absolutely perfect
Tonight I ate the most perfect meal. As with many things in life, perfection is often a matter of timing. So this evening, a perfect confluence of attitude, occasion, sunshine, and culinary perfection joined to create my most perfect meal to date.
My attitude was beyond positive as I'd just gotten off the phone with my life coach, who pointed out that today is the one-month anniversary of incorporating an important action into my daily life. And, I was headed toward a networking opportunity that seemed amorphous and felt right. Attitude, occasion: chicken, egg? Perhaps. At 5:00 when I stepped outside, the sun was shining brightly in the blue sky. The temperature hadn't yet dropped enough to warrant hurrying, so I enjoyed my stroll to the restaurant, soaking in the rays of premature daylight savings.
Ah. Upon entry I knew I had found an oasis, that I would be well cared for here. The gentleman who told me to "sit anywhere" quickly deduced that this task was beyond me in my post-school-day condition, and pointed me toward a table (there were only three!) near a window, away from the door. I sat and took in the white tablecloth, pressed but not stiff; the sparse, elegant Asian-influenced floral arrangement (berries, pussy willows, leaves of various shapes, sizes, and textures, and two simple tulips) in a heavy rectangular glass vase; the comforting cloth napkin with its autumnal print.
I love a restaurant that offers fancy labeled wines by the glass, and saves its best wine for the house--a simple italian red in a wonderfully ample glass balloon was smooth on my tongue and underscored the comfort offered here.
The food was absolutely perfect, with apologies to Kevin Henkes. The soup was an African vegetable, and as I often tell people, Africa is a big place made up of 67+ countries. I lived in one African country that never came close to a soup like this, and I'm glad I experienced this one. Two different kinds of sweet potatoes--the dense, dark orange and a lighter, crisper variety--and white potatoes swam in a thick coconut milk base, accented by thick slivers of coconut meat and lots of bright basil. Onions, etc, were most likely pureed into the base of the soup, which was intensely flavorful from start to finish. On the side, half a pannini-grilled sandwich of pesto, olive tapenade, and just the right amount of jack cheese. I actually managed to savor this and finished the last bite after I finished the soup, a self-discipline coup if ever there was one.
The salad portion consisted of tender greens, two bites of roasted red and yellow peppers, and a few thick shavings of Parmesan cheese, lightly dressed in a dressing notable for its absence of distracting flavor.
And as I contemplated which local coffeehouse to hit for a sweet treat, the waitress brought my bill--and a Lindt truffle. My only disappointment of the evening--it was milk chocolate, not dark. But Nina Simone played on the stereo and the sun was nowhere near setting. It was still, absolutely, perfect.
My attitude was beyond positive as I'd just gotten off the phone with my life coach, who pointed out that today is the one-month anniversary of incorporating an important action into my daily life. And, I was headed toward a networking opportunity that seemed amorphous and felt right. Attitude, occasion: chicken, egg? Perhaps. At 5:00 when I stepped outside, the sun was shining brightly in the blue sky. The temperature hadn't yet dropped enough to warrant hurrying, so I enjoyed my stroll to the restaurant, soaking in the rays of premature daylight savings.
Ah. Upon entry I knew I had found an oasis, that I would be well cared for here. The gentleman who told me to "sit anywhere" quickly deduced that this task was beyond me in my post-school-day condition, and pointed me toward a table (there were only three!) near a window, away from the door. I sat and took in the white tablecloth, pressed but not stiff; the sparse, elegant Asian-influenced floral arrangement (berries, pussy willows, leaves of various shapes, sizes, and textures, and two simple tulips) in a heavy rectangular glass vase; the comforting cloth napkin with its autumnal print.
I love a restaurant that offers fancy labeled wines by the glass, and saves its best wine for the house--a simple italian red in a wonderfully ample glass balloon was smooth on my tongue and underscored the comfort offered here.
The food was absolutely perfect, with apologies to Kevin Henkes. The soup was an African vegetable, and as I often tell people, Africa is a big place made up of 67+ countries. I lived in one African country that never came close to a soup like this, and I'm glad I experienced this one. Two different kinds of sweet potatoes--the dense, dark orange and a lighter, crisper variety--and white potatoes swam in a thick coconut milk base, accented by thick slivers of coconut meat and lots of bright basil. Onions, etc, were most likely pureed into the base of the soup, which was intensely flavorful from start to finish. On the side, half a pannini-grilled sandwich of pesto, olive tapenade, and just the right amount of jack cheese. I actually managed to savor this and finished the last bite after I finished the soup, a self-discipline coup if ever there was one.
The salad portion consisted of tender greens, two bites of roasted red and yellow peppers, and a few thick shavings of Parmesan cheese, lightly dressed in a dressing notable for its absence of distracting flavor.
And as I contemplated which local coffeehouse to hit for a sweet treat, the waitress brought my bill--and a Lindt truffle. My only disappointment of the evening--it was milk chocolate, not dark. But Nina Simone played on the stereo and the sun was nowhere near setting. It was still, absolutely, perfect.
Labels: soup Montpelier
posted by Slyvia at
5:56 PM
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