Meet the Parents - AGAIN!

A continuation of last week's debacle, er, visit by the in-laws. Join us for the further adventures of a middle-aged couple as they try in vain to locate decaf black tea while at the same time finding a restaurant the Hubby's parents will actually LIKE. One search was more successful as you shall soon see.

Orzo Kitchen and Wine Bar
After much deliberating, we made Saturday night reservations. I needn't have worried. Orzo's Mediterranean cuisine went over well. FIL loved his roasted tomato soup and pan roasted herb-dijon crusted salmon. So much so I didn't get to taste it. MIL likewise loved her shrimp with spanish chilis, olive oil, and garlic as well as her seared ahi tuna. The sear on the ahi was more sepia-toned than I like, and it tasted kind of elderly. No matter, my own Shenandoah Valley pork chop with fig balsamic glaze on top of mashed taters and green beans was yummy once you knocked over the "stacked on top of one another" architectural presentation. I usually HATE architectural food, but this ended up being delicious because you got a mouthful of pork, bean, and tater every time.

I had unwittingly made a pork menu because I had just finished DELICIOUS Double H Farm braised pork empanadas with roasted tomato, caramelized onion, and manchego. Lord, I could eat a dozen of these things easily! Hubby ordered the Fra' Mani salami rossa & mortadella with Mediterranean olives and cheese platter. I dunno, for $10 it looked a little barren. The olives were good though with a nice citrusy tang that mixed well with their saltiness. I kept imagining them in a citrus vodka martini drink. Mmmmmm....

Hubby's entree was much better - wine braised lamb with Israeli couscous. We both agreed the lamb was good but salty. But holy crap was that couscous GOOD! Call me a couscous snob because I'm not settling for that ol' Kasbah brand anymore. This couscous was like little pasta pearls, soft and flavorful. A whole new starch dimension.

But it was dessert that really stood out to me. I decided on chocolate pot de creme paired with a 1999 Ferreira Vintage Port. I've never had good port before, but it's always been something I've *wanted* to like. I just don't know enough about it to know what's good and what isn't. This Ferreira Vintage let me know what I was missing. Sweet, but not overly. With deep chocolatey undertones that tasted GREAT after a spoonful of luscious pot de creme. A perfect pairing. Now at least I have a good port jumping off point. If somebody asks I can always say I think the 1999 Ferreira is good. And nice price on the desserts! $6 for most, and only $4 for some biscotti. Very nice.

I should note the glass of red I got with dinner was pretty tasty - 2004 Bourgogne, Vieilles Vignes, Albert Bichot. It was listed under the "Soft and Layered" category. Hmmm....not sure if I would describe it this way. It was pretty tannic, which I don't mind, it's just hell on my stomach. But after a while it softened up quite a bit. MIL and Hubby ordered the wine flight with dinner - a selection of 3 reds from the Loire Valley. Little Orzo hiccup here as the flights took FOREVER to bring - we had all finished our starters before the wine arrived (bad, bad, bad). The waitress said they were out of the third bottle and so swiped in a substitution. I had seen them running willy-nilly about the restaurant looking, so I kinda think they just couldn't find it. No matter, all three were fine. Bad restaurant reviewer Libby didn't write down what they were (sorry) and the website seems to have changed. Oh well. I guess anything from the Loire Valley is probably pretty yummy.

All in all, a nice evening at Orzo. FIL complained LOUDLY at the lack of decaf black tea, but he did that in every restaurant. By Saturday night I had blocked it out. But just wait until Sunday brunch...

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Meet the Parents.

I must apologize to the waitstaff and proprietors of Bonefish Grill, Revolutionary Soup, Orzo, and Zocalo. You see, my in-laws from Buffalo were in town last weekend. They can be pretty persnickety when it comes to restaurants. Downright snarky if you want to know the truth. My father-in-law (FIL) will make no bones about letting someone know he's displeased, and not always in the kindest manner.

Every visit he seems to focus on one thing. One visit it was "No cream!" Nothing could have cream in it and he would stress this over and over and over again. The next visit it was all about butter. The visit after that it was the horrors of fried food. I remember profusely apologizing to the waitress at Atria's after she served him skillet-seared tilapia and he let the whole restaurant know it was FRIED not seared. I completely respect that he has specific dietary needs. FIL is actually a kind, generous guy. It's just the WAY he informs people. Let's just say FIL has never been the king of tact.

On the "rents" first trip to Cville? This time it was tea. Specifically decaf black tea. At every restaurant he asked for it to no avail, which caused him to complain. And complain. And complain some more. So not only were Hubby and I stressed out about where to take them, but after the first restaurant it was, "Oh lord, PLEASE let them have decaf black tea or all hell will break loose."

No luck. Everywhere we went it was herbal tea all the way. Hubby suggested to his dad maybe from now on he should just carry a decaf teabag in his pocket (this suggestion given at our last stop of the 1/2-week trip, Sunday brunch at Zocalo) and Dad replied, "Oh I have one. But today I want tea with caffeine. But not green tea. I hate green tea." Visions of Andy Griffith in that movie Waitress raced through my mind ("Fresh-squeezed orange juice - NO ICE. And a tomato - ON ITS OWN PLATE!") as I see the young waitress bring over a whole boxed assortment of teas. Herbal teas. Grimace. Grit teeth. He calls her over. "I asked for TEA!"

"Is that not tea?" she replies, and I want to hug her and shout, "Go girl!" but of course this just annoys him further. "What's the matter with this town they don't have hot regular tea?" I don't know FIL. I just don't know. Thankfully young waitress is able to find some black tea bags after all. Disaster averted. This time.

Below is a short review of where we went - Still too stuck in "in-law recovery mode" to write anything much in depth. In between meals we spent most of the weekend touring Albemarle County, traveling to Gordonsville, Barboursville Vineyard, all up and down Route 20 to Ashlawn-Highland and Monticello where said "rents" pronounced it too cold to get out of the car. Thankfully we don't expect them back here until Garden Week. Pray for us, please! ;0) And for the love of God, Charlottesville restaurants, stock up on some hot tea!

Bonefish Grill
Hubby and I love going here. Especially if we've had crappy weeks. Then more often than not you'll find us on Wednesday nights at Bonefish, bellying up to the bar. Nothing tastes better than a cold martini straight up accompanied by some Bang Bang shrimp and Mussels Josephine. We figured on their first night here, this would be a slam dunk. And we weren't far off. Both the shrimp and mussels went over well, as did the ahi tuna sashimi - which isn't actually sashimi at all, but seared tuna sliced thin and served on a platter with all sorts of sauces. Hubby's crab cakes were a little "eh" but my grouper with warm mango salsa was delicious, as was FIL's Snake River Trout with chimichurri sauce. Both mother-in-law (MIL) and FIL tried mine and hated it. But I loved the grouper's sweetness followed by real heat on the back end. It paired nicely with a much-needed glass of Bridgeview Blue Moon Riesling from Oregon. Slam dunk Bonefish. Except for not having decaf hot tea of course.

Revolutionary Soup
Thank god for Hubby. Saturday morning, picking up the in-laws and they want to eat. I have a panic attack (Where to go? Where to go?) but Hubby immediately suggests Rev Soup. Of course! Cold as shit day - what could be better than some hot soup? They loved the local organic ingredients (most with no cream), and I love their shrimp and grits (as you know). So why did I go off menu? Doh! Big mistake. Instead of ordering shrimp and grits, I ordered crab and corn chowder which was watery and lacked flavor. Pretty bland. But MIL's gumbo was tasty delish, chunky spicy goodness in a bowl. And Hubby's chicken with barley was scrummy. Nice spice and the barley really held up, wasn't mushy or bland. FIL got a quesadilla which didn't look like much, but he seemed to enjoy it. Would've been the perfect restaurant excursion if only they had some hot tea or coffee. MIL wanted the latter and was directed by the cashier to the coffeeshop next door. Sigh.

Next time? Hubby, the "rents" and I travel to Orzo Kitchen and Wine Bar for Saturday night dinner, and Zocalo for Sunday Brunch. Will either satisfy FIL's tea cravings? Hmmmm......

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Share Our Strength.

I took a chance today and submitted a proposal as a Foodbuzz Featured Publisher to become an on-site blogger at Share Our Strength's "A Tasteful Pursuit" event. It's a dinner taking place at Lola Bistro in Cleveland, OH on August 9. If my mini-proposal is accepted, I'll get to attend the dinner, meet Michael Symon (pictured), other featured chefs, and discuss how to end childhood hunger in America. It's the first time I've used my writing to actually "get somewhere" and "do something" so I am by turns very excited and nervous as hell. In 100 words or less (I used 99) here is my entry - wish me luck!

What does it mean to you to be involved in Share Our Strength and to participate in this event to end childhood hunger in America?

As a former teacher, I’ve seen the effects of not having enough food – especially at standardized testing time. Students are expected to perform. This is difficult when you haven’t had breakfast and are embarrassed by the stigma of the “free meals” program offered in the cafeteria. It’s even harder when you haven’t had dinner the night before either. At this event, I could talk about my experiences with Share Our Strength. How can we best provide meals to children without making them feel less, or as if they were taking charity? How can we help them feel whole again?

What one fun foodie question would you ask the chef of your metro’s dinner if given the chance to interview him/her?

I just finished Michael Ruhlman’s book “Soul of a Chef”. What do you think of his portrayal of you? What was it like to be followed every step of the way by this writer, while at the same time preparing for food critic John Mariani’s visit?

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Siips.

Christmas was crazy. Truly crazy. And with extra family drama and a house closing Christmas week, mine was crazier than most. That's why I was glad when a couple of friends traveled through Cville on their way to Lynchburg New Year's Day. It would be the calmest part of the holiday season for us this year. A chance to get away from family, catch up (We hadn't been in touch, but had found each other recently, as so many do, on Facebook) and have some lunch.

But where to go? I did a quick scan of Downtown Mall restaurants (might as well play tour guide) and made a few phone calls, but it seemed like every place was open for dinner or doing some sort of First Night thing, but no lunchers.

Oh well, let's just wing it, I thought. First mistake. This would be something fine to do on a nice spring day, just strolling along the cobblestones, perusing sandwich boards for the specials, contemplating cuisine, but not today. Today was cold. Really friggin' cold. And the wind was whipping everything about at a crisp 30 miles per hour.

Second mistake was thinking I'd be on time. Am I ever? But particularly not today, New Year's Eve, when I was still recovering from my Christmas debacle (a long, sordid tale), and wanting to make a good first impression. "Facebook friend" (FF) and I had actually met for lunch the previous week and had a blast (before said Christmas debacle), but I hadn't met her husband. Was really hoping today would be the start of a series of foursome get-togethers, either here or in Richmond where they live. But I wasn't getting off to a great start. I hurried to pick up Hubby from work and make it to the parking lot by South Street where I'd told them to meet us.

After awkward greetings (I attributed that to the bitter cold as well as the newness of the situation), we attempted to find lunch. That's when Hubby and I realized we were more serious foodies than we thought, uh oh. Thai was met with a shrug. Revolutionary Soup was met with another shrug (and yes, I did extol the virtues of shrimp and grits). They'd never had it before and didn't seem excited by my love affair with the grit. We passed Cafe Cubano and I got excited because I've been DYING to try their coffee, but just more shrugs. This was getting bad. And we were freezing by the minute. Come on amateur foodie blog girl, think!

Hamilton's! I remember my hairstylist saying how awesome lunch was there. So we quickly (were they running?) made our way to First and Main. Only to find the place packed with scarf, hat, and glove-wearing Cvillians spilling out the door in a flood. "That will be a 25-minute wait," we were told. No matter. I've waited longer for an awesome meal.

But here were the shrugs again. Crap!

So back onto the Mall we went. Have you ever been with someone and it kind of goes like this?

"What do you wanna eat?"
"I dunno. What do you wanna eat?"
"I dunno."

The conversation kind of goes like this for awhile as you wander aimlessly until you end up staggering into a 7-Eleven for a Hot Pocket just to stave off hunger. It kind of felt like that. As "Cruise Director" for this trip I was starting to get anxious the passengers would throw me overboard. What about Siips?

Open? Check.
Lunch? Check.
Wine? Check.
Crap name? Check. (sorry, but what's with that second "i" anyway?)

We went in, and the place was EMPTY. Just one table occupied. Not only that, it was Kee-UTE! Kind of like Enoteca with better lighting. High tables for 6 and 8 went up the middle. Kind of an Italianate meets Pottery Barn vibe to the decor. Maybe not the place I'd seek out but decent. One of those places like Atria's, catering to many different tastes and types. It's a slam dunk, a home run. A guaranteed good time no matter if you like burgers or bearnaise.

The menu was simple, some salads, panini, soups. But the wine list was amazing. An entire book of stuff. If I haven't said it on this blog, I'll say it now. I'm wine illiterate (Oxymoronic? I am pretending to be a food writer after all), but I have my favorites. Pinot Noir (and yes, I discovered it after Sideways, so bleh!) and Sauvignon Blanc. A cold Rose on a hot summer day is a beautiful thing. Ditto a cold French hard cider.

I'll admit after freezing my tookus off I needed some time to defrost, so rather than wander aimlessly through the big book, I went with the Sancerre (one of the "by the glass" specials). I'd just read a great quote in Michael Ruhlman's book "Soul of a Chef" about Sancerre - here was my chance to try it. Hubby got the Cava special, and FF and HOFF (Husband of Facebook Friend) ordered the special red. Can't. Remember. Which. One. Must. Remember. To. Maintain. Food. Writer. Credibility! Sigh. Oh well. My Sancerre was yummy - like a Sauvignon but softer. I may have found a new favorite white. Hubby's Cava was equally good. Crisp and vanilla-y.

Oddly enough, each couple ordered the same thing, but opposite. I got the 1/2 panini of smoked ham, mozzarella, spinach, sundried tomatoes, and apricot mustard with a cup of roasted red pepper soup and feta (as did HOFF), and Hubby ordered the 1/2 panini of grilled chicken, melted bleu, bacon, and bistro sauce (huh?) with a cup of lobster bisque (as did FF). Hmmmm.....what's wrong with this picture? Do we need to change seats? Is there some kind of cosmic mismatch? Or do *all* couples order one each of what's available so they can try the other's?

The food was fine. Just fine. The panini wasn't the best, a little cold, a little greasy. I know it's sweet apricot mustard, but still I was hoping for a little heat. It was nicely pressed. Not too bad. Just not memorable. Ditto Hubby's. The grilled chicken was good enough, and if you want to know the truth, less "fine" than my smoked ham version. Even with the bleu and bacon it came across as bland.

No worries though. The food might have been just "fine" but for today, at this moment, it was perfect. Siips was perfect. It took their warm paninis and wine to defrost us, to warm us up the whole affair because once we began to eat, the conversation flowed. The talking and the laughter never stopped. I softened, and felt myself open up and really enjoy the situation. The cruise director hat came off and I was just Libby again. Sigh. Where before we might have cut the lunch short and dashed off in our separate directions to the warmth and comfort of our respective heated car seats, today we decided to stay. And talk. And order some dessert.

In this case chocolate torte and cappuccino. No lattes here. Another "Huh?" I mean, how can you make a cappuccino but not a latte? No matter, the capp was great. Good foam, strong, very tasty. The torte? Again, just fine but at this point I eased up a lot. Who cares? It wasn't the best (certainly wasn't the worst) but again, today it was perfect. Especially perfect because we only ordered one for all of us to share - another sign that the lunch was going well.

And as the afternoon grew long, and our lunch ended and our time together grew short, I realized sometimes you don't have to be Marcus Wareing. You don't have to be perfect. Sometimes fine is just fine. Sometimes fine is perfect. Siips is fine - but I still think it's a crap name, and I still don't know what "bistro sauce" is...

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