Ebi-sen by Kei-Shin-Dou

A colleague visiting from our Japanese mothership brought for us "locals" some sweets from his hometown of Nagoya, as it is customary in a large Japanese company. The store from which he bought the sweets, "Kei-Shin-Dou", is known for its "Ebi-sen", or shrimp chips. Apparently they've had such success over the last few centuries (give or take a few decades) that they ended up making nothing but shrimp chips.

Even at first glance, this is not the kind of shrimp chips any average Joe Wang can pick up for less than a buck at Ranch 99. And it is certain that my colleague shelled out a handsome amount of Yen to be able to share such an immaculate culinary experience with us less fortunate folks in this culinary wasteland called L.A.

In fact, as alluded to earlier, Kei-Shin-Dou proudly has been in the shrimp-chip-making business since 1866 (the 2nd year of the Keio, as lovingly described on their website) -- an elegant craft passed down over the generations.

The craftsmanship, if you can call it that, of the shrimp chips, are top-notch. They simply look, feel, smell, crackel and taste like the delectable crustaceans. The attention to detail extends to the exquisite individual packaging, for which Japanese retail items (even grocery items such as fruits) are known.

Etched onto each individually wrapped package is an engraving, which roughly translates into something which I can never do precise justice in English:

"If for any reason the quality of the items inside the package are not found to be of the highest quality, please kindly consider shipping the items and allow us to exchange the item at no cost to you. We will gladly pay for the shipping cost."

This sounds like quite an exchange policy, which surely takes into consideration the fact that the typical conservative Japanese consumer tends not to waste time returning a half-eaten portion of shrimp chips purchased while visiting a distant land like Nagoya, with or without a receipt.

Unlike the "buy one get one free" price-comes-first mentality that, ironically, demeans the shopping experience and plagues store managers from Macys to Walmart alike, the Kei-Shin-Dou attitude exemplifies the type of consumer experience that everyone expects, and receives, in Japan.

What about my recent experience returning a portable 9" DVD player at the Best Buy in West Hollywood, you ask? Don't get me started. I will gladly elaborate on that once the anger and humiliation subside.