PhillySpeak.com

We we are with Lila and Vince. It is always so nice to be with people who you feel approve of you. We hope we make them feel the same way. We always enjoy being with them and tonight was no different. Never feel like we have enough time to tell laughable stories and enjoy each other’s tales.

Ben, the make you feel at home bartender at Brasserie, made our drinks and shared in our conversation about the Phillies. Ben paid extra to see our guys get tread on by the Mets. Not exactly his intention. Sorry girls, the good looking and affable Ben has a girlfriend. Then again, I do not know how seriously he is involved with the mystery lady.

One of the things I like about brasserie perrier is everyone cares about doing their jobs well. They are very professional, very mannerly, helpful. Your pleasure comes first.

I made my reservations once again through, Open Table, and all went as planned. We arrived about 45 minutes before our reserved time so we could have a leisurely drink at the bar. Our table was ready when we were. Heather, our hostess, was right on the ball.

Michael greeted us at the table and got us settled, but Natalie was our server. Natalie was delightful, intelligent, and paced our dinner exactly as we wanted. None of the wait persons we have had here are smarmy. Just good, normal young folks doing a professional job at serving.

The restaurant had a few more people than two weeks ago, maybe the word is getting out. But again, we were the last to leave at only a bit past nine. Are there no Americans who like to sit for a few hours or more and dine, talking, sipping wine….I like Paris where we sit for three or four hours or more. You take a table at 9 and sit until 1.
Viva La France.

Three plates for $33
We were a bit boring tonight, everyone ordering the same thing. We started with Steamed Prince Edward Island (pei) Mussels with melted leeks…is there a better way to describe soft sweet sweated leeks….melted, excellent. but also with Pancetta, and a crispy crostini spread with blue affinee.
Oh! after eating the sweet and tender mussels you took your soup spoon, blue affinee bread and then some table bread and savored the flavorful broth of pancetta, garlic and tomato. You could surely make a meal of this dish alone with a few added mussels, bread, and a salad. Delicious.

This was followed by long and interesting conversation about beginnings, life choices, brothers, expectations, histories. Some old stories, some new.

Miso glazed Grouper, spicy pearl pasta, lemongrass sauce followed. As interesting as our conversation. Fish done perfectly along with the pearl pasta and lemongrass sauce. So tasty and with just the slightest heat, in just the right tone. Third time I have had the pearl pasta but always a twist making it interesting.

I must note our wine selections which added to the pleasure of the dinner. Lila and Vince brought this beautiful Cuivaison Pinot Noir, given as a gift from her brother, which was, do I dare say, yummy. Yes, it was very, very good and yummy. We brought a Sauvignon Blanc, Drylands Marlborough, 2005, New Zealand. Very tasty, grassy, sharp, well balanced.

We talked more about this and that. Lila and Vince are headed off to Indiana for a babysitting gig for a favorite niece and nephew. And then away to Paris for about a 15 day trip. Looking forward to both adventures.

Celebrating our thirtieth anniversary year, we are happy to be with Lila and Vince. The second time we celebrated.

I think we should aim for 30 celebrations over the next year. Two down and twenty-eight to go…Let’s Fall in Love, why shouldn’t we fall in love, our hearts are made of it, lets take a chance, why be afraid of it?

For desert we had Warm Chocolate Cake with Warm Liquid Center and Vanilla Ice Cream. Lots of ahhs with this. A very comforting sexy desert.
A Trio of assorted Sorbets.
WoW! what a dinner.

Last week I had a good friend say to me. “I read your blog. I could never go to dinner with you. Too Fancy. I like going out and only spending about $50 a person for dinner! The places you go are too fancy. I like the Texas Roadhouse.”

Well, I like the Texas Roadhouse too, but don’t tell me I am fancy. If you are paying $50 a person. I am paying less. Maybe he meant $50 per couple. In any case, I like different foods at different times and the prices and quality always differ. But I am not one to believe price is an indicator of quality. Sometimes the people you are with make up for any lack in the food. I am not fancy and good food is not fancy. A fresh strawberry is about as fantastic and fancy a food as one can get. A fresh ear of Jersey corn, cooked right, or a sliced Jersey Tomato with a pinch of salt and pepper is about as good as good gets. Never equate a high price with good or fancy. Talk about food snobs!
Sorry to get off on a sidebar.

We had a memorable dining experience at brasserie perrier, as usual. Sunday nights, $33, three plates. There should be a line outside. Total for the night $33 per person. $66 per couple. Tax and tip extra.

The weather outside was comfortable for July. We walked up Walnut to 18th. We stood and talked for a bit. All of us wishing the night was still young and we were at the beggining….or is it wishing we were still young and at the beginning. It is what it is and we are grateful for it all.

How Lucky Are We.