Friday, August 23, 2013

            As many of you already know, yesterday was our 48^th wedding anniversary.  Given the heat and the humidity our only foray during the day was to Mercadona to pick up a few basics.  In anticipation of a rather hearty dinner lunch was limited to a scramble of ham and cheese.  After lunch we read for a while and around 7:30 we got ready for our evening adventure.

            We decided to dine at Appetite, which occupies the number 1 spot on TripAdvisor.  It was not its position on the list that conditioned our decision. We had eaten there once before and had chatted with the chef/owner, Bonnie, on a couple of occasions.  Bonnie is also a good friend of Mike and Santi of Ginger Loft fame.  We hopped a cab at 8:15 and we arrived on time for our 8:30 reservation.  The restaurant was quite full and there were only two empty tables, both of which were reserved for later in the evening.

            Ordering in the evening is fairly easy.  It is essentially chef’s choice and your only decision is whether you want five dishes and dessert or seven dishes and dessert.  We ordered a glass of cava while we pondered our decision and we finally opted for the smaller of the two offerings. 

            The party began with a generous helping of rabo de toro sitting atop a flour tortilla. Next came four wonton stuffed with shrimp and nested in a soy reduction. Jumbo shrimp – one apiece – was the third offering.  I don’t think I have ever seen a shrimp this big.  It was served with a dipping sauce that had a bit of heat and a lime to help cut some of the heat.  Next came a whole lobster prepared Thai style.  Absolutely messy and absolutely delicious!  Our last entrée was lamb served with sweet potatoes and tzaziki.  Dessert was a cheesecake served with fresh berries and topped with Oreo crumbs.  We finished our delightful meal with coffee. 

            We got home a little after 11:00 and having enjoyed a lovely meal accompanied by a bottle of wine, a glass of cava to start the meal and another at the end of the meal an early bed time seemed to be the only logical option. Juan Tamariz was in town for the evening and there was to be a tertulia at Pepe’s house starting around midnight, but as much as my mind wished to attend, my body had other thoughts.  I will have to visit with Tamariz another day.

Here are a few shots from Susan’s visit to Northern California.