Last Wednesday, I went to Kaya Mayla Bistro with YVR Foodies.

Before delving in to my experience at the restaurant, I’d like to tell you about YVRFoodies. They are a chapter of YVRbloggers, who I first discovered in December of 2013.  I remember it fairly well. The event was held at the Waterfall building near Granville Island. I was nervous to go, because I still had the ‘I am a fraud’ belief taking up space in my head. It was the beginning of my explorations as a writer, a professional writer. Which I now am. A truth which rarely presents itself as odd to me anymore (if you’ve ever tried to measure yourself against a dream, you might know what I mean).

Anyway! I digress.

My enthusiasm in anticipation for this meal at the Kaya Mayla Bistro (located on Broadway) was warranted. On the menu: Roti Canai, Seafood Bouillabaisse in Assam Curry Sauce, Lobster Tail (Yes! LOBSTER!!) Sautéed in Singapore Chili Sauce, and Deep Fried Mango Helado (basically, deep fried mango ice cream). Oooh my god. Whenever I go to eat at a place like this, I always wonder why I don’t always – if I’m choosing to go out to eat – choose a place where the meals feel deliberately put together, like pieces of art. Versus pieces of…what’s the opposite of art? Paint by number, I suppose. Carbon copies of something which, waaay back at it’s origins, was actually creative, maybe even exciting to make. Here, I felt taken care of in a creative way.

And then there was the music. Thomas Beckman, the musical entertainment for the evening, came to our table and shared a copy of his CD ‘Colours of Edza.’ He explained that while some restaurants opt for cover artists and local bands to add atmosphere, they’d decided to forgo lyric based music and showcase instead instrumentals. It certainly added a luxurious feel to the night.

The company was also pretty great.

I love going out to eat with people I don’t know. There’s an electricity inherent in the experience. An interesting concoction of fear and curiosity, Meeting new people used to scare me, but it doesn’t anymore. I can only attribute this shift to a change that has taken place in myself over the years. A shift I can’t necessarily pinpoint to a specific day, but which happened nonetheless. The shift included an awareness that my experience was my own, and that any barriers or rules – such as I am not this way or that – are also my own. Lately, I’ve found that it suits me far more to laugh and to learn, then it does to be fearful of floating opinions that burst like bubbles in the air.

I arrived at the dinner, wildly curious about who I would meet there, between bites and sips. People I met included Raj from Pink Chai Living, Theresa Nicassio the Author of YUM, and Jessica Smith of Studio Ninety9 Photography.

Yes. It certainly was a memorable evening. Amazing the experiences we can have when we say yes. I especially enjoy saying yes to food. And most especially when there’s lobster involves. I mean, come on!!