Before the tragic day when the sushi restaurant in my neighborhood closed down, I went there often enough that a few of the guys behind the counter recognized me when I came in, and even remembered that I liked my tuna rolls heavy on the wasabi. A little bit of personal service always makes a meal more enjoyable, so while I’m sad my local place is gone, I’m happy for Twitter user Okappasama, who still has a kaitenzushi joint where she’s a regular.

Not only does the staff remember her favorite type of sushi, they recently whipped up something for her that you won’t ordinarily find on any menu: a special birthday sushi bear!

Sometimes when you walk into a revolving sushi restaurant, what you want to eat isn’t what’s going around on the conveyer belt. Like almost half of Japan’s sushi fans, Okappasama has a soft spot for salmon, and if there wasn’t any salmon sushi available when she sat down, she’d ask the chef to make some for her. As a matter of fact, she says it’s the only thing she ever ate at her usual place.

Okappasama’s birthday was in September, and to celebrate her dad took her out for a sushi dinner. When he mentioned it was his salmon-loving daughter’s birthday, the handsome bespectacled chef on duty sprang into action, putting together this adorable bear.

https://twitter.com/okappasama/status/516897964946505728

Covered with salmon and roe, with a few flecks of seaweed for its eyes and nose, Okappasama reported that her birthday surprise was every bit as delicious as it was cute.

We’re as excited as anyone when a new restaurant opens up, and we’re always on the lookout for a fresh dining experience. But let this be a reminder that if you take care of a place you like by going back again and again, it’ll probably take care of you too.

▼ Sushi is the sincerest form of customer appreciation.

https://twitter.com/okappasama/status/517092145425940480

Source: Irorio