Tonight was the first round of the annual battle with the raccoon. It comes up to eat the outside cats’ food. I yell and chase it away. It pokes it’s head up from under the deck. I yell at it that I’m not feeding it, and it should go away, gay aveck! So this means we need to change how we feed the outside cats just to keep away the freaking raccoon. It could be worse. At least I don’t have to worry about skunk or bear.
- Amish
- barbeque
- brunch
- burgers
- chicken
- chocolate
- dining
- dinner
- elements
- emo
- family
- farm market
- fish
- food
- friends
- gardening
- geek
- health
- ice cream
- life
- love
- love wife rose
- mangalitsa
- migraines
- natirar
- New Hope
- ninety acres
- NJ
- Pluckemin Inn
- recipe
- RenFaire
- restaurant
- steak
- Trader Joe's
- travel
- Trivia
dinner and a show and a party
At some point months ago, I had gotten us tickets to see Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull at the Count Basie Theater in Red Bank. We had front row balcony seats on the aisle. I had made reservations at one restaurant which we ended up canceling at the last minute and getting another reservation at the restaurant literally down the block from the theater, Buona Sera. I was a little leary of the place, even though it got good reviews. You’re always worried that they get by on being so close to the venue and serving passable food. I have to say that though it was crowded and noisy, the service and the food were outstanding. The cocktails were rather potent, but tasty, though a little expensive at $12 each. I started with a half order of fried calamari. I never order it any more but I thought a half order couldn’t be too much of a disappointment. This was light and crispy, neither chewy nor greasy, served with a very simple and tasty marinara sauce. This was calamari made right. For my entree I had zuppa de pesce- shrimp, scallops, Lobster Tail, Mussels, Clams & Calamari. Again, the seafood was perfectly executed, with everything in a spicy sauce. The Husband had goat cheese wrapped in prosciutto which he proclaimed some of the best he ever had. He then had a filet mignon (slightly closer to well than medium) topped with Gorgonzola, served with port wine demi glace as well as a crab cake. For dessert I had a carrot cake, individual servings, and the Husband had cheesecake. I think New York style. Dinner was a tad expensive, but not unreasonably so for what we got. It was certainly an enjoyable meal and we’d both gladly go back.
The show was great, but the venue was crowded and incredibly warm, even for me, so we left at intermission.
The following afternoon my mother threw a surprise party for my step-father’s 75th birthday. We picked up the cakes that morning, both white cakes with whipped cream, one with cherries, one with chocolate pudding. Both were very tasty, at least for most people. She had it catered, it was lovely. And we got to bring leftovers home for dinner that night! The first of two weekends of family time…
Review: Equus Tavern, Bernardsville, NJ
ast Sunday the Husband and I went for dinner with another couple of foodies to Equus Tavern in Bernardsville, NJ. It was the first time for all of us to this restaurant. The chef is from Le Petite Chateau, a restaurant where we had the misfortune to dine but once. Had we known it was the same chef, I’m not sure we would have tried Equus, but I am very glad that we did.