A review (of sorts)

The Special Lady and I love going to restaurants.  We're on the same page when it comes to eating, too - locally-owned companies make better food than massive chains.  Neither of us want to go to Earl's, or the Cactus Club... if we're going to dish out the money, we want to eat at a place where the owner actually has a stake in the business.  We want new dining experiences, dammit.

We both love the Irish Times Pub, to the point where we've been there almost once a week since we started dating.  And when we went to Chandler's two weeks ago, we agreed it was great food, even if it was a bit on the pricey side (they wanted my first born son.  I guess it's cheaper than hiring a dishwasher). 

Last week, it was my turn to pick the place.  And I decided we'd get a little risky and go to a new place known as Salute.  I wish I could say I picked the place for a good reason:  friends recommended it, it had a great rating in the Zagat guide, I knew the owner, etc.  Nope.  The reason I picked the place?  They had the menu in the window, and they served a relatively cheap Peppercorn steak.

...And I love peppercorn steak.  I don't know where these peppercorn cows come from, but it is my goal to raise them one day.  And devour them.  It would probably be cheaper, too.  For some reason, a place can serve a great twenty dollar steak, but the second it's a "peppercorn" steak, the price doubles.  Before I found Salute, the cheapest (good) peppercorn steak was around twenty seven bucks.  Salute's steak is in the low twenties. 

Anyways, we made our way in, and I had misgivings right away.  The tables were close together, the bar was lit by mood lights that changed colour, and it had one of those "upscale moden" places that usually wind up serving boring and slightly overpriced food.  A sort of Indie Earl's, if you will.  I was debating throwing a tray in the waiter's face and shouting "run!  It's a trap!"

Luckily, I didn't.  But only because there were no trays nearby.

Turns out I was wrong.  The place is amazing.  The small serving staff is still very attentive to you, without being in your face about anything.  The drinks are well made.  They even have a small lounge area where you can watch the hockey game, without the TV being somewhere central that everyone has to see! 

Oh, and the food is amazing.  I made a point to tell the waiter that the risotto that came with my steak was the best risotto I had in years.  Which was true... because it was the ONLY risotto I had had in years, but still... I'm pretty sure it'd be the best I'd had, too.  The Special Lady's Tandoori chicken was pretty damned tasty, too.   

I don't really drop reviews on my blog.  It's more of a "complaints" blog, as opposed to a "compliments" blog.  Despite that, I knew I had to drop a reference to it, and get some people down there.  Because if this is one of those restaurants that dies a quick death, a part of me will die with it. 

Twenty dollar peppercorn steak, people!  Come on!