"Do not order the Skip's Scramble."
Long overdue, I finally had a wonderful evening out with myself and it was everything I wanted. I couldn't be happier right now, at least not on my own. :) Times like this make me wish I had mood icons for "sated" or "fulfilled." They'd come in handy. Tonight was kind of my Christmas present to myself, a little night out to relax and savour whatever I could lay senses on.
As I mentioned yesterday, I tried out a new place on the mall called Rustica and it was so much more than I'd hoped. The decor is great, which is saying something because it's a small space and those are hard to decorate well while maintaining the needed flow, they had an open kitchen, which you know I love being around even if I'm not actively peering, and the food was spectacular. I was the only one there alone, which is pretty much to be expected when you're out on a Saturday night, but I still got a great table, which we have all seen is not always the case. It hasn't happened to me too many times because (I think) I don't come across as someone who'd be okay with it, but in almost any moderate to upscale restaurant there seems to be a danger of single diners being relegated to those oft referenced tables by different types of doors and entryways. There have also been times when I'm obviously being mistaken for a reviewer, which tickles me to no end every time it happens. Quarters were tight, but not unpleasantly so. It had a vibe akin to the restaurant at the end of Ratatouille, everyone seemed comfortable and congenial.
It seemed to throw my waiter when my order was "Surprise me," but he pulled through just fine. Granted, it's more fun to say that when you're ordering directly from the kitchen, but I still like a bit of the unknown in my dining from time to time. Whether he or someone else chose, I ended up with an absolutely fantastic meal, though I definitely didn't eat it all. Next time I'm bringing a buddy.
I don't normally do starters, but my goodness was I glad for what arrived at the table. The first plate that came out was absolute perfection, to the point that I could've stopped there and felt that I'd had an experience. Sautéed bay scallops on a beautifully fresh, green, almost airy lemon-parsley risotto with brown butter. Yowza! I often find that lemon flavors in non-dessert dishes aren't properly balanced with the other ingredients, so this was a double treat, because it played off the other herbs almost coyly, coming to the front at different points depending on how you assembled each bite. Plus, you know, I heart pretty much everything that swims, clings, or scuttles in those wonderful oceans of ours.
In a fashion that would make any Schrute smirk knowingly, the salad that came next has made me a convert to the mighty beet, which is rather fitting considering how active the Michigan beet industry is. I may pop in now and then just for this salad. Roasted beet root and arugala with chopped egg, thin slices of Parmesan, salsa verde, and sherry vinaigrette, though I didn't have an abundance of salsa and I liked it that way. This is the kind of salad that's zesty and light, but not short on substance. And I'm going to start eating more beets. They rule.
The entrée was the least of the three dishes, but still excellent. I forgot exactly what kind, but it was whitefish baked in parchment paper with olives, capers, leeks, fingerling potatoes, and lemon herb butter. So many places have balked when I've asked for my fish medium rare, even salmon, but here it was cooked perfectly. Tender, moist, and cooked through without any poor timing. I did skootch the olives out of the way, as I generally like the flavor they lend a dish, but not the taste when I bite down on one. Same with pickles.
When my waiter brought it, I didn't even look at the dessert menu, but I did take a peek on the website when I got home and some night when folks feel like a walking meal we are so stopping here for dessert. It's not just the local ingredients in the dishes I always like that make me happy, but the fact that they don't get too fancy and spoil what should be a wonderful, simple dish. Apple crisp with nutmeg gelato is comfort food. Win! They also do things with spicy chocolate and that just makes me feel all warm inside.
One of the nicest parts was chatting with the folks on either side of me. The couple to my left was there when I was seated and the couple to my right came in when I got my salad, so there was ample opportunity for all of us to check out what the others had ordered. One of the men, from the couple who was already there, even insisted I have a bite of his cassoulet, which I did and it was awesome. If course, it's hard to go wrong with duck confit, lamb, and veggies, you know? He was also ogling my fish, so I gave him some of that and we both blissed out pretty hard on the other's dish. :p It was cute. The other man thought I looked familiar, but we couldn't figure out where from.
After that I went to The Strutt for some tea, which I rarely have but do crave occasionally, and some more time with the afore mentioned Mel Brooks biography. It's a hoot and I got one of the big, comfy chairs by the fire. Tasty. :)
And you guys know it is not, as a rule, in me to be all "Take my picture and put it on the internet!!!" but man...tonight? I looked good. No kidding, I passed a darkened store window and stopped to go, "Daaaaamn." All I had on my eyes was a bit of shimmery base and my everyday liner, but the added lip gloss (the one I got for free from Victoria's Secret) made everything else pop, pop in a way that would make Bob Fosse pleased. Heeled boots and jeans, nothing fancy, but my hair had just been taken out of braids and was all wavy and lush. I'd clipped a medium sized strand up on each side and the effect was far more than I expected, striking and softening at the same time. I really wish I'd had a camera so I could show you how good I looked. I could've been going steppin' with a swell lookin' fella even. :) Being that sassy just heightens everything, you know?
All in all, it was a classy, chill, stimulating evening out and I really like having nights like that. I didn't even notice it'd dropped into single digits, that's how nice a time I had. Ahhh...bed now.
As I mentioned yesterday, I tried out a new place on the mall called Rustica and it was so much more than I'd hoped. The decor is great, which is saying something because it's a small space and those are hard to decorate well while maintaining the needed flow, they had an open kitchen, which you know I love being around even if I'm not actively peering, and the food was spectacular. I was the only one there alone, which is pretty much to be expected when you're out on a Saturday night, but I still got a great table, which we have all seen is not always the case. It hasn't happened to me too many times because (I think) I don't come across as someone who'd be okay with it, but in almost any moderate to upscale restaurant there seems to be a danger of single diners being relegated to those oft referenced tables by different types of doors and entryways. There have also been times when I'm obviously being mistaken for a reviewer, which tickles me to no end every time it happens. Quarters were tight, but not unpleasantly so. It had a vibe akin to the restaurant at the end of Ratatouille, everyone seemed comfortable and congenial.
It seemed to throw my waiter when my order was "Surprise me," but he pulled through just fine. Granted, it's more fun to say that when you're ordering directly from the kitchen, but I still like a bit of the unknown in my dining from time to time. Whether he or someone else chose, I ended up with an absolutely fantastic meal, though I definitely didn't eat it all. Next time I'm bringing a buddy.
I don't normally do starters, but my goodness was I glad for what arrived at the table. The first plate that came out was absolute perfection, to the point that I could've stopped there and felt that I'd had an experience. Sautéed bay scallops on a beautifully fresh, green, almost airy lemon-parsley risotto with brown butter. Yowza! I often find that lemon flavors in non-dessert dishes aren't properly balanced with the other ingredients, so this was a double treat, because it played off the other herbs almost coyly, coming to the front at different points depending on how you assembled each bite. Plus, you know, I heart pretty much everything that swims, clings, or scuttles in those wonderful oceans of ours.
In a fashion that would make any Schrute smirk knowingly, the salad that came next has made me a convert to the mighty beet, which is rather fitting considering how active the Michigan beet industry is. I may pop in now and then just for this salad. Roasted beet root and arugala with chopped egg, thin slices of Parmesan, salsa verde, and sherry vinaigrette, though I didn't have an abundance of salsa and I liked it that way. This is the kind of salad that's zesty and light, but not short on substance. And I'm going to start eating more beets. They rule.
The entrée was the least of the three dishes, but still excellent. I forgot exactly what kind, but it was whitefish baked in parchment paper with olives, capers, leeks, fingerling potatoes, and lemon herb butter. So many places have balked when I've asked for my fish medium rare, even salmon, but here it was cooked perfectly. Tender, moist, and cooked through without any poor timing. I did skootch the olives out of the way, as I generally like the flavor they lend a dish, but not the taste when I bite down on one. Same with pickles.
When my waiter brought it, I didn't even look at the dessert menu, but I did take a peek on the website when I got home and some night when folks feel like a walking meal we are so stopping here for dessert. It's not just the local ingredients in the dishes I always like that make me happy, but the fact that they don't get too fancy and spoil what should be a wonderful, simple dish. Apple crisp with nutmeg gelato is comfort food. Win! They also do things with spicy chocolate and that just makes me feel all warm inside.
One of the nicest parts was chatting with the folks on either side of me. The couple to my left was there when I was seated and the couple to my right came in when I got my salad, so there was ample opportunity for all of us to check out what the others had ordered. One of the men, from the couple who was already there, even insisted I have a bite of his cassoulet, which I did and it was awesome. If course, it's hard to go wrong with duck confit, lamb, and veggies, you know? He was also ogling my fish, so I gave him some of that and we both blissed out pretty hard on the other's dish. :p It was cute. The other man thought I looked familiar, but we couldn't figure out where from.
After that I went to The Strutt for some tea, which I rarely have but do crave occasionally, and some more time with the afore mentioned Mel Brooks biography. It's a hoot and I got one of the big, comfy chairs by the fire. Tasty. :)
And you guys know it is not, as a rule, in me to be all "Take my picture and put it on the internet!!!" but man...tonight? I looked good. No kidding, I passed a darkened store window and stopped to go, "Daaaaamn." All I had on my eyes was a bit of shimmery base and my everyday liner, but the added lip gloss (the one I got for free from Victoria's Secret) made everything else pop, pop in a way that would make Bob Fosse pleased. Heeled boots and jeans, nothing fancy, but my hair had just been taken out of braids and was all wavy and lush. I'd clipped a medium sized strand up on each side and the effect was far more than I expected, striking and softening at the same time. I really wish I'd had a camera so I could show you how good I looked. I could've been going steppin' with a swell lookin' fella even. :) Being that sassy just heightens everything, you know?
All in all, it was a classy, chill, stimulating evening out and I really like having nights like that. I didn't even notice it'd dropped into single digits, that's how nice a time I had. Ahhh...bed now.