Some good food lately. Take a look at the duck breast, as it currently appears on the BT plates:
Despite being a relatively slow Wednesday night, I managed to enjoy myself. I really do tend to have a good time out in our dining room, joking with regulars and strangers alike. Sometimes I realize that the strangers may not always have a handle on my humor, but at this point in life, I'm not too paranoid. My job is "host", and to me, that means helping people to relax and feel comfortable. I am also, of course, in charge of making sure the guests get what they are paying for, in terms of food and service, but if I can enjoy myself while seeing to business, why not? Meanwhile, my job is sweet. I am very lucky to have this position, with Kevin at the helm in the kitchen. (Maybe he's not always having quite the swell time I am, but who's telling, eh?)
Anyway, the menu for Wednesday night was terrific. Starter was guacamole salad with tortilla crisps:
It looked like a party!
Main course was a chicken, hominy and chile stew, with a little crema on top. It was mildly spicy, but not terrifyingly so. And who doesn't like hominy?
Dessert was another party - a mini version of our current ice cream sandwich:
This features a chocolate shortbread cookie filled with cookie monster ice cream. Listen, I never would have knowingly ordered blue ice cream; it took a customer in the dining room to explain to me why this particular ice cream was blue. I don't have kids, so cookie monster to me is what Kevin is like when Cherelle bakes the chocolate chip cookies for the ice cream sandwiches... Anyway, it's making a good sandwich, blue or no blue.
Anyway, it was a fun night, if a little slow.
In other news, we are getting the perennial vacation queries, so let me reiterate it here - we will be closed for vacation from February 24th until March 20th. Also, Valentine's Day is next Thursday, and we are planning on a special menu for that notorious dining event. We've had a lot of calls already, and disappointed many with our no reservation policy. I don't know how it will work out - last year VD was on a Tuesday, and we were moderately busy. 2011 it was on a Monday, so we were closed, and in 2010, even though it was on a Sunday, we opened - that was the year of the three big snows, and we decided to open for Valentine's to make up for the snow-loss of business. Who can figure what this year will bring, being on a Thursday? I'm hoping for simply a busy week! HA!
More food. I took some things down to WIN last week, and they showed me these cute little martini glasses that had been donated to them from the Country Club. I bought a few dozen, thinking Kevin could put them to good use. He did - they were the vessels for a shrimp and avocado salad last week. I anticipate some little sweets to grace the glass, as well as maybe some mini-tinis! We actually worked on our Hawaiian Martini recipe this past Sunday. We are trying to replicate the Tahitian we used to make at the KVI. It was an excellent drink, but a poor seller - it was too much like a martini for the Pina Colada drinkers and too much like a Pina Colada for the martini drinkers. 12 years later, we are thinking maybe its time has come! and to offer them in these little glasses would make the commitment a bit easier...
Duck confit is now making its appearance on a bed of fried potatoes. Kevin's duck confit is very popular, and justly so.
Here is the fluke with mushroom and capers.
Binnie and her oldest daughter Kim were in for dinner on Friday (Saturday?) night. Kim was a good friend of my sister GG, back when they both were living in the area, and I thought it'd be fun to post this photo of them at Table One - Binnie's favorite table.
Nice to have a little snow around, isn't it? I am wishing the storm predicted for the north east this weekend were going to be heading a little further south, although of course I would prefer it not come until late on Saturday night... Still, the bit we've had has made it seem that at least we are having winter here in Kent County, and not just February.
Peace out!
Anyway, it was a fun night, if a little slow.
In other news, we are getting the perennial vacation queries, so let me reiterate it here - we will be closed for vacation from February 24th until March 20th. Also, Valentine's Day is next Thursday, and we are planning on a special menu for that notorious dining event. We've had a lot of calls already, and disappointed many with our no reservation policy. I don't know how it will work out - last year VD was on a Tuesday, and we were moderately busy. 2011 it was on a Monday, so we were closed, and in 2010, even though it was on a Sunday, we opened - that was the year of the three big snows, and we decided to open for Valentine's to make up for the snow-loss of business. Who can figure what this year will bring, being on a Thursday? I'm hoping for simply a busy week! HA!
Peace out!
Happy to help neighbor!!!
ReplyDeleteYou can have the glasses..I might "borrow" the idea :)
Barbara