I love visiting local restaurants (especially during happy hour) to see what they have to offer. Honestly happy hour is usually the most "bang for your buck" when it comes to enjoying great food bites and a cocktail selection for a reasonable price.
Now, if you don't know anything about me...here's a little fun fact. I am Italian, I am married to a Colombian...together we LOVE to eat. OK fine we shove our face with great food and drinks and we don't apologize for it. LIFE is about being happy...and well, food makes us happy. We cook at home a lot! However, we love to enjoy a good cocktail hour as much as the next person. Usually we like to stay local, however ever so often we will venture out and see what the city has to offer.
Some places we visit on a weekly basis...some we find ourselves visiting more often. The other night it was our wedding anniversary ( 5 months, we are newly weds you will have to excuse us...we promise to not always be this mushy and annoying). My husband wanted to take me to a place that was a little more special than the places we usually dine. He suggested we visit Osprey Tavern in Baldwin Park. We are very familiar with Osprey however we have only had the pleasure of enjoying a charcuterie ( you know I love a good meat and cheese platter on a wooden board served up with some bread and a glass of wine...FINE...a few glasses of wine.
To be honest, Ill eat anything with bread and wine. The decor is out of this world. I wish she would decorate my house. The restaurant is immaculate. You could eat off of the floor. DON'T! Because that's gross, but you could. They leave the restaurant in perfect shape for opening the next day( I can't say that for all of the places in Baldwin Park), and there is not a spec of dust on ANYTHING. It's gorgeous.
We decided that we were going to really dig in and see what they had to offer. For me, ( I don't eat a TON of meat) that meant their signature salad and the roasted cauliflower which I knew I was getting from the second I saw it on the menu. FYI: Za'atar...my NEW favorite spice...and I can't find it ANYWHERE! I'm kinda pissed about that. Cat is OUT of the bag...they roast their cauliflower with Za'atar and it rocked my world. Rocked my world to the point where I went to three grocery stores to look for the damn stuff and I don't do that. I guess I'll have to order it from some magical online special spice place.
The other part of my meal was the Tavern Salad (artisan greens, black chickpeas ( no I've never heard of them either), cloth bound cheddar, dates and a citrus vinaigrette. If you think my dish was boring that's fine. You might like my husbands choice better than mine. I tend to eat more plant based and he loves the meat. ALLLL the meat. GIVE HIM ALL THE MEAT! He had the duck. Oh I'm sorry "Duck Breast" I have to get it right because I don't speak restaurant and I want to do them justice. I am a 'cook' not a 'chef'...in the words of Rachel Ray.
The duck was served with a mushroom pierogi, leek sour cream ( which I could drink with a straw and be satisfied),pastrami spice slaw type cabbage ( which my husband wasn't fond of ...he doesn't do "slaw" or "kraut" of any kind. But, that was ok with me, because I loved it. If you want the full menu (happy hour included, you can check it out HERE)
PS. The Happy hour wine was great. I had a rose. Their house wines are 6 bucks and they have specialty cocktails. My husband's Vodka-Cranberry, however was NOT on happy hour. I'm not sure I've been to a place that doesn't offer wells or calls on happy hour...but what do I know. The meal was really above par to be honest. I didn't expect it to be as wonderful as it was. The staff was 'ok'. Not ONE person had a smile on their face other than the bar back he was super happy and to be honest I kind of wish HE were the one taking my order rather than the bartender who seemed put out when we needed to place an order.
I AM a big believer in giving people a second chance because...well..everyone has a bad day. Oddly enough, when I thought that same thought in my mind...she started being super sweet...as if she could tell I wasn't thrilled with her less than friendly behavior.
I mean, I get it...we all work for a living...sometimes we want to be there...sometimes we don't...I got you girl. I've been there. We are ALL entitled to our bad days. Days can be long..work can be hard. None of us are Oprah and sometimes....it's hard out here making a living. To quote one of my favorites...Donna Summer....We work hard for tha' money.....
Yes, girl....we do.....we sure do.
I'll be back....and .......
don't be weirded out if I ask you for a hug.
My name is Jill...and I love wine.
OVERALL RATING:
4 1/2 out of 5 wine glasses
Price range: $$$
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