Would you like cream and marshmellow?

In order to be here for 6 months I had to have some type of job. So after walking around with resumes to every store and restaraunt I could find, I landed a job at Tanja's cafe in Garden City. Garden City is a huge shopping mall, and in an outside courtyard there are some cafes, bars, and a movie theatre.
I am a waitress there and I work about 20-25 hours a week. I have to wear all black and little apron that goes from my waist to somewhere below my knees. The restaraunt serves all kinds of typical Australian/American food. They serve lots of seafood and typical things such as steaks, burgers, ,pastas, and gourmet pizzas. The place dodesn't look that great from the outside but man the food is good. To be honest I haven't found too many restaraunts where I like the food better.
A couple owns the place and they pretty much work 24 hours a day. They are an asian couple and they have lived everywhere. She is from China and he is from Singapore. He has travelled all over the world being a chef. They have lived in Sydney, New York, China, and I think maybe a few other places. That got to be too hard for them so about 2 years ago they bought this place called Tanja's.
The place is pretty well ran. It is always clean and well taken care of. there have been no horror stories of people spitting in food or dropping it on the floor and picking it back up. Even if the cake falls over on top of the cream next to it on the same plate they clean it up and usually replace the cake. So it's a nice clean place to eat.
The only annoying thing about it is you always always have to be doiing somthing. Sometimes when tehre is not one person in the restaraunt, there is just nothing to do. I can't tell you how many times I have swept around the outside tables. The people are awesome to work with. We have a few chefs. Julian, he is awesome, always nice and talkative. He was working my first night and he was so helpful when I kept making mistakes. Then there's Jason the owner. Damien-he is a 17 year old kid that is doing an apprenticeship with the place. That is what they do here when a kid gets out of school they can do apprenticeships with businesses. Sounds like it's as good as going to school. He is funny and keeps me entertained while we're working. He loves to give high fives. There are two new chefs Gary and um I can't remember the other guys name. Gary is fun, he is entertaining and always making jokes. The other guy doesn't talk much, I'm not sure how well he knows english. He is a super quick chef though. I can't believe how fast he gets food out.
We have a few people that are behind the bar making drinks. Monique-she is 19 and pretty much second in charge under the owners. She runs the place very well and does a great job. She's awesome to work with and someone I would definitely be friends with. There's Kate-she is 26 and going to school. She got back from travelling through England and Europe for a few years. She is finishing up school and working there. She is great. She's fun to work with and she understands that we're only tehre to make some extra cash and not there for a career. Meribeth, Monique, Kate and I have a great time when we work together. There's LB- he is leaving in a few days to go to another job. he is fun and very random. he will just start talking about something and you're like what? Where did that come from. He's great though. There are a lot more people we work with but those are just some favorites that I have. The rest are pretty much just waitresses and somewhat new.
A lot of people just come in and order coffee and geez is coffee complicated. There are Flat Whites, lattes, Iced Coffees, caramal lattes, Cappucinos, machiattos, and the list goes on. I just love the orders that are skinny decaff flat white in a mug. Give me a break people, just order water. there is no fat and no caffiene in that, have a glass of milk.
People are so nice and for the most part patient here. There have been times when the whole restaraunt is full and there have only been like 2 waitresses and people are polite and understanding. It's really nice.
I would have to say the most popular thing people order here is a bowl of chips (french fries) or potato wedges.
They have all kinds of drinks that I have never heard of so at first it was a little tough because people would say do you have such and such? and I would have to say I have never heard of that before. haha.
Of course I have an accent here, and I wonder how many tables wait until I leave the table and then guess where I'm from. Sadly, most people guess Canada. I don't think too many Americans come over here and work, because it's so hard to get a visa. There is a girl from Sweden that works there, a girl from New Zealand, there was about 3 guys from Canada, and then us Americans.
I have even had a few people guess that I was from Ireland? Ireland?! What? Now there's two accents I wouldn't mix up. Everyone asks where I'm from and what part. I never know whether to just say California or United Stats. Obviously people know where California is. Hello, they so watch the OC on t.v. Haha I actually had a girl say that to me. I guess we just have to thank L.A. and Hollywood for putting us on the international maps.
Mostly the older people just love to talk about California and what I'm doing here and what I've seen. I just love it. I could sit down and talk all day with these people.
Probably the nicest thing I'll remember is a guy around my age eating with his family. I think I messed up there order or brought it out late or something and he really didn't look that happy. Oh actually I think I might have just said something really stupid. I do'nt remember. Anyway, so he was leaving and I was all the way on the other side of the restaraunt and he made his way through the tables to come up to me. I couldn't figure out why he was coming over and he comes up and says I really hope you have a great stay over here. I was shocked, for some guy to go way out of his way to say that. It was really nice.
Everyone just loves the accent and loves to talk about it. Sometimes I am a little self concious though, because I'll say a word that they say completely different than us. Or sometimes I'll walk away and I can hear the table laughing and I always wonder if they're laughing at the way I talk. haha. so FYI don't start laughing right after your waitress leaves. Even if it's nothing about her they think it is. lol.
some pet peeves I now have about a restaraunt.
1. If the table is dirty, find another one. don't make the waitress that is very busy come wipe off that one freaking table you want when tehre are 20 others open and clean right around it.
2. If the waitress asks you if you want to start out with drinks or take a second to look at the menu...If you need a second tell her. Don't make her stand there for 10 minutes while you decide.
3. If there are 4 of you at the table, just because you have decided doesn't mean the other three have. Make sure everyone has decided before you tell the waitress you're ready to order.
4. The menu is there for a reason, look through it, pick what you want, then talk. Trust me you will have plenty of time to talk after you pick your food.
5. Read the menu! If it says breakfast stops at 11, then it really does stop at 11. No I won't go ask the chef if he can make an omelette at 3 in the afternoon when breakfast stops at 11.
Okay I guess that's enough for now.
Restaraunts here are a lot different than restaraunts in the states. Most of them are not table service. You come in order your food and then get a number. Some restaraunts bring out your food, and others you wait for your number to be called and you go up and get the food. I went to dinner with a friend and the waitress brought out our food and he said can I get some tomato sauce please and she said oh there some up at the front by the register. She wouldn't even bring him some tomato sauce. That is kind of annoying to me. I'm trying to figure out whether, Australia is lazy, for not making their employees serve the food, or Americans are lazy for not wanting to get the food themselves. I look at it as if I wanted to get the food myself I would have ate at home. So bring me my food! haha.
Our restaraunt is table service and we will bring the customers tomato sauce. They are in good hands. =)