—-Nishan Panwar
When I sat down to write my blog today, I had several current topics going through my head. I thought about the bias in medical care (thanks John Oliver), the continual dangers of growing up as a minority, and all of the political issues that we faced this week. Then I decided...NO! This week I will expose no horrors or disappointments. This week I will leave politics to the pundits.. Yes, this week is all about the tasty way we celebrated Hubby’s birthday.
We celebrated Arthur’s birthday last Friday at a restaurant we have never tried before, and it was delicious. If you happen to find yourself hungry in West Palm Beach try Kitchen Restaurant. Chef Matthew Byrne started his career in Philadelphia, did a stint as a personal chef to Tiger Woods, and then he and his wife decided to create a restaurant like their kitchen at home. Oddly configured (several storefronts that all lead into a common kitchen), the atmosphere is warm and friendly. If you go, start your meal with the crispy eggplant. Plated with creamy burrata cheese, roasted red peppers, and peppery arugula, this appetizer topped with a small homemade cracker was a great way to start.
Three of us at the table ordered fish entrees, and they all were perfectly cooked. While simply prepared with a liberal use of lemon, it was obvious that Chef Byrne intended to let the impeccably fresh fish shine. He has a small selection of interesting sides, and we were told to pick any two we desired. The goat cheese mixed in with the butternut squash successfully tempered the squash's natural sweetness, and the home-cut fries were outstanding.
For the birthday boy, it was all leading up to dessert, and he wasn’t disappointed. His coconut cake was moist, light and packed with flavor. The rich coconut taste of the icing that was liberally sprinkled with coconut flakes caused moans of delight with each bite.
My only complaint is that Chef Byrne seems to have bought in to the trend that is going around and is charging for his bread. After years of being offered warm baked bread gratis in restaurants, being charged $4.00 for a small baguette sliced into a half dozen or so thin pieces seemed petty. If one insists on charging for bread (and one shouldn’t ) then at least deliver a plate of homemade Parker House rolls or a flavorful focaccia. Still, this restaurant, although somewhat pricey, will definitely be at the top of my list for a special dinner out.
I believe it is important to grab all of the delicious enjoyment that life offers, especially during a time when so much discontent seems to be brewing in us all. It is easier to deal with the disappointments when you have taken the time to smell the roses, eat great food and laugh until the tears run down your face. We have taken to searching out sitcoms from all different countries. ACORN TV, which is part of Amazon Prime, offers quite a few foreign made sitcoms that allow us to laugh at simple things that are no where near political.
Of course as much as I love eating and watching television, it is my moments with a good book that really put me at ease. This week, The Murder List by Hank Phillippi Ryan captured me from the first page. I highly recommend it as a temporary escape from reality and today’s newspaper.
As always, a complete review of this book follows my blog.
Happy reading,
- Beverly