Gastronomy

[sparkfrost]

Last night was Palmer's mother's birthday, and to celebrate we all went out to dinner at a nice restaurant out in Rockville. I've been there several times before, but always eaten fairly conservatively- pasta, some sort of meat dish, etc. Well, not this time! This time I decided to go all out, and try some of the crazy shit they have on their menu. Oh, good god, I love food.

To start with, 3 of us decided to split oysters while Palmer's brother Derby stuck to crab chowder. I've never had raw oysters before, but was perfectly willing to give them a shot. They arrived, I added cocktail sauce and horseradish to mine, and dug in. Delicious! I used too much horseradish the first time, couldn't really taste the oyster. But the second one was just right, a bit spicy, but not so overwhelming that I couldn't taste the brininess of the oyster. Palmer and I have now decided that we're going out for oysters in the near future, and I will devour ALL THE SHELLFISH!

For the main course I was torn between the Sauteed Calf's Liver (I TOLD you I was experimenting!) and the Game Plate, with venison, rabbit, and duck. The waiter ended up recommending the Game Plate, and I think I made the right decision. The venison was good, though I now understand what is meant by "gamy." The rabbit sausage was alright- I enjoyed rabbit more when I had it at a tapas place, but it was pretty tasty in this dish as well. But the duck? Oh my god, the duck. Cooked so well that it was falling off the bone, and paired perfectly with the braised red cabbage that came with the meal. Yum. So very very yum.

For dessert was a cup of coffee (from my coffee shop, trufax!) and a lemon tart with whipped cream and raspberry sauce. Quite delicious, but not so sweet that it was unpleasant. I tried a bite of Palmer's chocolate pudding with peanut butter bar, and it was just too rich. Still tasty, but the one bite was definitely enough. The lemon tart, on the other hand, could have been twice the size and I'd have happily nommed on all of it.

I may be talking about food in order to avoid talking about other things, but until I confirm or deny, nothing can be proved.

I am also debating a friends cut, simply because there are a lot of people that I just don't interact with anymore. This isn't a "comment to stay!" post, it is just something I've been thinking about.

I think I slept on my neck wrong, its been killing me all morning. :-/

Comments

[katieupsidedown.livejournal.com]

Venison is a tricky meat to get not to taste "gamey". It's not only how the meat is cooked that determines it, but the age and sex of the deer and the way the deer is butchered. If the restaurant gets their venison from a large supplier rather than something local, the deer is probably not being butchered correctly.

*the more you know*

[lillbet.livejournal.com]

You're, like, the first person to talk about venison and use the word "gamy" and not make me want to fly into a burning rage- because you actually know what you're talking about.

Thank you, person I don't know, for being osom.

[katieupsidedown.livejournal.com]

Haha thank you! My dad hunts - not for sport but for personal food supplies - and learned how to hunt and how to dress/process the deer from his own father. I've not only been eating venison since I was a baby, but I've also been watching the entire preparation process from the fresh kill to the plate since I was old enough to walk.

I've never actually had venison that was killed or prepared by anyone other than my dad and his friends, but I've heard many horror stories and seen my dad convert quite a few people from venison haters to venison lovers.

[lillbet.livejournal.com]

OMG. Are you my doppelganger? Seriously? My dad hunts too, and pretty much for the same reasons yours does. He recently took a trip to Antacosti Island in... Canada(?) to hunt deer and came back with two bucks and a freezer full of yummy.

Thank gawd someone else "gets it".

[sparkfrost.livejournal.com]

I didn't know any of that! I am not sure where the restaurant gets their meat from- they're a local chain, a couple of locations around the DC area, but I'm not sure if there are any others. But the place was packed when we got there, even though it was a Thursday night and it was pouring, so maybe they have to order from a large supplier due to sheer demand?

[katieupsidedown.livejournal.com]

They might also order from a supplier simply because it's cheaper or easier, especially if they offer venison year-round rather than just near hunting season.

When you get venison from a large supplier the deer is most likely quite young and completely farm-raised. There's no reason for a deer like that to taste gamey unless their supplier is Doin' It Wrong. Even if they're using local people it shouldn't taste gamey at all unless the meat's coming from a fairly old buck.

[lillbet.livejournal.com]

What restaurant?

[sparkfrost.livejournal.com]

Clyde's. Sorry this took me forever to respond to, I wasn't getting notifications!

[ernestinewalker.livejournal.com]

I lov experimentig at restaurants! I haven't in awhile... i believe you have re-motivated me!

also, please excuse typing- harvey has fallen asleep on my right arm!

[sparkfrost.livejournal.com]

You should! Palmer and I decided that this Saturday is Oyster Night, and I'm really excited. :D

Also, sorry this response took me forever, apparently I haven't been getting comment notifications. :(

[bunnymcfoo.livejournal.com]

!!! Okay, so I'm going out to dinner tonight with my family and was planning on playing it suuuuuper safe since this place is kind of -- they have a small static menu and then every month the rest of the menu is inspired by a different part of the world. This month is South America and I was fretting and going to get chicken.

I HAVE JUST DECIDED TO BE ADVENTUROUS. Because I like food! And I like finding new foods! And the Venison jerky I had last month was delicious unlike any other jerky I've ever had.

[sparkfrost.livejournal.com]

What did you end up eating? Was it super tasty and awesome?

Sorry this response took forever, LJ didn't send me comment notifications!