Paquito's & P.F. Chang's & La Bonne Crepe & ...

I had dinner with the girls at Paquito's on Friday, sort of a mixed belated birthday party and county FAIL commiseration fest.  I got there early so I sat drinking my margarita alone, with each passing moment feeling less and less bleak.  I am not fond of mixed drinks but margaritas are really a little bit of all right - I really dislike sweet alcoholic drinks so I love salt rim and lime, yep.  The complimentary nachos and salsa are my favorite item at Paquito's and by the time my friends arrived I really didn't need to order...but I do like built in leftovers.  I had my leftover shredded beef burrito today for lunch and it was mighty fine.  Lucky me, the day before Groupon had a deal for this place which I redeemed - fastest use of a deal EVER.

Dealt with the horrendous parking situation at the Galleria Mall in Ft. Lauderdale on Saturday to eat dinner at P.F. Chang's.  Can you believe I've never eaten there before?  I'm not much of one for noisy, weekend dinner crowds and GS definitely isn't but after a few wash-rinse-repeat cycles of that age old refrain, "What do you want for dinner?" "I don't know, what do YOU want for dinner?" we didn't want to overthink it.  The place was packed and dinner was adequate - definitely tasty - but just not...interesting at all.  I had the Mongolian Beef and GS had the Broccoli Beef.  Both dishes tasted just fine (like I said, tasty) but really, all you taste is sodium.  Whereas with Thai, Vietnamese, and Japanese food you taste ingredients, freshness, complexity...the Chinese food I've had is simple and uninteresting.  I would guess authentic Chinese food is not glazed with heavy, thick, sweet and/or salty sauces but what do I know?

The next morning we had breakfast at La Bonne Crepe - a cute little place on Las Olas.  MUCH better choice.  It's a small restaurant with good servers and an open kitchen - I do like being able to see what the cook is up to ;)  I love me some carbs in the morning - and it's hard to mess up breakfast.  I had French Toast (perfect portion size) doused with maple syrup and a cappuccino that came in a fancy little glass with a rock sugar stirrer - oh yeah, God IS in the details.  We went to the beach for a while, then caught Captain America with a gift card I had...great movie!  I loved all the little fifties details like the flip clocks and the dials.  And the Vita-Ray!  We saw it in 3D and it seemed super muddy...when I took off my glasses the real movie had much nicer color.  They should do something about that :/

I really hadn't satisfied my weekend craving for cool, crispy vegetables yet so we got subs at Big C's Downtown Pizzeria and that was IT - just what I had wanted.  I take forever to eat so I finished up alone while GS went to Bob's News and Book Store down the block.  What a great place!  Whoever buys for the place is a reader, no doubt about it.  A really great book and magazine selection with a lot of range - from porn to erotica to foreign magazines to art books to classics to bestsellers and everything in between.  The place looks kind of skeevy but that's part of the charm - and I was never so sincerely wished "good luck" when I bought my lotto ticket.  The short shorts and wedges may have played a part in that.

Yes, if it seems that all we do is eat and play vacation when GS and I hang out (far too infrequently), you are correct.  It's the bright bubble of unreality in the crappiest of current conditions we are experiencing in the county.  It's hard to think that some - no, many - people I sincerely care about will have their lives disrupted  and that so many may/will be laid off.  Or demoted.  And that includes me, possibly.  I NEED these staycation type moments.   In a couple weeks we are going camping in West Virginia and then GS continues on to Colorado while I hunker down for a few months of school, work, exercising, child rearing, all in a climate of fear and uncertainty.  Alone.  But, really, can be there be enough emotional support for the times we are facing?  At least we county employees have each other...best of luck!

El Gran Inka

My sister and I met up with my sister's friend at El Gran Inka after biking with our brother in Key Biscayne - no, I did NOT try the bridge!  My sister and her friend are both in the field I am seriously considering venturing into so I tagged along as a networking opportunity.  How very adult of me.

This place is far as hell.  On the way there we drove by a Japanese restaurant I've heard great things about, Hiro's Yakko-San, so I made a mental note for my eventual trek back out to the sticks.  I had the fish ceviche, my sister had the Lomo Saltado, and her friend had the mixed seafood ceviche.  My ceviche was pretty good, but my sister's Lomo Saltado was aMAZing.  The beef was so tender and the sauce was perfect.  My sister's not used to eating at restaurants with me but I broke her in quickly - both I and her friend ending up tasting her dish.  Her friend's mixed seafood ceviche I was happy to avoid - I just can't stand looking at tentacles, sorry :/  She ordered maduros that were very sweet, considering how pale they were - I tend to like them cooked (ahem, burnt) until they carmelize.  We had some cocktails that had Chicha Morada in them that were very tasty and effective, and flan for dessert (they called it something else) that was pure silk in the mouth.  I was rude, I took the last bite.  Well, someone's got to!

The place was very fancy pants and romantic - pefect for a date, if that's your kind of thing.  We ate outside but that was a mistake.  The weather was fine but we attracted quite a bit of wildlife and by the end of the meal the flan plate was covered in ants.  Dunno.  I feel that in most Hispanic cooking the cheap places are just as good as the expensive places, but I can recommend El Gran Inka - if it happens to be in your neck of the woods.

I've already mentioned Moonchine (I think I've eaten there more than anywhere else - fantastic atmosphere!) but I'd like to note that if you check in there using social media you get a free shot - and it's good!  The Moonchine shot tastes strongly of ginger and danged if it doesn't seem like a health drink cause of it.  I'd order it even if it wasn't free, so there!  Also, went to Lemongrass again with GS last night.  Lemongrass, for my money, is the best, most consistent, Thai/Japanese restaurant I go to.  You never, ever have a meal there that is anything less than stellar.  Recommend so much!  Note to self: must look for Thai tea at an Asian mart!