Monday, July 27, 2009

Birthday Lunch

Where to go on my birthday? Better yet, where to bring my mom since she's the one who went through intense labor to bring me into this world. Yes, trying to be altruistic here. I wanted to bring her to someplace special, but not too pricey. Somewhere not traditional, yet not too fusion-ish. Somewhere unique, but not too difficult to travel to. Hey, how about that new restaurant invested by this famous actor? So, I made a reservation at Locanda Verde, a recently opened restaurant in Tribeca, NY.

With an Italian-influenced menu, I was surprised there aren't much vegetarian options and the chef declined to make substitutions. Why no love for vegetarians? :( So I had a salad that only had two ingredients (arugla and fresh black figs), but the figs were really fresh and sweet, which paired well with the bitter rocket greens. Unfortunately, my camera's memory card was corrupted, so I couldn't take any picture, but I found this photo of my salad taken by another eater, but just minus the asiago and specks.

But sometimes, dining out is more than the food because it's always nice to be served and cared for. The staff was attentive (perhaps a bit over-attentive) and the atomsphere was rustic yet inviting. What do you look for when you're dining out (besides the good food)?

5 comments:

Jessica@FoodMayhem said...

Is salad all you had? I'm surprised they didn't try to accommodate you. =(

Gar said...

I was surprised as well. But I also had two drinks. :)

Jessica@FoodMayhem said...

=( I'm no expert on vegetarian food but I liked Pukk. Tasty and Cheap, but decor kind of stinks.

Jen @ Kiss the Hem of Her Apron said...

Arugula + figs sounds heavenly! How was it dressed?

Gar said...

don't really remember...maybe it was a champagne vinegarette?