I've never really bought into the idea that austerity is somehow inherently superior to sensuality.
I mean, obviously, too much of either can be a bad thing. One makes you utterly boring and the other? Well, needless to say, after a while, you become THAT person at THAT party. You know, the one who makes everyone else feel just a little boring inside?
In hindsight, I'm not sure being that person is such a bad thing *snort*.
In any case, the fox has been growling at me for restaurant reviews and so, I shall deliver.
First up, Ras Dashen. A positively blissful Ethiopian restaurant that was about a 20-25 minute train ride from my apartment. After running around for a good 10 minutes trying to find the restaurant amidst a string of nearly-identical restaurants, my dining companion and I eventually found it. We walk in and immediately are confronted with this nearly transcendant scent of long-stewed meat and soul-warming spices. We looked at each other and grinned like little children in a candy store. We were seated, I decided on a glass of Malbec and he decided on an Ethiopian beer. We then proceeded to tear into a truly gargantuan platter consisting of a chicken dish (doro wat... the national dish of Ethiopia... after eating this, I understand why), a lamb dish (cubes of lamb cooked with onions, peppers and spices), a beef dish (beef cooked with berbere sauce, which appeared to be a more spicy version of a mole sauce), wonderfully stewed split peas (which definitely reminded me of my mother's cooking), silky sauteed spinach with garlic, and perfectly just-sour-enough soft cheese. The meal was wonderful. The conversation even more wonderful. Profoundly interesting people always make meals much more fun.
Now onto the second restaurant, Bistrot Zinc. Literally a 5 minute walk from my apartment. It was this delightful little classic Gallic bistro sort of place. I had eggs benedict with exquisitely cooked canadian bacon and my brunch companion had some truly decadent strawberry and nutella crepes. We each had a glass of champagne apiece (as one does when one is a lady who lunches with nothing more difficult to do on a Saturday than come up with a topic for her research paper).
As for the original topic of this post, namely, sensuality.
Let's just say that between the excellent food, excellent wine, excellent conversation and excellent ahem-other-things that this city has been offering me, this particular panther is absolutely basking. ^_^ Chicago may be difficult to leave.
I mean, obviously, too much of either can be a bad thing. One makes you utterly boring and the other? Well, needless to say, after a while, you become THAT person at THAT party. You know, the one who makes everyone else feel just a little boring inside?
In hindsight, I'm not sure being that person is such a bad thing *snort*.
In any case, the fox has been growling at me for restaurant reviews and so, I shall deliver.
First up, Ras Dashen. A positively blissful Ethiopian restaurant that was about a 20-25 minute train ride from my apartment. After running around for a good 10 minutes trying to find the restaurant amidst a string of nearly-identical restaurants, my dining companion and I eventually found it. We walk in and immediately are confronted with this nearly transcendant scent of long-stewed meat and soul-warming spices. We looked at each other and grinned like little children in a candy store. We were seated, I decided on a glass of Malbec and he decided on an Ethiopian beer. We then proceeded to tear into a truly gargantuan platter consisting of a chicken dish (doro wat... the national dish of Ethiopia... after eating this, I understand why), a lamb dish (cubes of lamb cooked with onions, peppers and spices), a beef dish (beef cooked with berbere sauce, which appeared to be a more spicy version of a mole sauce), wonderfully stewed split peas (which definitely reminded me of my mother's cooking), silky sauteed spinach with garlic, and perfectly just-sour-enough soft cheese. The meal was wonderful. The conversation even more wonderful. Profoundly interesting people always make meals much more fun.
Now onto the second restaurant, Bistrot Zinc. Literally a 5 minute walk from my apartment. It was this delightful little classic Gallic bistro sort of place. I had eggs benedict with exquisitely cooked canadian bacon and my brunch companion had some truly decadent strawberry and nutella crepes. We each had a glass of champagne apiece (as one does when one is a lady who lunches with nothing more difficult to do on a Saturday than come up with a topic for her research paper).
As for the original topic of this post, namely, sensuality.
Let's just say that between the excellent food, excellent wine, excellent conversation and excellent ahem-other-things that this city has been offering me, this particular panther is absolutely basking. ^_^ Chicago may be difficult to leave.
i am pleased. but now i want berbere to spice some chickpeas.
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