Hot Dish Review

Ditto for 2011….

There was a time when Red Lobster was almost fine dining. On weekends the lobby would be full of men wearing suits, waiting for a table with their families, their wives dressed in skirts, well-behaved children in tow.

Well, those days are gone my friend! Foul-mouthed unkempt white trash was the standard as me and my family waited for a table this Christmas Eve. Screaming kids are usually seated next to us these days, but we got lucky this time.

We used to go to fancy restaurants on Christmas Eve but one year we ended up at Red Lobster, and we’ve been going there ever since….sort of a bastardized tradition at this point.

The restaurant’s decor used to be more nautical kitsch, but they’ve toned it down a bit over the last decade. No more enormous plastic fish or nets, just dark wood walls, and tables dimly lit with dock lanterns.

Our dinner began with salads, Caesars with balsamic dressing on the side. A basket of those addictive cheddar garlic biscuits came out. We tried not to eat them, but the temptation was too great.

My Mom decided to go light and ordered the glazed salmon with broccoli. Dad got the rock lobster, shrimp scampi, and grilled shrimp. I ordered the Maine lobster, grilled scallops, and grilled shrimp combo with a baked potato on the side, although the combos now come with rice pilaf….how 1989!

I asked our server the difference between Maine and rock lobster and he said the rock could be tougher at times. However, it turns out that variety is also much larger. Oh, well. Everything was drenched in butter and cooked perfectly. My Mom’s salmon was OK. At least she didn’t leave stuffed like me and my Dad.

Sure, Red Lobster’s reputation has evolved over the years but if you can look beyond the abysmal atmosphere and unsavory fellow diners, you just might get a delicious lobster!

A lovely dinner….
Pour a glass of wine, sit back and relax folks….this is gonna take a while. Nine courses with wine pairings plus a couple of “gifts from the chef” spanned a solid four hours.

Finding the Quinones Room is somewhat of a treasure hunt….BB and I followed the signs, walked through the breezeway, and down the stairs to the door with the big Q. Neutral curtains parted to reveal an elegant seating area furnished in shades of chocolate and cream. The intimate dining room is to the right with only ten tables covered in white linens. Antique mirrors, Venetian glass chandeliers, and lacquered wood frame chairs with a vintage patina lent a quiet air of Southern moneyed aristocracy.

At first, the service seemed too serious for my taste. There was a selection of water and the delivery of four mini cheese bread sticks before our server, Rafael, introduced himself in a barely audible hush. We would be having the prix fixe menu with the wine pairings….a multi-course marathon that began with a kir royale.

Bread service arrived on a wooden skewer. Various sizes and kinds of bread, from sourdough to onion, complimented by soft, sweet cream butter.

Two mini cheese gougeres were devoured tout de suite, as well as a shot of celery root soup with red onion jam, both gifts from Chef de Cuisine David A. Carson. Little bites that packed big flavor.

Krug Grand Cuvee champagne was poured in advance of our first course. I knew it would be a crudo, something ultra-light. Atlantic blue fin tuna, sashimi style, and Kumamoto oysters were paired with tiny cubes of Asian pear, slivers of radish, the bowl decorated with droplets of shoyu, a type of soy sauce. This would be the only dish I didn’t really enjoy.

For lack of a better monicker, the “drink boy” came by with a 2005 sauternes for our next dish, a foie gras terrine. I commented to BB that I usually prefer foie gras seared. I also noted something peculiar….the drink boy once again short-poured my wine. Perhaps that is a standard practice in fine dining? To pour an almost imperceptibly short glass for the lady at the table.

A square plate came out with a square of the foie gras terrine, accompanied by three, questionably four, preparations of Fuyu persimmon and a little mound of spiced cocoa nibs. There was a persimmon puree, a dollop of persimmon preserves, and a slice of candied persimmon. I believe the streak of orange-y powder along the side was freeze-dried persimmon, but I could be wrong. Each little bite of the decadent foie gras was immaculate, with a smudge of sweet persimmon. What could make it even better you ask? Four baby popovers made with a mild cheese and the slightest hint of sweetness. Heaven.

A row of tiny Nantucket Bay scallops sat upon a cauliflower puree, each one topped with black pearls of caviar. Sauvignon blanc, fresh with hints of grapefruit, paired nicely. Rafael had loosened up as I quizzed him about his former employment. Turns out he has always worked for Quatrano and Harrison, the pair that own Baccanalia, Floataway, Abbattoir, and Star Provisions.

Loup de mer, a simple white fish, was made stunning with its toppings of earthy black trumpet mushrooms and baby potato chips made with fingerlings, all resting on a bed of melted Spring onions. Chardonnay was the obvious choice for wine.

Now things would take a turn for the rich, heavy, dark. Drink boy poured glasses of a 2007 pinot noir from Willamette Valley as the dance of service continued with unwavering steadiness. Truffled cabbage and Jerusalem artichoke provided the creamy base for a chunk of braised veal cheek, so tender it fell apart at the mere sight of my fork. But first BB and I sliced into the crispy veal sweetbreads that crowned the meat, lightly fried in a coating with a hint of nutmeg. He loves sweetbreads. If they were always this good and tender, I can see why. Although small, the braised veal was filling, containing quite a bit of fat. It was a very rich dish.

The menu listed loin of loin next. Huh? We chuckled…..was it loin of lion? Hilarious. Turns out it was venison. Louis M. Martini Reserve cabernet sauvignon was poured….still short. Glazed young vegetables like Brussels sprouts, carrots, and beets were scattered beneath two thick slices of roasted venison, cooked perfectly medium rare. Unlike the veal, there was not a speck of fat, yet the dense meat was succulent and smooth, the outside of the roast coated with a spice rub containing a hint of clove. A dollop of caramelized onion stole the show…I savored every sweet bit of it.

On to the cheese course, a segue into dessert. Cumberland, a medium bodied cheese with little holes, reminded me of fontina. It was paired with Ellijay apples, both preserved and cubed, and young arugula.

Time for dessert wine, what appeared to be a Spanish tawney. Our first dessert (yes, there were two!) was a glass cup layered with cranberries, brown sugar streusel, then toasted meringue, providing intense tanginess, crunchy sweetness, and fluffy chewiness, a crazy combo of textures.

Our final course was two dense cubes of Valrhona chocolate ganache with a small scoop of frozen chocolate custard on the side. The best part of the dessert was the thickened sweet potato puree, sprinkled with crispy chocolate nuggets.

Quinones Room lived up to the hype, the seamless execution a study in precision, both in service and in the food itself. Was it the best meal I’ve ever had? Quite possibly.

1198 Howell Mill Road 404-365-0410

The end of Summer makes me depressed….and desperate. I’ll do anything to eat, drink, and otherwise fornicate outdoors while the weather permits! Last weekend I was determined to get my ass on a patio somewhere, drinking something.

But plans tend to change at a moment’s notice when LC is involved. He had invited his buddy JH to join us for a drink and a bite to eat, which would inevitably turn into a late night out.

JH was in charge of the PGA Championship last month at the Atlanta Athletic Club in Johns Creek, so he got to know everyone in the neighborhood, including the owner of Grace 17.20 located at the Forum in Norcross. So he suggested we give their patio a whirl.

Great idea! Patios in the burbs are spacious. This one sported a fireplace, decorative plants and strings of lights. Everyone there was seated outside, where the tables were covered with white linens and service was gracious.

The elegant yet casual atmosphere had me thinking wine, but the guys ordered vodka martinis, so I joined in but got the real thing made with Bombay Sapphire, dry, straight up.

Perfect weather provided an excellent backdrop for dinner. We started with two appetizers, the bleu cheese and caramelized onion melt and spicy chopped chicken and sweet slaw spring rolls. The latter were chock full of chicken, but it wasn’t spicy and I couldn’t detect any of the jalapeno jack cheese listed among the ingredients. I would not have been disappointed had I not read the description, but I did, and that led to expectations. And I know full well the taste of dashed expectations.

But it was the luscious combination of sweet caramelized onions and browned bleu cheese that had me and LC swooning. We cleaned the dish with the toasted pita triangles provided.

Meanwhile, round two of martinis were ordered. Our entrees were a seafood smorgasbord; scallops with corn risotto for LC, the seafood cobb salad for me, and the lobster special served with fettucini marinara for JH.

The three enormous scallops were perfectly cooked, but I didn’t love the risotto. Lobster was evidently delicious as JH cleaned his plate, but I didn’t give it a try. I would have ordered it but the combination of fish of any kind and tomatoes makes me cringe.

Although the colors were vibrant, I was somewhat disappointed with the blandness of my cobb salad. The seafood that was described as “lightly seared” seemed to be boiled with no seasoning. My sweet and spicy chili vinaigrette was neither sweet nor spicy, tasting only of the seasoning used in chili. Bacon and avocado were likewise inexplicably flavorless. I made do with fresh black pepper for some zing. However, the more gin I drank, the better the salad got.

The boys licked their plates and ordered a third martini. I took in a deep breath of the waning Summer air for dessert. Sweet. Amen.

5155 Peachtree Parkway #320 678-421-1720

After spending a day at Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure in Orlando riding roller coasters like two hyperactive teenagers, LC and I made an early evening of it, getting plenty of rest in preparation for our long drive home the next day.

Before we hit the highway, we had a lovely lunch with a couple of LC’s business associates at Seasons 52. It had been a long while since I dined at the health-conscious chain’s Atlanta location next to Perimeter Mall, so it would be interesting to dine here, at the restaurant’s original spot. I used to make a habit of getting their steak and blue cheese flatbread to go a few years back…..sorta like a guilt-free pizza.

We chose a table on the patio overlooking the lake, with a view of our resort on the other side, and ordered unsweetened iced tea all around. Our dining companions ordered cedar plank salmon and caramelized sea scallops, while LC chose the blackened fish tacos. It was the duck chopped salad for me….quelle surprise!

CK enjoyed his salmon, served with carrots, asparagus, and red bliss potatoes. LK gave me one of her succulent scallops and a bite of the accompanying pearl pasta….very tasty.

There were three fish tacos on LC’s plate, each wrapped in a small soft whole wheat tortilla. Low-fat taco toppings and some crisp lettuce were cool and refreshing against the spicy grilled fish. Nice flavor.

On my very first visit to Seasons 52, I ordered a duck salad. It was lunch, and it was pretty good. I remember the portion size being noticeably smaller than typical restaurant plates, thereby controlling calories. So I couldn’t resist the Maple Leaf Farms duck chop salad, with jicama , grilled pineapple, toasted almonds and a sesame dressing. The chopped ingredients were served in a clear cylinder which our server removed upon presenting my plate. Clever and somewhat over the top.

My duck wasn’t extremely tender but it was nicely seasoned with Asian spices. Crisp slices of jicama, crunchy nuts, and tart pineapple provided plenty of texture and flavor contrasts. I would have guessed the salad to have around 325 calories. Since Seasons 52 puts all the nutritional info on their website, my curiousity couldn’t be contained, so I looked it up. I was surprised to discover it had 440 calories, and a little dismayed that it contained 1338 grams of sodium….yikes! Another frightening statistic, 35 grams of sugar….what what?

Nonetheless, I couldn’t put my fork down until my plate was cleaned. The four of us found ourselves helpless when confronted with the restaurant’s signature “mini indulgences”, tiny parfait versions of classic desserts.

We each had a different sweet treat; key lime pie and lemon mousse for our friends, pecan pie with vanilla mousse for LC, and mocha macchiato for me. Coffee and chocolate combos always lure me in. Just a tiny, innocent dessert, right? OMG, imagine my shock and horror to discover this mini indulgence was loaded with 42 grams of sugar and 370 calories! Deceptive? Not really. Considering there are 500-800 calories in a single slice of regular pecan pie, their mini version comes in considerably lighter at just 320. Naturally, I chose the most fattening of all the minis on offer.

Although we started early, our lunch went on for quite some time, full of witty conversation. Gallons of iced tea later, LC and I made our way to the interstate, headed back to the big city.

Now I’m sorta craving one of those flatbreads.

7700 Sand Lake Rd. 407-354-5212

The expectations that come with a name like Tantra are hard to ignore….dining there would be a sensual experience. But just how sexy can food be? Sure, there would be raw oysters and cocktails with tantilizing names like the Forbidden Fruit. The space was dimly lit, as expected. Red velvet banquettes and chairs….check. Kama Sutra-esque artwork….check. The atmosphere was adequately sultry.

LC joined me, seated at a table in the main dining room. I was hoping for a secluded booth, perhaps with curtains, so we could feed each other succulent morsels in privacy. Starting off with specialty cocktails, I tried the Gigi, a bubbly drink made of prosecco, Gran Marnier, and blood orange juice, while he ordered a drink called Exuding, Stoli Vanilla mixed with almond milk and cinnamon. Both were yummy.

The internationally inspired menu by chef Terry Dwyer features middle Eastern flavors and spiced up American classics. LC and I started with three appetizers. Paneer and mushy pea samosas with a cilantro yogurt sauce were tasty but not quite as good as the delish chicken version at Spice Market.

He also got the short smoked salmon rolls with basil, mint, cilantro, and arugula. Their phallic shape was the sexiest part of the dish. LC enjoyed them but I thought the salmon was a little fishy.

More foreplay came in the form of foie gras. I’m in love with it. Seared and served with pear and quince chutney, brioche, and sauterne-saffron gelee, the piece was large enough to be duck rather than goose. That’s OK. I revisited my old habit of requesting a handful of undressed field greens with it to balance the richness of the foie gras. Noticing that many of their dishes contained mint, I specified only greens, no mint. However, the dreaded herb was mixed in among the greens. Nonetheless, it was my favorite dish of the evening, every rich bite matched with a sweet bit of chutney. I was particularly impressed that the brioche was dry and crisp, not greasy like it so often can be. The removal of the mint leaves was an easy task that hardly detracted from my enjoyment.

I switched up my drink to red wine as we awaited our two entrees. Basil caramelized scallops came with golden potato puree as did the strip steak, so we substituted mushroom-herb polenta with the scallops to avoid being redundant. The scallops were nicely seared but overly salty. They also came with ginger braised collard greens. Although slightly undercooked, their flavor was awesome.

The steak was cooked to the correct temperature but didn’t melt in my mouth. It required more chewing than I would have liked. Asparagus and potato puree alongside were not noteworthy.

Other entrees include chili seared Hawaiian tuna and pan roasted seabass. There isn’t anything inherently sexy about either of these dishes, but maybe if a hot guy is buying it for you it’ll turn you on.

We chose another side, the sauteed okra, to share. It would have been more sensual to feed them to each other by hand but that may have drawn unwanted attention so we ate them with our forks. We both loved this dish.

Ending on a sweet note, we sampled the ice cream sandwich…. orange honey and rosemary ice cream nestled between two chewy molasses spiced cookies. Unfortunately, the nutmeg and cloves in the cookies overpowered the subtle flavors of the ice cream.

2285 Peachtree Road 404-228-7963

Sweet name. It conjures up images of vintage furniture, doilies and Southern charm. Makes me think of little old ladies sipping mint juleps on their verandas in the stuffy heat of Savannah. Chef Ron Eyester, who had been with Food 101 for several years, took over their defunct location in the Virginia Highlands with his own project, calling it Rosebud.

However, there is nothing vintage about Eyester’s place. His tagline is local folks, kind flavors, reinventing American classic dishes with a strong emphasis on creating a sense of neighborhood. I had no idea they were doing such a brisk business, but on Saturday night at 7pm, they were on a 45 minute wait for a four-top. The place was buzzing.

No worries, our foursome was ready to enjoy some cocktails and get better aquainted. LC and his friend R, and B and I, spontaneously chose Rosebud for dinner as the two gentlemen had already stopped there for a pre-dinner drink.

Most of us opted for red wine, the smooth Powers Pinot Noir I believe, and stationed ourselves at a tiny bar table, poised to pounce on the larger table beside us as soon as they paid.

I ordered the warm mushroom and country ham bruschetta for us to share while we waited. Served over thickly sliced white toast, a medley of mushrooms were woodsy, their texture almost meaty. Chunks of ham made the dish swoon-worthy.

Our server brought out bread and butter with our wine. The bread would have been great if it had been heated in the oven, but it was room temperature making for a chewy instead of crisp crust. Rather than sweet cream butter, theirs was soft, yellow and salty, reminding me of margarine. Was it?

The guys had ordered some eggplant chips with blue cheese and the tuna appetizer on their first visit so they weren’t too hungry. We shared the scallops to start. Two big ones resting in a vanilla-sage apple butter were lightly seared, leaving the centers cooked just to medium. Like my Dad, I usually prefer shellfish thoroughly cooked but these were so good I couldn’t complain.

Me and LC also shared an entree called “Dude, it’s a salad!”. A sirloin burger, cooked a perfect medium, was served on a big bed of chopped iceberg lettuce, cherry tomatoes, blue cheese, all dressed with a bit of balsamic vinegar. Just what it sounds like. Not bad, dude.

Then there was B’s trout. My fork ventured across the table at her invitation, sampling the delicate fish and tasty whipped potatoes with grain mustard. Brussels sprouts that surrounded the fish were totally undercooked, saved only slightly be the bacon they were cooked with. Only other complaint was the skin on the fish….I’m just not a fan of it.

We polished off a bottle of the Powers and ordered one dessert to share, the cherry bread pudding. Served with vanilla ice cream, it was very well executed, not overly sweet which so often ruins bread pudding.

A few menu items have a Southern accent like the wild Georgia shrimp and grits and the crispy Mississippi catfish, also served with grits. They also do brunch. But Rosebud is mostly regular food for regular folks. Not too fancy, not too expensive, but certainly competent and worth a visit.

1397 North Highland Avenue 404-347-9747

After our enlightening educational tour of the winery with Bill, B and I chose to be seated on the beautiful deck outside at the restaurant, LeVigne, just next door to the tasting room. Views of the vineyard provided a stunning backdrop for our meal.

Chef Steven Hartman creates a special Sunday Supper menu each week. The restaurant serves lunch and its regular menu the rest of the week. On our visit the menu was a collection of small plates, ranging in price from $7 to $14.

Me and B are city chicks. We get the small plate concept. But this place is in Dahlonega. I don’t know if most diners here understand that a menu item described as short ribs at $14 isn’t a substantial entree. Maybe I’m just not giving them enough credit. Or perhaps Chef Steven Hartman is a touch out of his element here.

For a Sunday evening, the restaurant was far from packed, but there were quite a few tables occupied, especially outside.

We continued with more of the wine we had tried during the tasting, the Tormaresca from Italy, and proceeded to order two of the smaller plates to start. B was determined to try the Columbia River salmon tartar with chicharones, Meyer lemon, and red ribbon sorrel. Fancy sounding but when it came out B was perplexed about the sprinkling of crunchy stuff on top of the raw chopped salmon. It was the chicharones. They had no flavor but did provide textural interest. The dish was heavy on lemon for me, but I am not a salmon lover anyway.

Pea soup was a vibrant green matching the lush landscape of the vineyard. It’s flavor was unfortunately mediocre, the worst part being the mitake mushrooms on top. Seems like someone forgot to reconstitute these. Have you ever eaten dried mushrooms? I have. Difference is, these have no hallucinogenic effects. Too bad!

Chef Hartman does have my favorite, foie gras, on the menu but it is unfortunately prepared au torchon so I didn’t even go there. Instead we opted for the scallop, the Painted Hills beef short ribs, and the moulard duck breast.

The short rib was the most substantial of the trio. It’s hard to fuck up short ribs but I didn’t like the sauce on this dish and it was seriously salty. The sunchoke puree, asparagus, and morel mushrooms did little to balance it out. B really liked the scallop. I let her have most of it as it too was drowned in salt. The presentation was certainly beautiful, though, with its artichoke puree, bright radishes, and rainbow trout roe to garnish (maybe the roe added the extra saltiness?).

Cooked medium and served atop creamed leeks, fiddlehead ferns, and orange confit, the duck was my favorite dish of the three. Personally I wouldn’t pair citrus with duck but rather a sweeter fruit. What I really liked was the restraint used with the salt shaker.

After the cheese and charcuterie at the wine tasting followed by the five small plates, we still had enough room for a little dessert. We ordered the pear frangipane tart and the blueberry clafoutis. Both servings were huge compared to the savory dishes.

Served warm with vanilla ice cream, the rustic pear tart was absolutely delicious! I got turned on to clafoutis at Trader Joe’s. Somewhere between a custard and a cake, with fruit, they have a frozen cherry one that you bake at home. Although three times the size of the Trader Joe’s dessert, LeVigne’s version was fantastic, topped with sauce Romanoff and some whipped cream.

The two desserts turned out to be the best dishes of the meal. I needed the sugar-high to counteract the sleepy effects of a whole day of wine so I could find my way out of the Montaluce maze. And it was dark too. They don’t believe in street lights in small towns.

With B’s navigational assistance we made it back to GA400 and back to the city!

Under normal circumstances I don’t care for re-runs. Here’s an exception: Saturday at the beach was practically a re-run of Friday, but even more fun! MM and I set up camp as the others gathered beers and supplies. The beach was followed by a brief pool visit, then intoxicated showering.

Seafood was in order and George’s was the place. A brief walk, again in heels, brought us to a quaint yet trendy restaurant in a renovated house. We waited a bit for a table since our group was large and ended up seated on the patio, complete with umbrellas decorated with tiny white lights. Cute.

JS and KS had mentioned their colossal frutta di mare quesadillas the day before, big enough for a meal for two. But for a group of nine, KS thought two would be perfect for appetizers. At $29 each, we could barely polish them off. Drizzled with a spicy aoili and topped with pineapple salsa, each quesadilla was filled with lobster, shrimp, crab, and cheese. Really tasty!

MC and KC, who live in a neighboring town, joined us. They ordered a couple of bottles of Shug pinot noir. ST got a glass of chardonnay and I also opted for white with a semi-sweet reisling.

Entrees were mostly seafood dishes like wild salmon with a cinnamon soy glaze or cioppino, the fish stew of mussels, clams, shrimp and fish in a tomato based broth (that I often find revolting due to my distaste of that combo). MC ordered the seared coconut scallops and gave me a taste. Three ginormous orbs atop a bowl of orzo. Although very nicely done, there were three. It was $27.

I opted for the lemongrass curry shrimp, hoping for 7 or 8 huge prawns since we were on the gulf, but was served about 15 smallish shrimp instead, along with lots of green and red peppers. Disappointing, but the flavor was passable. Again, not a bargain at $24.

Strangely, there were lots of Asian notes to the menu and with my relative expertise on Asian cuisine I should know to stay away from it unless I’m on Buford Highway or at an authentic Asian restaurant. But I rarely listen to my own advice.

Also on offer were lamb chops, spicy Mongol beef tenderloin, Kahlua pork tenderloin for strict carnivores.

Then there was the section of seafood bowls, all of which could be ordered grilled or fried. ST got the fried combo…..shrimp, grouper, and oysters. Served with, what else? Fries. Oh, and don’t forget the fried hushpuppies. The crunch of fried foods is practically irresistable, but it bores me after a bite or two. Batter just masks the flavor. I had an oyster and a fry or two (and maybe a bite of a hushpuppy).

A couple of folks got the grilled grouper bowl. My bite, from KC, totally lacked flavor.

They serve a full lunch menu as well with healthy wraps and spa inspired dishes like the toasted macadamia tofu on a bed of soba noodles which I bet has twice the calories you’d think. Soups, salads, sandwiches, all come in around $13.

No room for sweets, thankfully me and ST had dessert before we left the house!

Portions at George’s are big and so are the price-tags. But the food is solid and certainly worth a visit.

Yes, I know. Red Lobster, not what you’d expect from me. Oh well, here’s the deal….we used to go to fancy restaurants in Chattanooga for Christmas Eve, get lobster and steak. It was awesome!

When I was a kid there was a “Red Lobster phase” when we would go there every Friday night. I was about eight or nine. It was their heyday and there was always a long wait in the lobby. My Mom might have a mai tai while we waited….how 1977!

Over the last five or six years Red Lobster has become a Christmas Eve tradition with us, out of simplicity, familiarity, and ease. It is close to my parents’ house near Chattanooga and they really aren’t all about fanciness, so we go to Red Lobster, just like old times.

Even when I was a kid, they would let me get crab legs or lobster if I wanted. Heck, I’m an only child, why not! These days we start off with some salad and try not to eat too many of the addictive garlic cheese biscuits before the seafood arrives. No appetizers, my folks don’t fuck around. They order fish with no butter and sauces on the side. I, on the other hand, have my baked potato with butter and sour cream.

Me and Mom get the Caesar salad, but with raspberry vinaigrette on the side. There’s no iceberg on the Caesar as opposed to the house salad which my Dad unfortunately ordered. Me and Dad drank Miller Lites (the champagne of the trailer park).

This year I had the grilled trio of Maine lobster, a skewer of shrimp, and sea scallops….all perfectly cooked and served over rice pilaf. I substituted a baked potato but it came with both. My Dad had the rock lobster, shrimp scampi, and grilled shrimp.

My Mom ordered a strange combination of seafood jambalaya, shrimp scampi, and bacon wrapped bbq scallops. OK, I’m not sure what she was thinking but jamabalaya is made with andouille sausage. Plus, it was in a cream sauce rather than tomato based (which was a bit odd) but she was expecting a more authentic dish. Of course the bacon on the scallops was not well-done and to top it off, the scallops were served on top of shoestring fried onion rings…..a grease pit! I ate them.

As always, we scarfed the garlic cheese biscuits with our salads and Dad commented on how honey would be delicious on them. Disgusted with this idea, me and Mom make faces and explain why garlic and honey are, well, disgusting together.

After dinner, we go home to open gifts. These days stocking stuffers and cash are the norm, plus culinary treats, care of moi. This year I brought an almond flavored champagne and Babette’s dried cherry tart. Plus, Sweet Grass Dairy’s Thomasville Tomme, Humboldt Fog and Taleggio, and dried figs for snacking for Christmas Day. And a couple of bottles of Lambrusco and a bottle of Shiraz for me.

Red Lobster. What to say? They use enough garlic to ward away vampires for the rest of the year and enough butter to single-handedly add your holiday 5 to the scale. But after 30ish years of experience, they do know how to cook a lobster!