Some time long ago and far way L and I started living together. It was, like, almost by default. Anyway, apparently that was "20 years ago today" (Sgt Pepper) on June 3.
But June 3 was full of all kinds of other stuff, so we deferred the eating part til this weekend.
Morning was mixed, eggs a la Jeff with some toast cheese etc.
Brunch was at Saege, served by the gorgeous Karin, brunch consisted of Eggs Benedict and Ham, with ROESTI POTATOES (I like ROESTI POTATOES so I shout them all the time.)
ROESTI POTATOES! ROESTI POTATOES! See?
L also had ROESTI POTATOES! with her eggs and sausages, but she was much quiter than me about it.
I had a Mimosa (knowing it is made correct there - see earlier post) made me much more comfortable with the drink, really.
The best thing was the strawberries in the water pitcher, especially when one fell into my glass and I got to eat it.
A stroll through the Public Gardens, and then back home.
Later that day, it was dinner out at Fiasco. This place gets rave reviews on Chowhound, from people who seem to know what they are eating, and who eat elsewhere and are not related to some of the restaurant owners (unlike some "critics" in the Province). There seems to be some buzz about "the sauces", which I now think was created by an old Stephen Maher review (he of the "good, very good" reviews). Yes the sauces were good, yes they were very good, maybe even great. Sure, yes, great sauces.
Anyway, back to the dinner. We wanted to take the menu's advice and have an appetizer sampler. It said three apps made for two plates. Cool - that'll be the two pastas and a spinach salad! Um, no, the menu may say or imply, that we should be able to do that, but no, it is chef's choice. In determining the choice of food, for me - THAT MEANS HE CAN POISON YOU IF HE IS IN A SHITTY MOOD!! How many happy chefs do you know? They are all serious until they get drunk, then they throw knives and assorted pastries at anything that moves! They may laugh then, but it is only at the way you bleed. At best, it means they use this as a way to discard the apps no one else likes.
Anyway, I politely accepted this denial of my request to eat what I wanted and morphed it into a Spinach salad (warm with smoked bacon, balsamic and garlic) and the Tortellini with a browned butter, cream and prosciutto sauce (note - SAUCE!). I thought I said we'd do it as a split, but they came plated separately. (also cost $5 more than the special we thought the menu offered). The pasta sauce rocked. The salad? Um, not really.
The wine list was not bad. They are close to the POW but I note that some Private store selections have snuck in. I had the Flagstone Sauvignon Blanc (the server called it something else) and L had her usual H2O. I asked for water, which I never did see until I lay on the carpet choking for something... OK, no, but it went forgotten and I had to ask again. (did I mention we were the only customers in the place?)
The wines open by the glass were not on any list, and seemed to be improvised (which I think is cool). There were three whites and three reds open. The red I chose for my second course of Beef Medallion(s) was the Don David Malbec. Not on the list, but open for service by the glass. It was too alcoholic to provide a fair match to the food, maybe palatable with raw meat and no sauce, or lysol in the ditch behind the church on Brunswick Street - but I chose it, so it was clearly my fault. I ordered the beef rare. I said "rare" I am sure. I got meat that was decidedly medium. Does anyone know what "rare" means in this city? Even at Seven with their wonderful PEI filet and wood grill, I asked for rare and got medium rare. At janes I asked for rare and got medium. If I ask for "blue" I expect they'll just paint my frickken nose. I am considering bringing in a good cut of steak and just eating it at my table uncooked. Maybe then someone will get the message. Hopefully the BYO rules will have passed and I'll be able to afford a proper wine to drink with it too!
L had a seafood medley type of thing. Scallops, halibut, mussels, clams, and even a "hidden shrimp". This pleased her - they hid the singleton shrimp, so her disappointment at there being no shrimp or lobster was temporarily forgotten by the pleasant suprise of finding the solo shrimp under some cheaper white fish (Halibut?) meat. Accident, or design? Didn't fool me.
She says it was great, but I ask, was it just the company, really?
To our server's shock, we decline dessert, as patrons are starting to arrive, and it looks to be a real puke fest at a big table - they have already covered the seats with sheets in anticipation of their needing to be preserved (Bill Spurr said that's why they do that, and he should know, he writes a food column for a "major newspaper"!). I guess the sheets can be washed later, and it's hard to get that puke smell out of the furniture.
In truth the meal was great. Seriously. I'd recommend the place to anyone in a heartbeat. My only quibble was the price - maybe I am spoiled by janes on the common, but the bill was $114 before grat. Two glasses of wine, a salad and pasta app, and two main courses, one a daily special. That is $60 at janes. Was it better? Hmm. Some of it was, marginally - the sauce on the pasta, and the steak/medallion(s) (there was only one medallion but the menu has an "s" on it, though it was good, and enough). The spinach salad at janes is better, the wine by the glass is as good, and cheaper, and the seafood can be as good or better there, depending on the special of the day. The cut of meat at Fiasco was prime, and arguably better, but it was almost $30, so it had better be good. Maybe it can even come rare sometimes.
So go, eat there, eat things with sauces, and chill out - the wine list was very good, and the markups very fair.
A stroll through the Public Gardens, and then back home.
Later, that evening we went to janes for dessert, having allowed time for our meal to digest a bit. With my cousin, right off the Mira Gut to Marion Bridge ferry. The beauty of the desert menu shone through. My coconut cream shortbread crust mini-pie was yummy without being too sweet, L's upside down rhubarb cake was worth the wait, and my cousin made his carrot cake disappear in no time.
Yep, a great day of eating.
BURP
1 comment:
Seriously now, THREE posts for the whole month of June?! What the hell? That is 30 * 3 = 90 meals that you could have blogged, and instead you only give your loyal readers THREE? Let's step it up for July, buddy. I mean, come ON.
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