The olive tapenade for the warm fresh bread was great. Pescado stuck his stub of a finger into the shot. Thanks.
We started with market lettuces, local walnuts, and golden raisins ($9). Good salad.
The boys let me have two of the roasted dates, parmesan, and bacon ($6) because they are my favorite. (Does "they" mean "the boys" or "the dates"? Works either way!) Too bad this picture looks like I took it during an earthquake. I was probably laughing and shaking like a silly person when I took it.
Five cheeses ($25). Goddamn, cheese is expensive.
Prosciutto di parma ($11) with...butter. Wow. Butter with ham. Rich.
Next up was the soft shell crab with spicy pork and peanut sauce ($16), which was light and crunchy. I could've eaten three by myself.
True to his name, Pescado ordered seafood, albeit not fish. The guys enjoyed the clams with garlic and amontillado sherry ($15), as I'm not a huge bivalve fan.
I'm a shellfish fan, though. Loved the gnocchi with lobster, pancetta, and truffle butter ($17).
Then the real meat started coming out.
Grilled skirt steak with Roquefort butter ($15). Yes, it was good.
Pork belly, purslane, tomatillos, and corn salsa ($15). Yes, this was good, too.
Lamb kebab thingies? Pork on sticks? I don't even remember. All I know is that we chowed before I took a picture. This is what happens when you are cackling hysterically at BPLJ's rather inappropriate stories.
I made sure to snap all the desserts before we destroyed them.
Rose macaron ice cream sandwich with raspberries and pistachios ($10). Quite lovely and fancy, but the ice cream sandwiches I had at Milk on Saturday were superior. And more affordable.
Crème fraîche panna cotta with blackberries and French butter cookies ($9). Tasty, but I didn't think it was anything special. Pescado loved it, so he ate most of it. I snagged a butter cookie.
Chocolate-hazelnut dacquoise with gianduja mousse and salted caramel ice cream ($10). Can I pronounce the italicized words correctly? No. But I can tell you that they are essentially a fancy way of saying "layers of yumminess that make the Monkey very happy."
It was so fun seeing these guys. Since leaving the firm and coming to the CIA, I've discovered that I do a lot more entertaining than being entertained at work. I still laugh a lot, but it's different. I'm not complaining. As you know, I like being the source of amusement.
But, when I am with people who are much funnier than I am, I just get to sit back, relax, and laugh my ass off.
I miss that.
Hmmmmm. How I miss AOC and its bacon wrapped dates. Now that is a blurry picture of heaven.
ReplyDeletei loooove aoc! you reminded me that i never blogged my (march!) birthday dinner at AOC. we ordered a lot of the same things. ;-) the dacquoise was divine; i remember it being like a ferrero rocher cake.
ReplyDeleteIt all looks amazing-- cheese, pancetta,lots of butter, lobster gnocchi, yumm. I'd like all of it.
ReplyDeleteAre you saying we aren't entertaining???
ReplyDeleteugh aoc. ugh yumminess!!!
ReplyDeleteOooo that all looks so yummy for a decent price! Will have to add this to my list of places to visit.
ReplyDeleteI need to go to AOC stat.
ReplyDeleteI think the way you feel around your old co-workers is the way I feel around you.
I will practice being funnier and more vivacious so the next time I see you, you can have a break here and there. (Although, I promise nothing.)
That prosciutto looks amazing. {drool}
ReplyDeletebacon wrapped dates? sign me up!
ReplyDeletei've still never been to aoc. and when i see pictures like that, it makes me very sad :(
ReplyDeletedang it, i keep forgetting about AOC! yet another place on my list of restaurants i want to hit up.
ReplyDeleteAhhh, I love AOC. H and I went there, and had one of our best dates ever. Had tons of wine. Ahhh, those were the days!
ReplyDeleteGlad you had fun with people that make you smile :)
I am craving prosciutto after this post ...
ReplyDeleteSteak with roquefort butter?
ReplyDelete::fainting::
I <3 your shamelessness :)
I have to remember this place. That food looks awesome.
ReplyDeleteHow dare you hang out with my man without me knowing! He is a "dawg"!
ReplyDeleteJust kidding...It's Brandon, from Lisa's email account. That was a lot of fun. We definitely will do it again. We just need to wait a couple more weeks so Brian can get another story of "excessive touching of himself," and Fisher can shower.
Good meal with good people = good way to spend an evening. Awesome! :)
ReplyDelete