Bradgalina

So they're having a baby...it'll be the first pregnency where the kid's carried in her lips...

Crow!

This weekend the Missus and I had one of our top 3 dining out experiences yet . We headed out to Crow located on the east end of the Lower Queen Anne neighborhood, owned by Craig Serbousek (apologizes if that's misspelled, i'll spell check later) formerly of Stumbling Goat Bistro. Going to Crow is always a treat as we like to sit at the kitchen bar and spy/steal recipes/gain new tips from the always helpful staff. We arrived at 5:30 w/out reservations as we knew we wanted to sit at the bar as usual. Craig was working the phones and the first thing we heard was "Sorry the earlist you could get in would be 10." It's great that Crow is going so well. Like any good restauranteur Craig recognized us as we came in (we followed him to Crow from the Goat [which we still support too] and interviewed him to do our wedding) We were seated and some small talk about the holidays and the holiday hubbub and the "ah the holidays are over" gave way to the concert of senses to come-

The bill of fare was:
appetizer
pozole soup (both of us) w/ a glass of Trabbiano for myself. The soup was brothy with pieces of shredded chicken and the chile pepper was there but not hot or overpowering....hmm lets try that again, this time w/ feeling... the pozole was a dance of chicken and hominy, carried by music the chile pepper and broth, and like a well trained brass section, they were content to let the stars hold the spotlight but you never forgot they were there.

main course
Braised short ribs w/ puree potatoes and braised green beans for Mrs P.
Crispy duck over lentils w/ a frisee salad for myself (and a Chinook Cab Franc for me.)
A conversation w/ the grill chef (whom we recognized from the Goat) helped tip the balance for the missus to the braised ribs. Beef is a rare once a year treat with us and a treat it was indeed. Ah the beef and the duck...ah...I cannot convey the feeling of the tender rich meats and the wonderful earthyness of the lentils and the pure rich potatoes and the perfect cleanliness of the frisee and vinegrette, and the soft fruits of the Cab Franc coming together; simply put experience for yourself.

desert:
Bittersweet choc. cake w/ pine nut praline (Mrs) wonderful, deep roasted flavor
Apple Crisp w/ currents for me. The spices and baked apple fruit finished with the lingering duck... so so good. (I briefly toyed w/ the thought of a port or sherry but decided against it, a bit of $ and "do I really need it?" convinced me not to have it. As it turns out the cost wouldn't have mattered...)

So after the symphony was over and the curtain settled the time came to "pay the man." But there is some mistake!? No mistake, the appetizers and deserts were comp'd! Craig, Class Act all the way.