Well Done

Road Scholar was kind enough to treat me to a fantastic birthday dinner at 750 ml. I've been wanting to try this place since it opened cuz it looks so cute & charming. It received mediocre and terrible reviews at first but I think they've got things down now.

Road Scholar and I chowed down while Road Scholar's baby girl, Piano Toes, watched and drooled. The wait staff was quite accommodating of Piano Toes and her stroller. They stopped by to ooh, ah and coo over Piano Toes.

We started on a salad of baby greens, grapes, roasted pine nuts with a mildly sweet vinaigrette and goat cheese. The chef was gracious enough to oblige my request to substitute the goat for a cheddar. I know, chefs hate it when customers think they know better. But it wasn't cuz I thought I knew better, it's just that I'll throw up if I eat goat cheese.

Anyway, we both wanted a good piece of meat (don't we all? ;) ) so steak frites it was. Thankfully, they know how to do medium. They also know how to do homemade ketchup for their crispy fries. Yummy. I woulda licked my plate but I didn't wanna embarrass Road Scholar.

I almost forgot the wine... I don't really know what to say about it except that it was good...? Shame on me. But come on, I'm a vodka kinda girl.

The only disappointing thing was the lack of chocolate in their dessert choices. Luckily Buster's was right across the street. We undid the buttons of our jeans and walked over to Buster's. I could almost taste the mocha chip in a waffle cone...and then we see...CLOSED. Chad Michael Murray! What's a piggy gotta do for some birthday ice cream?

One Hit Wonder

Shortly after opening, the cafeteria within the Achoo! building decided to class it up. They wanted to be called "commissary" not "cateteria" and they invited a "star chef" to improve their menus. I don't know what kind of "star chef" he was, but bless their little hearts for trying.

There was one item I did like. A LOT. They premiered their rueben pastrami melt on focaccia. OMG! I'm not a huge fan of cured meats but the flavor combination of sourkraut, pastrami, cheese, foccacia & their secret sauce was close to a foodgasm.

After I devoured it and all the fries that came with it, I went down and ordered another. It had only been, oh, I'd say 15 to 20 minutes since I first appeared in the cafeteria commissary that day so the line cook remembered me. He shook his head and laughed when he saw me again. I didn't care. I endured it. I quickly took my food back up to the office and enjoyed my second lunch.

Sadly, they have not created the same level of food since. The next time the rueben pastrami melt came up on the menu rotation, they had replaced the focaccia with sour dough or some other tasteless white bread. They got lazy and sloppy and that was the end of my love for their rueben pastrami melt.

All You Can Eat Weekend

This little piggy is making a list. A list of the all-carb items I want to eat this weekend. Ya, I'm giving the no carb diet another go...The jeans do feel more comfortable, especially around the old jelly belly.

So here's my piggy list so far:

• Krispy Kreme donuts
• Grilled Cheese
• Mac & Cheese
• King's Hawaiian Sweet Rolls
• PB&J
• Mashed Potatoes
• All Chocolate Cake
• Father Nature Fries
• Baskin Robbins' Mocha Blast
• Versailles Cuban Style Roasted Pork with extra rice & plantains
• Porto's Cheese Rolls
• Real Coke, not Coke Zero

Oh my sweet baby Jesus. I'm gonna be on a sugar high all weekend.