I liked it, it was very good, not as boozy as one would expect from a 9.8 ABV beer. Probably move on to something else next time.

It has been fun to cook with! We mixed the lettuce and arugula together for salad greens. Made some pasta our of sauteed bacon and Broccolini rabe. Tomorrow, bok choy with mushrooms and orange over rice. Or something. Fun!

Rusty Hoe Farm

I asked a Thai person I work with if they have chupcabra in in Thailand, she says she doesn’t think so.

After I put all the food out, I finished closing and changed into my civilian clothes. I grab a beer from the bartender, and head out to the patio where everyone is sitting. I see four or five tables full of people enjoying themselves. I even notice the table of the final order I pushed out, just finishing up. The very happy looking couple was sitting side-by-side, holding hands, idly watching the people and the traffic go by. These are the moments when I feel good about the work I do.

Maybe all kitchens be open. Open kitchens definitely mitigate ticket rage. It is really nice to be able to see the customers eating what you just made, and smiling. Sometimes they give you a thumbs up or something, or stop by and say “thanks!” We definitely like that!

Upon arrivaval, I awe a Fulton truck, and basically plowed through the croud like Percy Harvin in an effort to get a pint, post haste. Love the Fulton. I really do.

After checking out the band Bella Koshka, we checked out the pretty sweet riverboat exibit down on the water itself. There were also a few fires on the beach, and a man selling PBR tall boys. Pass on the PBR.

After wandering around for a absorbing culture and art, we decided it was time for some chow. The Sample Room set us up with the following two dishes :

Fresh Fettuccine with wild mushrooms and asparagus and crème fraîche for $9 and the Classic Reuben $10.25. We also went ahead and ordered a few pints of the Fulton Sweet Child of Vine at $5.25. Was totally awesome, especially that Fulton!

I say yes to late night small dinner and drinks and The Sample Room.

What happens, being short a day cook, is that we fight a running battle all night long. Actions that would appear to be maniacal suddenly make sense. For example, we managed to succeed at the laughably foolhardy tasks like attempting to blanch fries during dinner rush. We are pros though, we can get it done. Kind of like storming the beach at Normandy while strip cleaning your rifle. Not ideal.

The food going out is never compromised. It can’t. The side orders of fries, in the above scenario, might take a few more minutes, but they will be crispy. We have to change the temp on the fry-o-lator constantly for a little while while we blanch them in between orders, but we make sure they still rock. No one wants lousy fries.

When the weather is super humid like this, people don’t like to sit on the patio as much. Hardcore AC is the order of the day. No one here in the north has developed a tolerance for this kind of climactic brutality yet.

What this means for a restaurant like mine is that you get REAL busy after the sun goes down, and a time when I am accustomed to doing prep and cleaning up. This also tends to happen after the swing cook is cut, so I get to deal with this solo. And I did. It was a fight, but I came out on top, if only by a field goal. All the food went out looking good. Even the crazy person who wanted her ratatouille served over a bed of pasta got her wish.