Adrianne ponders:
Lately, I've been thinking about food. It's something I think about a lot, granted, but this is more about food and place. For me, these communications are intense and evocative. The question: if you could travel back to any place you've lived (or, in a pinch, visited) and have just one meal in each location that reminded you of the time you spent there, what would your top five stops and dishes be?
1. Lamb at the Morocco restaurant in Epcot, DisneyWorld. Merideth and I went to Disney for our honeymoon, and this was my favorite meal of the trip. (Although the food at Chefs de Paris is heavenly). I dressed up in a suit and tie, Merideth wore her sari, which is stunning and I love it when she wears it. On the way to the restaurant we were waylaid several times by Indian tourists who were so shocked at an American wearing a sari that they had to have pictures. We sat down at the restaurant, listening to Moroccan music, borrowing the waiter's fez and watching belly dancers. We ate roasted lamb with couscous and wine, which was amazingly succulent. We laughed a lot, and I remember thinking how wonderful it was to be married to Merideth.
2. The Oxford Steakhouse. Wichita Falls, TX. This was the swank eatery in Wichita Falls, and the place where Merideth and I went when we celebrated an anniversary or needed to cheer each other up. Wichita Falls was a difficult time, especially money wise and we often needed the cheering up. Spending more money than we should have, and often more money than we actually had on a peppercorn and whiskey steak with potatoes, salad and merlot always made me feel a bit better.
3. The Alamo Cafe. San Antonio, TX. This was my high school hang-out. It was not unheard of to spend 3 or 4 meals a weekend here. It is where we would meet to discuss plans for the night or wind down from a long weekend at a speech tournament. You could often just walk in and find your friends. We had a ritual at the Alamo. They would bring out the tortillas (the tortillas are why you go to the Alamo Cafe, they are handmade and served very hot. You get a tortilla, pass in back and forth in your palms to cool the tortilla off, and then roll it up and dip it in the sauce. The you get an enchilada plate #3 and hang out. The Alamo Cafe is still open, although they have since moved to a new location, which doesn't hold near the charm for me (although the tortillas are still excellent).
4. The Hobbit Cafe. Houston, TX. My Parents used to bring Casey and I here to eat as an occasion. The walls were filled with Tolkien art, and the door was big and green. You could order food named after Lord of the Ring Characters and drink Elvish tea. It used to be a Vegan hotspot, but now it has relented to serving meat in addition to Vegan food (Thank God). For our first Valentine, Merideth and I drove to Houston, ate here (which was great) and then went to see Theatre Under the Stars perform Jeckel and Hyde (which was abysmal). After the performance, we were surprised that there was food and sweets laid out in the lobby. We were dressed up and feeling snazzy. As we went from table to table, eating the delicious snacks, it dawned on us that we had wandered into a private (and expensive) reception for donors to a Houston school district. We munched what we could until we were asked what school our children go to, and then hot-footed it out of there. Good times, good times.
5. The Bread in Versailles. Paris, France. OK, when you are next in Paris, take the Metro to Versailles. Exit through the main doors of the train station (by Versailles the Metro has turned into an above ground train). Be sure to use the main exits and not the smaller side exits. Once through the station doors, turn left. The first shop on your left, in the same building as the train station is Bread Heaven. The Mecca of Bread. Bread Nirvana. Merideth and I had no cash, and so we could not afford to into the Versailles palace, just wander about the grounds eating the best bread ever. We have since talked with a lot of people who were disappointed with Versailles, but apparently because they paid the huge gobs of cash to see the gaudy palace interior. For once, our poverty paid off.
Other F5 participants are: Melissa, Adam, Merideth, Chris, Gina, Dave, Craig, Gord, Nanette, Marvin, Rob, Laura, Jon, and Ritu.
