And that's all that was left - bones and aromatics.
Ahhhh, that looks more like it, eh?
Holy Cow! Jill and Chris and Chad were on tonight! Mr. Bass here was stuffed with citrus and Thai basil (from Hamilton Crop Circle - rock on, Sir Arthur!), served with roasted veggies, including melting little gold 'taters, and spiced up with a tangy kalamata tapenade. Oh, my! This bass was so darn sweet, I was sucking on the few bones that didn't willingly give it up. The fact that there wasn't anything left of, well, anything, kinda says it. Go on over to Clementine get yourself some!!
Now I know most folks don't like tails and fins, which is why restaurants remove them, but for me, that's part of eating a whole fish. It's an aesthetic thing - fish look so sad without their tails, don't you think? No matter, he tasted just as good without it! Glad they left the head, though. If you haven't discovered them, fish cheeks are delish!
I kinda started in the middle of the meal 'cause I had that fun pic of the skeleton... workin' backward, the evening started off with:
Yes, boys and girls, that's succulent squid. And zingy jalapenos (the RI component, I believe!), more of those yummy 'taters, and hiding inside, where you can't see it is shaved fennel. Have I mentioned how much I love squid??? No, of course I haven't - I just started writing this blog! But back to the appetizer - this was done properly. So tender - perfect with the crunchy freshness of the fennel, the smooth ramp dressing and the bite of the chili.
Have you ever seen The Mirror Has Two Faces? There's a scene where Rose is creating "the perfect bite" of her salad and Gregory notices, winning her over with his understanding. I ate this whole appetizer that way - being sure I got a bit of each flavor into each bite, playing with proportions. Come to think of it, I've done that with my meals here on more than one occasion. Fun! Don't you love playing with your food?
And, as if that wasn't enough (I mean look at the size of those portions!), with a glimmer in her eye, Caitlin said she'd choose my dessert. Oh boy! Can't say no to that! Well, Caitlin's choice proved that Miz Amanda could once again outdo herself. Meet Cardamom Cream Pie:
See those chunky little things on top? Those are pistachio brittle. OMG! What a garnish for this lovely scented bit of Mid-East (cardamom and pistachio) meets Mid-West (the flaky pie). Perfect with a cup of hot, full bodied joe.
And, if anybody cares, yes, I do eat at other places and I do cook. Time has just been short and I haven't blogged the way I'd hoped to... and I won't apologize - I love Clementine, so I eat there a lot. I'll try to get up that 3 Pepper Skillet and report on my evening at Tooloulou soon!
I love shots of folks working so, on a pass to the ladies room, I waited for the kitchen door to open a got a pic of the maestros in action:
Thanks, folks - I'm a happy camper!
PS - Chad, I don't know your last name or I'd give you a label and a shout out, too... and Jill, get a FB page or website or something, so I can link to you, gal!
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