New things to come

Adding the new beers and wines was just a first step. If you have not seen the beer or wine you prefer yet, please tell us so we can incorporate it into our plans. We had to start somewhere and what we got in initially is just a base. We have not yet added any wines beyond our "house wine" which is a restaurant-only brand, and many have declared it quite drinkable. We'll begin adding a few California wines then Missouri wines. Why in that order? Because the California wines are, so far, better known. We want to add a few Missouri wines. The cost per case is much higher than many of the California wines. The local palate seems to be toward drier preferences. Many of the Missouri wines are a bit on the sweet side.  We'd really like to get your feedback on personal wine preferences. One of the brands someone brought us to try was quite nice but unavailable for restaurant purchases. Darn. We are keeping our eyes out for Organics, too. We DO listen and feel you have a vested interest in what we choose.

As of the first of April we are officially taking over next door. The front part will be more dinner seating. The back part will become a small, fine-craft gallery featuring Missouri artists. The second side I am initially calling "MO a la carte." The very back part will be restaurant storage. There is a second bathroom over there, as well.  Our plan is to give you room to spread out at lunch and the ability for more to dine and listen to music on Friday nights. Virtually all seats will have a view of the stage when the double doors are open. Now we just need to purchase tables and chairs. We plan to have 3-4 tall tables with bar stools to give the "back row" a good view over the tops of other diners' heads. As with our other developments, they will happen as the income is produced rather than sticking our necks out to finance them. That may take some patience on your part—ours, too! We would LOVE to do it all, instantly. But, we won't. We'll be sane and keep it real.

Our priorities have been to enhance the areas that prepare us to deliver better and faster service. This week we are adding another rolling cart that will hold large trays. We'll then be able to prepare and hold our dinner side salads and desserts on nights when we are quite busy. That, alone, will speed things up considerably. We are also getting our servers some nice beverage trays to assist in delivery of your drinks. Simple things. But they add up!

Seafood~~I was delighted to hear from several of you that you'd like to be able to participate in purchases for fresh fish. This helps us quite a bit. Since my local source has dried up, I can so far only get fresh fish in 25 lb. minimums. This week I am sticking with sashimi grade (able to be purchased in smaller quantity) tuna that will be seared and served with a wasabi oil with sweet soy, sesame rice, a crab sushi maki, and seaweed salad with an Asian stir-fry. We'll have that Wednesday through Friday. I am working on the stone crab for next week. I got my seasons mixed up and April 15th is the LAST day for stone crab until October 15th. The cost for the tuna dinner will be $14.99. The crab next week will be higher.

The Flavor Journey at dinner will be the creamy chicken enchiladas (three) plus a side salad and sautéed summer squashes and onions topped with cotija cheese along with Spanish rice. Available from Tuesday, all week. $10.99. I make these using fresh spinach, fresh poblano peppers, chicken breasts, fresh cream and corn tortillas. We've served them several times at lunch and they always sell out. The dinner size is three enchiladas rather than two.

Thursday night is Girls' Night Out. We'll have smaller portions of both of the specials—the Flavor Journey and the seafood as well as pitchers of Sangria. I'll also have a special appetizer—grilled polenta topped with shitake and button mushrooms seasoned with butter and thyme. We have created an environment where you can feel comfortable enjoying a night out with friends and not feel like you are going to "get hit on." Why not start a new tradition among your female friends and make the scene on Girls' Night Out?

For Tuesday~I have been delighted by the number of people asking me to bring back the pimento cheese quesadillas. A long-time southern tradition, it stands up to our criteria of "real food." We make this from scratch using cheddar cheese, fire-roasted red peppers, minced onion, jalapeno, worchestershire, cream cheese and mayonnaise. This mixture then fills a pair of flour tortillas and is grilled. Served with a side at $6.75.

The Bahn Mi has been very well received. Bruce has gotten the French baguettes figured out. I did it last week with the marinated and grilled pork. For those of you who don't do pork, I am adding chicken meatballs. It will be available after Tuesday. The sandwich has a wonderfully Asian flavor profile and the French bread has a nice texture. If you bought one the first time I made them, I am using more meat now. The sandwich includes a mayonnaise spiked with Srachi, julienned carrots and cucumbers that have been pickled in a sweet brine. Cilantro tops the sandwich. I serve it with a side: Italian potato salad, Cajun home fries, black bean/corn salad, fruit or potato chips. $6.49 The plan is to keep this as a regular menu item.

Yes—the fresh fruit side is back.

For Thursday~Bruce is at it again. He is bringing back another favorite tamale—Garlic poached chicken tamales with cheddar rojo sauce and Spanish rice. $6.75

For Friday~With the craziness of the weather I can see no reason to hold off on making ceviche. I'll combine shrimp, scallops, crab and calamari with lime and lemon juice, sweet peppers, jalapeno, cilantro and garlic. The acid in the citrus juices "cooks" the meats of the seafood turning them opaque and giving it the mouth-feel and taste of cooked seafoods. I'll serve it over a bed of lettuce and with a side. $7.50 ( I paid almost $8 for a lunch-sized portion of ceviche in Austin 25 years ago.) If you like seafood, you'll love the clean taste of ceviche.

Desserts this week will include a strawberry cobbler and carrot cake with cream-cheese frosting. Those are my entries. I'm not sure what Bruce has in mind. I know he'll surprise us. He has already got angel food infused with lime and drunken blueberry sauce.

I hope you enjoy this week of spring—in ALL its glory.

~~Susan