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Mar. 25th, 2021 10:39 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
madbakerWe went out for dinner last night for the wife's birthday. At a Michelin-rated restaurant. In public. For the first time since January 2020.
It was glorious. (Mostly.)
For Christmas the last few years, my dad asks us for a restaurant we would like a gift certificate. It makes it easy on him and we usually use it for our anniversary in April, which means we can go to a nicer place. Last year we had April 1 reservations at Sorrel, which is a "California-fusion" place in Pac Heights. (I think the fusion part is some Japanese ingredients and dish treatments.) Anyway, our dinner was obviously cancelled last year. I had been keeping a vague eye on the restaurant's website and when I saw they were reopening a couple weeks ago, I pounced and booked a table. Rather than waiting for our anniversary, I thought the wife's birthday would be good. She didn't get to go anywhere last year due to the recently-imposed lockdown and while this year it was better, it was still not as celebratory as I would have liked.
We sat outdoors, on the sidewalk adjacent to their parklet. This was the only down note: it was bloody cold and windy. The wife had two coats on and was still cold; my torso was fine under my suit jacket, but the dress pants are thin enough that I was wishing for a lap blankie. I also kept my fedora on, partly because we were technically outdoors so etiquette doesn't prescribe its removal, mostly because it kept my head warm.
The food itself was fabulous. I kept the menu, so - sourdough bread; sorrel soup; tortellini; scallop or duck (I had scallop, she had duck); and jasmine ice cream. At the end we were (cold but) nicely replete without being overstuffed.
The wife wanted to try a Sicilian white wine, and it was about the same price as the wine pairing. We were glad we took the leap! It was mineral-y and definitely not a chardonnay. It went very well with everything except the dessert palate cleanser.
Sadly but perhaps predictably, the rich food and wine kept me from sleeping well. I was not hungover this morning, but was feeling a bit blah. I applied my usual palliatives of a hot (non alcoholic) toddy and ramen, and am now feeling much better.
It was glorious. (Mostly.)
For Christmas the last few years, my dad asks us for a restaurant we would like a gift certificate. It makes it easy on him and we usually use it for our anniversary in April, which means we can go to a nicer place. Last year we had April 1 reservations at Sorrel, which is a "California-fusion" place in Pac Heights. (I think the fusion part is some Japanese ingredients and dish treatments.) Anyway, our dinner was obviously cancelled last year. I had been keeping a vague eye on the restaurant's website and when I saw they were reopening a couple weeks ago, I pounced and booked a table. Rather than waiting for our anniversary, I thought the wife's birthday would be good. She didn't get to go anywhere last year due to the recently-imposed lockdown and while this year it was better, it was still not as celebratory as I would have liked.
We sat outdoors, on the sidewalk adjacent to their parklet. This was the only down note: it was bloody cold and windy. The wife had two coats on and was still cold; my torso was fine under my suit jacket, but the dress pants are thin enough that I was wishing for a lap blankie. I also kept my fedora on, partly because we were technically outdoors so etiquette doesn't prescribe its removal, mostly because it kept my head warm.
The food itself was fabulous. I kept the menu, so - sourdough bread; sorrel soup; tortellini; scallop or duck (I had scallop, she had duck); and jasmine ice cream. At the end we were (cold but) nicely replete without being overstuffed.
The wife wanted to try a Sicilian white wine, and it was about the same price as the wine pairing. We were glad we took the leap! It was mineral-y and definitely not a chardonnay. It went very well with everything except the dessert palate cleanser.
Sadly but perhaps predictably, the rich food and wine kept me from sleeping well. I was not hungover this morning, but was feeling a bit blah. I applied my usual palliatives of a hot (non alcoholic) toddy and ramen, and am now feeling much better.
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Date: 2021-03-25 06:06 pm (UTC)Would you share your non alcoholic hot toddy recipe?
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Date: 2021-03-25 06:09 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-03-25 06:11 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-03-26 03:13 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-03-28 06:41 am (UTC)