Fine Dining is so Overrated...or I'm just a food snob
This day just ended so horribly I just can't think of anything else.First on the many positive notes. I got two hugs from a few kids today I was observing, so that made me feel really good. I really needed a hug. It's just so great for kids to give you hugs so freely. It makes you feel so happy. I also got to bond with two kids I am counseling. One boy and girl. It was great to talk to them one on one. I felt so old though lol. So that was really good. I also finished writing two reports and delivered a critique that also went really well. I also had a fruitful meeting with my two groups for two school wide needs assessment and community parent workshop projects we will be conducting in the near future. So when did it start getting bad? When my friend Kathleen called and suggested we go fine dining this evening. It was partially my fault because I didn't want to restrict her on her eating choices. She loves food, and I've never eaten at a really expensive place, so I figured why not? Besides, it was her birthday a few weeks ago and I wasn't able to go. I easily relented.
We ate at the popular Grace Restaurant on Beverly Blvd near Milk. It's really close to Little Ethiopia in LA border Beverly Hills. Kathleen has plenty of pictures of the food on her website (should be coming up soon). On that note, I couldn't help but tell Kathleen about our dinner last week. She asked me if I've ever eaten Ethiopian food and of course I said I have. I missed you so much today :( I'm so glad I get to see you tomorrow :). Anyway, Kathleen called me at around 1pm. I returned her call when I got out of my school site and began typing up my reports frantically before class. I made it! I agree to go with her to dinner and head straight there. Her sister is attending this Christina Aguilera event by Esquire Magazine, so that's why she was in town over the weekend on a business. But anyway, I pick her up at the hotel and we head down to this place. Only parking was valet, so whatever. I give my keys up and leave my stuff in there. We get in and the place is classy and comfy. Dimly lit with a bunch of CEO type people and high power execs having their fair share of merlot and foie gras I'm sure. I have never eaten a 5 course meal, but Kathleen had other plans. I was tempted at first, but after seeing the tasting menu, I decided to not do it. What was on there did not interest me one bit. Granted the price was very decent $55. The higher end course was $90 and probably more to my liking, but still not worth it. I ended up eating something light and safe. I had a spinach salad with candied walnuts, cranberry, deep fried fetta, and what appeared to be a caramelized onion glaze and a reduced sauce. The salad was good, but for something so plain costing $17, so not worth it. I was very full already though and I didn't even bother to touch their bread. I had a main course which the name escapes my memory. It was on their specialty menu that the maitre d' recommended after I told her I wanted something light that was not a crestacian. It's basically some very pricey fish (forgot what type) liberally seasonedserved over fava beans, yellow corn and some kind of mushroom I've never seen before (Kathleen fill in the details). Decent, but again, not something I'd pay $30 for. The texture of the fish was delicate enough and was not over cooked, however the flavor was too strong. The seasoning was overpowering the flavor of the fish and the fish itself while it tasted fresh, felt like it was slightly raw (maybe on purpose?) and not prepared well. I guess I only like eating fish that are not so "fishy". Not flavorless, just clean and not dirty ocean flavor. I only ate 1/8 of it. I didn't even order any drink or wine. Kathleen ordered the 5 course with extra foie gras. I tried the Elvis Donut..which is appearently what they are famous for. It was decent, but like Art said, it's still just a donut.
Sorry Kathleen! I did have fun and the food was ok, but not stellar. I guess I'm just very conservative with my food choices or maybe I had hoped and expected more out of it especially for the price. I shall never eat goose liver again and I will not eat lamb, goat, rabbit, or duck! :P In all I think we ate something like $150 with tip (I gave $21 for tip), though the service was just ok. I felt as if they had an attitude (at least one of our servers). The maitre d' was pleasant as was the head waiter I believe. They did not mind that we were the last ones at the place. We left at 11:30pm, but I did kinda want to get out of there since we were closing down the house. The place itself was fairly small, but had an extensive wine list. Too bad I never got to use the restroom. I would have loved to see what that place looked like. One thing I can say is that I was happy they changed our silverware each time we had new food.
The bad part of the evening was when I took the check and my card was declined. Now I've NEVER had my card declined, so I was mortified and automatically thought "identity theft". I've had my identity stolen/compromised twice already. I'm so sick of this happening. I know I was not overspent because there was no way in hell I was over my limit. I NEVER leave a balance on my card and even if I did, my credit limit is not exactly easy to reach either. SO, I feel so upset. I immediately give my other card and I start feeling nauseous. I couldn't think straight on my drive back. I try to remain happy for Kathleen. She's going to watch Jay Leno at the Tonight Show tomorrow. I seriously thought I'd be able to have some good food and good time with friends. I was just lucky I didn't get into an accident. I totally felt like I was going to though with the streets around the area and the mad traffic despite it being really late. I'm thankful my laptop wasn't stolen and my car wasn't scratched and that I got home in one piece, but my credit is really bugging me. B of A sent me letter about a compromise in security, so the are sending me a new card anyway, but I won't be home in a while so I won't have the new card for a while. I guess I'll have to get my parents to forward it to me here. Anyway I'm so exhausted. I've been up since 7am and have been up around and around and just got home. I'm looking forward to sleeping in and not thinking about anything else. I just have two quizzes, a presentation, (BASC2), a par, and another meeting on Wednesday and work. Luckily my Power Point is nearly finished and so is my par. I just need to study for the two quizzes and do the readings. Oh and on top of that my roommate has her man here sleeping over...which I explicitly requested for her not to do. That was one of two things I required of my roommate to be clean and respectful and not have overnight guests. I let it go the first time, but I don't know how much I could handle if she does it again. I want out.
posted by shine
at
Friday, September 26, 2008
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