all done! Now we eat him!"

He cooked it for a long time. As you see here he cooked it intact on the grill. Paul had been marinating a while and be the time Chef William declared him finished he was amazingly tender. Not the usual octopus snap you get, but firm, yet giving. Very flavorful.

At this point, Chef William could cook us pretty much anything he wants. Since then he's come over to us at lunch a couple times and cooked us whatever he had in mind. Steamed ginger fish, udon, that sort of thing. All better than the merely-functional buffet. Now this is the test. Chef William told us that he has a once-in-a-lifetime treat and did we want it? Sure, Chef, we'll eat whatever you put in front of us.

Ok, the course is silkworm.

Hmmmm. We want to, but our brains rebel. Tomorow night is the night we can have them. Will we be brave and do it? Time will tell....