Thursday, November 10, 2005

Kill the camera, love the food



It had to die. It couldn't wait. His Froginess says to just let it go but I can't. It's very embarassing to tell someone you're blogging his restaurant with pictures you're willing to letting him use and then,as you're about to snap the appy, the camera battery unexpectedly goes POOF! REPLACE ME!

... and you have no replacement... *sigh*


So here's my post about my date night dinner with His Froginess sans pictures.

We popped on the seabus to Shearwater later than usual. The jaunt down to the dock was a cold dank experience only brightened by My Frog's chatter. I hate how the winter is fast approaching with its dark evenings and socks sodden with unexpected puddle water. That's why it is always nice to crawl into the warm nook that is Fisherman's Bar & Grill. It's quieter around there in the winter, especially on Thursdays when The Frog and I head over for our weekly shop and date night. Well, almost quiet. It was hockey night in Canada after all. But I really didn't hear that much of the game as I was intent on blogging the food.

Alright, confession number one: I like Shirley Temples. It's probably because it's like a really sweet version of the "Mormon Alcohol" (orange juice and gingerale) I grew up with along with a blushingly admitted love of mine--maraschino cherries. So I had one to start while His Froginess had a Mission Hill Chardonnay.

To start I had the prawn cocktail to start with. I love how it comes in a martini glass with heaping amounts of seafood cocktail sauce. I'll admit that the seafood cocktail sauce is sometimes so hot that my nose tingles but ohhhh... I wouldn't change that for the world. That's another little confession of mine. I'm a hot food junkie. You know... the kind that orders the hottest rendition of a dish in the East Indian restaurant. The sauce goes so well with the cold pink prawns draped over the glass.

His Froginess had the Garlic Butter Prawns with Rice for an appy. I've had this before. It's so good that my foot did that thumper kinda foot dance in ecstasy. As H.F. polished his plate in record time I guess it was that good last night too.

I chose something last night that I didn't have before at the restaurant--steamed clams with a wine and saffron sauce. I really didn't know what to expect or, for that matter, if I would even like it that much. I mean I like clam chowder and I love the clam fritters that you can sometimes find at Waglisla's December fleamarkets. But I wasn't sure about this. How pleasantly surprised I was. A shallow bowl of little grey mouths cheeping at me to be eaten. And it came with such a cute little fork. And soft, buttery garlic bread. The first one I ate was a revelation. The briny taste of clam was coupled with a salty sauce, barely cooked red pepper and white onion confetti. It was a zen moment. I lost the fork in record time and took up my empty clamshell and used it in the pincers-style I was taught in France with mussels.
I barely remember how I got through all the little shells because it seems like one salt-redolent food dream. Plus, H.F. recommended, upon my asking what wine would go well with the dish, suggested the Mission Hill Chardonnay. Now I'm not a wine aficionada, but I'd have to say that the wine went SO well with the clams that I was surprised. They balanced each other perfectly.

H.F. had the Angus burger with fries. He does love that burger! It was recommended to him by one of the waitstaff a little while back and I think it is his new favourite on the menu. And how do I begin to explain the loveliness of the fries. Big, pale golden, full of flavour. One of better fries I've ever tasted in my life. And, since they are crispier and bigger, fast food places pale by comparison.

I promise I'll have pictures next time. I've learned my lesson to bring a fully-juiced extra battery with me next time so my silly little camera won't pull a fast one on me again.

H.F. bought me a port later that night and it was very very nice. I was even shocked to find out that I was comparing the port we had at home (Emu) unfavourably to the brand I was drinking only to find out from H.F. that it WAS the same brand. Or so he said.

PS: The picture at the top is the Seabus (blue and white with orange lifesavers on left hand side of pic) at the Shearwater dock

No comments: