‘I know,’ said Bee, ‘Let’s stop at the bookshop, and buy a restaurant guide so we can choose where to go!’

But when Paul and Bee arrived to the bookshop, the sales assistant said, ‘I’m sorry, there is no restaurant guide for Perth—and you aren’t the first to ask!’

Paul and Bee said to each other. ‘How can this be? Sydney has a food guide, and Melbourne has two. Perth is just as good as those cities. Someone must remedy this situation! But who?’

And so Paul and Bee talked to their friends. ‘Maybe a newspaper should write the book,’ said one friend.

‘Maybe a food critic,’ suggested another.

‘Do we know any food critics or newspaper owners?’

“No.” The group sighed a sad sigh and sat in silence.

Until one friend said, ‘Paul, you love food so much, YOU should write it! We’ll all help you!’

‘Aww, gee, fellas,’ said Paul, “that would be super!”

And the group of friends all went to a really good restaurant to celebrate!

WHAT IS PAUL EATS?

The next morning (late, after recovering from all their celebrating), the friends got down to business over brunch.

‘What makes a good restaurant guide?’ asked Paul.

‘I’d like to be able to look restaurants up by price,’ said Cheryl. ‘By the way, can anyone lend me five dollars? I’m a little short this weekend!’

“I wish I could know which restaurants have vegetarian options,’ said Henry. ‘Does anybody want this ham I picked out of my omelette?’

‘And,’ Bee added, ‘those of us who come from out of town need maps!’

‘You’d need a map regardless!’ yelled everyone. It was true. Bee had no sense of direction.

“I just moved neighbourhoods,” said Sandy. ‘I’d like a section with just the nearby restaurants.’

‘And I’d like a listing of places where we can take the kids!’ reflected Molly.

‘Well it sounds like we’ve got enough ideas to make a great guide!’

About Paul and Friends:

Paul Seetachitt: The creative inpiration for Paul Eats: Perth, Paul was born in America to Thai immigrant parents and grew up around family restaurants. A student of various 'meal optimization arts,' Paul has trained most diligently in the discipline of dessert-do, also known as 'the way of the dessert.' In his quest to arrange a meal with perfect harmony, he begins each restaurant encounter with a ritual mantra "May I see the dessert menu before ordering, please?"