If you are a smart person (and by the number of yahoos I saw on the Red-Line today, I am afraid there are not too many left) you will take your date’s food preferences, beliefs and allergies all into consideration before making a reservation. It is basically like choosing life or death. And just so I REALLY get my point across, here are a few common, Rookie mistakes to be avoided at all costs:
- Take a vegetarian to a steakhouse.
- Take a Catholic to a steakhouse. On a Friday. During Lent. Despite going against my whole point, I know a wonderful couple who got married over a blind first date just like this! You never know when a good shrimp cocktail can save the delicate, beginning stages of dating.
- Drag a fish hater to a sushi joint.
- And last but not least…bring a picky eater to a molecular, gastronomy eatery.
So after bringing #4 to your attention, please chose your date wisely before dining at this fabulous spot I am about to share. I am pleased to present the refreshingly, fabulous, Bucktown eatery, The Bristol.
As mentioned last week, I treated myself to The Bristol accompanied by some lovely ladies (one of them the blind date I mentioned above) and silly conversation. And oh the feast prepared!
Behold. The power of cheese. Isn’t this platter just gorgeous?! I loved the accompaniments; cashews, paper thin crackers, apricot mustard, pickles (I made a special request) and miniature cookies.
We devoured every savory morsel. Next up was the Monkey Bread and Dill Butter.
There was no “monkeying around” polishing this bad boy off. Simply pull, dunk and pop in your mouth.
A second absolute must. Immediately following was one of the handmade pasta selections; the Raviolo.
This large, ricotta stuffed dumpling just melts in your mouth.
MMmmmmmm… For the fourth course, we went with the Rushing Waters Trout. Weird name, but delightfully good!
Both the fish and veggies were so incredibly fresh and light! It did not leave us uncomfortably stuffed, plus an easy split for two.
The finale of the evening was the Chocolate Sabayan and House Made Nutter Butter cookies. I want one right now.
Almost like an adult Dunk-a-Roo, you can’t help but eat every last crumb. Do they still make those by the way?
So if you bring a limited palette to a place like this, you may be looking at a royal disaster. But bring a gourmet freak to this foodie haven, and you may be looking at a hole in one (not like that!).
Bon Appetit!
References: The Bristol
