Thank you!
Wishing you and Mrs. P (along with Giorgio and Matisse) a wonderfully festive bday weekend!
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I’d made a reservation at that fabulous BYOB just about 30 min south for 3 friends who’d joined us before as well as three n00bz — bc I always try to include folks who’ve not been able to get in (it’s t-t-t-t-tricky!).
As ever, the welcome bites were a wonderful way to settle in, with a rhubarb & rose agua fresca, lemon rose foam, and rose sugar, a smoked butter dipped radish with morel salt, and a tapioca chip with white bean and charred spring onion hummus, and curry leaf dukka.
The first course, billi bi soup (potato, wild leek, super tender and lightly smoked P.E.I. Mussels, dashi, saffron cream, nori, sake, oyster crackers, fermented ramp salt) was fantastic, if not my favorite bowl of the evening.
The second course, local spring greens salad with shaved spring vegetables, sherry dijon vinaigrette and fine herbs was refreshing and light.
I was suspicious of the third course — carrot cavatelli with ricotta, nettle pesto, carrot butter, hazelnut, crispy garlic & shallot, micro-greens, carrot dust, bc I only like carrots in pacific dishes and preps (like my legendary carrot soup with chicken and noodz 
), but this was quite nice, and not overwhelmed by carroticity.
The intermezzo was a lovely cucumber lime mezcál sorbet with cucumber relish.
The main, Binchotan roasted prime NY strip with beef tallow hash brown, grilled bitter greens with truffle shoyu vinaigrette, miso creamed morel, bordelaise, and ramp butter was all that and then some.
In fact, I didn’t even get close to finishing as the portions are generous for a fancy place, and we’ve left uncomfortably full on previous visits. Looks like I have a nice dinner for after my show tonight 
Saving about 2/3 of that plate left space for dessert: a gorgeous rhubarb ice cream with pizelle cookie crumble, fennel olive oil granita, lemon gel, pickled rhubarb. Stunning presentation, and a true symphony of flavors.
We brought a cheap-ass bubbly rosé, a fruit-forward Riesling & a Primitivo, all of which were good companions for the food.
Chef Quintin came out after the meal to chat with our table, and we noticed a hand brace. He’s been struggling with terrible arthritis pain and may not be able to open next week 
We wished him the best should he opt for (another) surgery, but recovery for these things (as @Desert-Dan knows) is lengthy.
The nicest surprise of the evening came when the friend who offered to drive us also covered my PIC’s and my bill 
We had him over for a nightcap of bubbly water & kitty entertainment.
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That looked like another spectacular dinner!
How generous of your friend to pay for you and your PIC’s meal. You have some terrific friends.
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Thank you! Too bad it’s going to be a cold and rainy weekend, but we will make the best of it.
I wish you a safe trip to Germany, and am looking forward to reading about your food adventures.
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We really, truly do. We were both absolutely speechless, and incredibly grateful.
I have no doubt in my mind that you will! 
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Your dinner looks fabulous and I am impressed that chef was able to assemble all those plates with one hand in a brace.
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He had a team of probably 7 or 8 people total in that small kitchen, some of them kids from the local HS culinary program. He needs all the help he can get RN, but he seemed pretty pessimistic about the near future / the 2026 season 
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Thanks for your report, I will surely insist to Jud that we go to this place the next time we are in Centre county.
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Here’s hoping the chef can continue. And reservations go within minutes for every month. Best to check Resy religiously in advance.
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I’m at my mom’s as she recovers from knee replacement surgery. It’s an ordeal, but she’s doing well. It does give me a chance to cook nice meals for her! She did a massive shop before the surgery so it’s just a matter of making meals that she basically already decided she wanted to have.
Last night was steak with baked potatoes and asparagus my mom got at a farm. She ate with gusto, which is the best reward!
I forgot to photo, other than to send this one to my PIC who asked me over the phone while I was prepping to serve how it came out.
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I feel the same! I never posted about it, but I was in Berlin last month and benefitted from your past write ups!
Also happy birthday @paryzer!
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I’d love to hear where you ate 
PeterPaul and Felix Austria, both excellent!
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Penne, hot Italian sausage, grilled and stewed vegetables, diced tomatoes feta cheese in a roasted garlic olive oil sauce.
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That looks delicious!
What an AMAZING dinner! Hopefully the chef’s hand is able to recover quickly should he choose to get surgery.
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Enjoy this. I miss doing so for my Mom so much. I hope her recovery is swift!
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Errands, donation to a local veteran’s group outside my local MB (and another poppy for my car mirror), and repotting some herbs and veg from my local nursery: Greek oregano, chives, a Patio tomato plant, a Better Boy tomato plant, Sweet Heat pepper plants, and Super Tunias petunias in “Bordeaux” variegated color.
Dinner was wild sockeye salmon lightly brushed with Heinz Salad Cream, then topped with a combo of homemade breadcrumbs, minced parsley and garlic, lemon zest, and s/p. Baked at 400° for 9 minutes.
Served on leftover Basmati rice with steamed green beans alongside.
There was wine.
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