all-girls night out

Six of us are meeting for dinner.  We are celebrating the birthdays of Janice and Pam.  Zelia has recommended the restaurant:  

No one else has been there.  The reservation is for 7:30.

Around five, Pam calls.  The weather over the next couple of days looks bad, so Pam leaves today (vs. tomorrow) to go up to Dartmouth to pick up her son.

So now five of us are meeting, minus one of the birthday girls.  Janice and I are the first to arrive.  We are seated in the perfect corner table.  Soon Zelia, Ronda and Shari join us.  There’s a bit of controversy over the table (the waitress tells us another couple has specifically reserved the table where we are currently seated) but our collective charm prevails, and we get to keep the table.  Either that, or the waitress doesn’t want the battle.

The food is exceptional.  From the appetizers to the desserts.  There is not one morsel left on anyone’s plate.

We get two appetizers for the table:

Camarones Al Ajo shrimp in garlic. white wine, crush pepper, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and butter

Provoleta grilled provolone. warm organic beefsteak tomato, dried oregano, freshly ground black pepper

We even ask for extra bread to sop up the sauce in the shrimp.  This is not a meal for anyone counting calories.

We all order steak, and though I generally prefer strip to skirt, I defer to the waitress’s and Zelia’s recommendation and get the 14-ounce prime skirt steak.  It is amazing.  Tender, flavorful, and impossible not to finish, despite its ample size.  Even the accompanying fries are perfect.

We get two desserts for the table: some type of chocolate pancake, and a chocolate mousse, both excellent.

As always, we have much to say.  From holiday plans to kid updates to vacation summaries to Iran’s nuclear deal. 

I am grateful to be included among this smart, spirited, group of women.