So we left on a Tuesday via the train to Madrid.
We had a terrific dinner with Megan and Christian.
The following day we went to the airport and took a flight to ORD. Cleared customs and headed back to Lincoln Avenue. Because the car didn't start we had delivery from Lou Malnati's - pizza and a salad.
The next night we went ot Burrito House because we were still busy unpacking and getting settled in. Then Friday night we had Popeye's because - bad weather and groceries weren't being delivered until after 9 PM. But we did get back on track by Saturday when we saw Todd & Evie at Obelix.Menus marked with things ordered. IMO the best dish was the tart of ramps from the specials menu. And the best wines were all three. Seriously, they were all great wines from our cellar, but the red Nuit St Georges was exemplary. 21 years in, it drank beautifully. A wonderful evening catching up with some of our favorite people. And really fun to drink some of our own wines after being out of the country for eight months.
Monday brought the Memorial Day holiday and dinner with Mike & Leslie at Hawksmoor.
OK, So I fell down on the photography part of this meal but we haven't seen Mike & Leslie for so long that I really was not paying attention during the arrival of the main dishes (a Chateaubriand for four, and sides of creamed spinach and Yorkshire pudding.) At least I got the desserts. Oh well, the company is the most important part anyway. An evening of catching up and hearing about future plans for travel, before Mike and Leslie leave for Africa.
Tuesday was dinner with Frank at Ora sushi- all fresh fresh fresh... All good, wish the service was as great as the fish but it was mediocre at best. Between the things they didn't have: wakame salad (?) and at least two types of fish, as well as the less than stellar wait staff, we won't be rushing back. That said, the fish was as fresh as we have ever had in a neighborhood place and we had no issues with the preparation. So I would call this a very mixed review.
Exactly one week after our arrival in the States, and we - of course - had to reserve a dinner at our favorite neighborhood Italian. Il Milanese is still the place to go for terrific northern Italian. We brought an older Barbaresco which was a gift from our former cellar partner. The costoletta is still bigger than Phil's head and the Maialino remains the other go to choice on the mains. We share because we both love both dishes too much to choose
On Friday night Mon Ami Gabi with Lee and Nick - 2 shrimp cocktails, 2 Caesar salads, 2 steaks, a roast chicken, and trout amandine. Then desserts: 2 chocolate caramel tarts, and a tart tatin. Accompanied by 2014 white burg - St Aubin single vineyard from Hubert Lamy and a 2005 red monopole Volnay - Clos de la Barre (which paled in comparison to the Lamy wine) Good to see dear friends after so long apart.
So that is the recap of our first week back in the States. And now we are mostly cuaught up with various tasks except I am in the middle of both the deck stuff and setting up a new coputer. So still work left to do- and Phil will be heading to STL to see his mom and brothers in early June. - Never a dull moment.
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