A Great Dinner, No Wingman Needed!

Sometimes, you just don't get a perfect dining experience right away. On my first review for this blog, I recounted a dinner I had at Cheesetique. Although there were some technical difficulties with the wine (yuck!), I still managed to have a fantastic time thanks to my friend. She single-handedly gave me a lobotomy and made me forget about how terrible the wine was. Conversely, there have been times where the amazing food cast a spell on me and compelled me to see my blah dining companions in a more positive light.

In these instances, the food and company worked with each other, helping the less-desirable aspect seem more appealing, much like what a wingman does. However, in the case of dinner last week, both the food and company were amazing from the get-go.

I recently spent an evening with one of my favourite people, Simple Jack. And since SJ was coming over in the afternoon, I suggested that I make dinner. The whole week, I excitedly planned out the menu with my guest, texting back and forth about possible components for our meal. Luckily, he had no dietary restrictions. "Asparagus? Blue cheese? Horseradish?", I asked. "All good to go in my book!", he replied. Perfect!

As Simple Jack watched The Real Housewives of NJ (I have veto power over the remote in my house!), I cooked our food. After slaving in the kitchen for almost an hour, dinner was ready. The beef tenderloin steaks were seared to a perfect rare-medium rare. Gorgonzola cheese crumbles over the steaks? Check. The cherry & port wine reduction danced on my tongue. It was sweet and tangy with a hint of savoury, thanks to the rosemary. The slow-roasted garlic mashed potatoes had dual personalities: hearty yet light. The sauteed green beans were the most vibrant shade of green, and were deliciously garlicky. Want to know how I made what I made? Check out the next post.

The food was delicious and SJ devoured his whole plate before I was even halfway through mine. I am seriously considering calling him Hoover from now on! Throughout the whole meal, we ate, talked, joked and laughed. Everything just came together, and nothing was lacking. So SJ, if you're reading this, thank you. You paired nicely with the food and were awesome company to boot! It was a great meal and a perfect evening from the get-go, no wingman needed.