Walking the streets between locations suggested a rundown area that has seen better days and is probably on the verge of gentrification, the same way so many equivalent districts in cities around the world have gone.
The contrast between the traditional and the new generation was reinforced at the next stop, an eatery specialising in deep fried things on skewers that featured a VW Kombi van as part of the decor. And, yes, you can eat in the van.
That was about it on the food side of things, though there were nibbles along the rest of the way as we made our way through a couple of the Chinese karaoke bars in the district. Our host is s learning Chinese, and the karaoke interactions with the people behind the bars seems to help.
The two karaoke establishments we visited were not quite what I’d become accustomed to from the Australian version (not that I frequent them, but I’ve been to enough to get a good idea of the standard version. The Australian version tends to have a host or hostess who can sing and fills in when there’s no one in the audience who’s game to get up and have a go.
Fair enough if that sort of thing floats your boat.
The places we visited here were more like a case of being handed a microphone as you sit on your bar stool, singing along to a radio station selected by the customers. No stage, no queue, just indicate you feel like a sing, select a song and away you go.
Hughesy’s take on The House of the Rising Sun went down well with the clientele, though things came unstuck on You've Lost That Loving Feeling since I just don't have the range.
Maybe I should have gone for I Was Born Under a Wandering Star.
We wouldn’t have got to the second place if The principal hadn’t picked up on a potentially nasty vibe and got us away from the first venue fairly smartly, but the whole experience delivered a very pleasant night.
I could have done with one or two fewer beers, and a more comfortable seating arrangement at the hotpot stop, but interesting.
Very interesting, and no one needed much rocking once we were back at Brighton City.