Every year millions of people make New Year’s resolutions and many of these resolutions involve a diet plan. Not me. Hours before 2010 began, I was enjoying a fabulous four course meal at an amazing restaurant with a dear friend.
The restaurant was packed, and even with our reservation we waited an hour for our table – no worries we were at the bar enjoying some tasty cocktails. For as long as I can remember, I’ve had to work on New Year’s Eve, ironically waiting tables (excpet for last year when I was in the Carribean and passed out before midnight). I empathized with the servers who ran around like chickens with their heads cut off; who felt as though they were a broken record when they explained a dish on the menu over and over; and when they to had to deal with upset customers because there were items on the menu the kitchen had sold out of. Needless to say, it was a wonderful feeling to be waited on.
All the dishes were modeled after a movie – check out the menu. I chose my meals based soley on how delicous they sounded because I only knew one movie from the dishes I chose.
First course: Chef's Salad with Duck Confit, Gruyere, Quail Egg and Russian (When Harry Met Sally 1989)
Second course: Beef Carpaccio with Meyer lemon, grana padano, fried capers, pink peppercorns and olive oil (Raging Bull 1980)
Third course: Miso Glazed Diver Scallops with Udon Noodles baby bok choy, beech mushrooms and green daikon (Tampopo 1985)
Fourth course: Egg nog creme brulee (off the regular dinner menu)
I was expecting small portion sizes for a four course meal, but we got a lot of food for our money. I was completely stuffed. (Whoever brought back leggings and spandex – I thank you from the bottom of my heart because I may not have made it out alive if it wasn’t for the elastic in my pants.)
The last seating received party favors and a glass of champagne with their meal ticket, feeling cheated I grabbed a handful of noise makers, which were conveniently located next to the exit – I grabbed a few on the way out. Good thing too because later when I got home I was hoping for loud fireworks across the street at Empire State Plaza, which I waited for but they never came – so we made our own noise with my stolen noisemakers.
Here’s to a Happy New Year in 2010!
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