Dinner out with friends at the place my band performs at regularly, and which has recently moved to a more ‘casual’ (read less pricy) menu that we wanted to check out.
I started off with a zippy mango-habanero daiquiri from their fabulous & creative cocktail menu.
We shared their “chips and dip,” a favorite from the old menu
and the pork spring (summer?) rolls with very flavorful and tender pork, shredded veg & a hoisin dipping sauce.
The rolls were a lil tricky to retrieve from the serving vessel, and we suggested they serve them on a plate — rice paper is sticky, and delicate 
My PIC and I shared the Cubano, which was good, but still a bit hefty at $19,
and our friends got the ricotta gnocchi with spinach, artichokes, cheese & toasted walnuts.
The gnocchi were far too doughy & heavy, and when we mentioned it to the server we found out that they were sourced from a local pasta place, not made in house. The sauce was delish & would work fabulously with a nice hunka salmon.
The hostess asked for our input on the new menu they just rolled out a week ago, and also showed us the tentative menu for the new, upscale restaurant they just built across the parking lot, which includes many interesting sounding sharing plates, a pasta & pizza section, as well as a few entrees.
The menu included a gnocchi with short rib and a pappardelle with pesto. I suggested they switch those around. Pappardelle is a meat or shroom pasta. Serve your pesto with the appropriate shape!
Our server last night adores me, and was all over our table, but she did something that made me channel my inner Larry David: every time she came over she would ask in the first person plural pronoun, as in “are we ready to order some drinks?” “Are we … X?” So much so that we started giggling every time she did this.
We? No. 
.
) when they invited us over for an afternoon swim and a cookout at their place today.
.
