Had a bit of a birthday celebration last night with Smoochie!

We decided on Sel de la Terre in downtown Boston; by the time I arrived she'd made friends with the folks at the bar, of course. We each had a drink (perfect extra dirty martini), then adjourned to our table, but not before her new friends at the bar all wished her a happy birthday LOL!

On to dinner! We started off with a first course of "tartlet of confit Vermont goat, house smoked bacon, roasted parsnips and caramelized onions; watercress, shaved fennel and Capri goat cheese" (her) and a most delicious pumpkin-apple soup with a ginger biscuit in the center (me). Yum!

For dinner, Michelle chose the "hand crafted truffled cauliflower ravioli with sauteed mushrooms, McIntosh apples, escarole, pine nuts and Red Lillet jus", I had the "spice roasted monkfish with smoked ham and parmesan risotto, napa cabbage and butternut squash broth; lavender flowers". Perfect, smallish portions of deliciously flavored food...it was the last night on the menu for the monkfish, so I was glad to have tasted it.

For afters, we had mint tea (her), coffee (me) and split a sampler of their dessert menu, which included small tastes of:

- bittersweet chocolate Marquise with sesame tuile and orange cardamom reduction (ohhhhh, it just melted in yoru mouth! It's the second best chocolate dessert I ever had; the first being the reve du chocolat at the Black Cow in Newburyport)
- vanilla creme brulee with fresh fruits (best creme brulee I've ever had; the top was perfection!)
- ganache frosted semolina carrot cake with candied carrots (eh)
- four spice ice cream (delicious!)
- Vermont maple cheesecake with pecan shortbread crust (loved it)
- Pear almond tart with strawberry preserve and ginger creme fraiche (eh)

We had a great time, even with taking the T home (what interesting folks on the Red line LOL).

I am drooling over this dinner (outside of the ham bits in your meal!) The chocolate desert sounds like a culinary dream. And little can top a truly excellent creme brulee. I'm getting hugnry just reading about it!

Oops- meant to write hungry!

I love nights like that. Of course a little sex afterward would have been the cherry on the cake of your evening, no? *sighs*

hmmm...sounds heavenly. What no pictures?

Oh man, I am now ruined for the day. I can't stop thinking of all that yummy goodness!

Mmmm sounds like a good good good meal!!!

People on the T are always interesting, I even got a marriage proposal one time. ;)

That was a sampler for the dessert menu? Mmmmmm. The entire meal sounds delish... you two have great taste!

Creme brulee??? Mmmmm.... I love creme brulee!

Oh, my stomach!!!!!

Wiping the drool from my chin.. sounds yummy!

oh wow that sounds yummers!

I'm glad I've already eaten my dinner...otherwise my drooling would be totally out of control!

It WAS decadent and wonderful. I am telling all FondofSnape readers...if you need a great restaurant....Janet can pick the BEST!