A day of large platters.
At 6:30 I drank a cup of hot water with 1T. of apple cider vinegar and a tsp. of honey and read Underground Railroad.
At 9:00 we drove to Spouts where we bought yogurt, milk, asparagus, green beans, and granola.
We then drove to Donut Mart and I got six bagels and then Codtco to buy Isgny Brie, Dubliner cheddar, Pecorino Romano, and Jarlsberg cheese, mushrooms, heavy cream, and half and half.
When we got home I fixed two slices of sesame seed bagel with cream cheese and garnished them with slices of red onion and five slices of Lax.
At 12:30 I met Rahim and two friends at Thai Heritage for lunch. I was not very hungry but ordered Pad Thai lunch with two small egg rolls and a small salad on a large platter. Pad Thai at Thai Heritage is my favorite in Albuquerque. Actually Thai Heritage has been selected as Albuquerque’s favorite vegan restaurant. One half of the menu is vegan and the other half are populated with meat dishes, often the same dishes are on both sides. Rahim ordered a Rahm which is a meat substitute in a peanut sauce. The other couple shared a chicken in green curry. We also shared a tempura appetizer with a rather sweet dipping sauce that filled an entire large platter.
I ate the egg rolls and salad and took the Pad Thai home along with some of the green curry.
Tempura
My Pad Thai
I worked with Rahim after lunch on the lease for his newly constructed 12 plex on Copper at Solano and then went home and rested and finished the Underground Railroad.
Suzette returned at 4:00 and I took a shower and dressed and at 5:30 we drove downtown and walked to Brexin’s at 4th and Central. In was full so we sat at the bar, which was great because we were able to watch Auburn play Virginia in the final four. It was happy hour so Suzette ordered a cocktail of cucumber , mint, mint syrup, and vodka and a beer and I ordered a New Belgium Fat Tire Lager. Suzette ordered the fish fry and I ordered chicken and enchiladas. Both dishes were served on large platters. My chicken and enchiladas was sort of deconstructed and altered from the traditional.
It was a large platter with salsa on one side and really spicy red chili on the other side of a stack of a toasted tortilla covered with a mushroom, chili, and crema sauce with a grilled chicken breast on top and on top of that a large dollop of guacamole. I enjoyed the stack of tortilla, chicken and sauces but could not eat the two chili sauces, although I nibbled the black beans, corn kernels, and queso fresco scattered across the sea of chili sauces. Suzette’s fried seafood was cod planks and shrimp battered in a thick cornmeal batter and deep fried with fried potatoes and two dipping sauces, a mustard and a catsup one. We enjoyed dinner but felt the price and portions were to great for our appetite and pocketbook. The fish fry was $22.00 and my chicken and single tortilla was $18.00. We were each served a small salad with our dinners. Mine was organic greens with a balsamic dressing and Suzette’s was a Cesar Salad. Both salads were lovely and fresh. In fact all the ingredients at Brexin’s were very fresh and of good quality. The owner came by to say hello and ask us if we liked our food and we told him. He suggested ordering the Cesar salad with smoked trout next time. I thanked him and made a note to return for that next time. Brexin’s is the most or among the most highly rated restaurants in Albuquerque and I could see why tonight. It uses high quality ingredients in creative combinations beautifully presented. I just need to find my favorite dish or dishes.
After dinner we walked the two blocks to the Kimo Theater and saw a live performance of Steve Martin’s play “Meteor Shower”. It was very clever and funny. A series of the same vignette repeated but with slightly different plot premises and completely different outcomes and dialogue. Very clever.
After the play we drove home and were in bed by 9:00, Suzette with a sip of cognac and a limoncello for me.
I awakened at 11:30 and watched Saturday Night Live, and Anthony Bourdain in the Greek Isles and the Basque Country of Spain and France as I sipped a camomile tea with lime juice and honey, my favorite drink for settling my stomach after a meal of spicy food.
I am ready to return to the Basque Country, especially since now we have google to guide us to the best restaurants. Bourdain paid special attention to Arzack in San Sebastián, Spain. We went there when we visited last time but did not eat there because lunch was 210 €. Instead we took the bus to the port of Pasaia, where we took a small boat from the headland on the south to a narrow headland on the north side of the bay where we found a restaurant overhanging the water that served a comida del dia for 18€ that we loved because the appetizer was a tapa we collected that we prepare a lot, canned artichoke hearts, sautéed with green peas, Serrano ham, pimientos, and saffron. We loved discovering a new dish at a window table overlooking the port at a price that was reasonable.
One thing that was emphasized in the Bourdain segment is the uniqueness and ancient roots of the Basque culture and people. They have a unique language and their food is recognized as among the best cuisines in the world. I would go back in a heartbeat.
Bon Appetit
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