Hella Fun

Thanks to BPLJ and his sister-in-law, we got to eat here recently.

I took all these photos in secret. I was literally slinking around, hoping no one would see. I also sneaked some shots from our car while driving away. The show is very strict about its "no camera" policy, both inside and outside the set.

This is the outside of the patio where contestants sit and vent and/or smoke.

Here's my faux night-vision shot.

Due to the confidentiality and non-disclosure agreement, I can't reveal any details about the outcome of the show, but I'll tell you what we ate.

Starters:
(1) Pan-fried scallops with bacon and watercress.
(2) King crab capellini.

Entrees:
(1) Pork chop stuffed with ricotta and mushrooms topped with roasted asparagus.
(2) Grilled halibut with vegetables.

Sides:
(1) Tomato, burrata cheese, and balsamic.
(2) Sauteed broccolini.

Dessert:
(1) Raspberry-lemon torte with pistachio ice cream.
(2) Panna cotta with quince and honey granita.

Mr. Monkey and I were one of a handful of tables that actually got full dinner service, including dessert. Three tables near us only got their starters. Lucky us!

We had food prepared by the Blue Team. It was decent with some hits and misses. Both starters were great. Both entrees were weak -- the pork chop was tough and dry, and the halibut was bland. Both sides were delicious. The torte was only ok, but the pistachio ice cream was fantastic. The panna cotta was out-of-this-world and clearly the best dish of the night.

I doubt we'll make it on the air, as the camera only shot us twice, but at least we got a three-course meal for free and had the pleasure of witnessing Gordon Ramsay drop a ton of F-bombs and scream, "Shut it down!"