Silver and Stone

Welcome to the weekend! My students had their lecture final today so they are offically done with Mineralogy (as long as they passed). I hope they did a good job!! I just wanted to say a nice congrats. They all worked hard and deserve to have it over with.

Today's post is quick. My lunch salad and a restaurant experience. Enjoy!

I made another lunch salad with brusseul sprouts and leftover pulled pork that you cannot see in this photo. It was delicious. I wanted lots of veggies to make up for the possible lack of veggies at dinner.

Tonight we went to a great restaurant in Georgetown, TX: Silver and Stone. I found out about it through Travel Zoo. They had a great special on a voucher. 2 appetizers, 2 entrees, and 2 desserts for 45 bucks. Not bad at all for a nice restaurant.

A quick run down of our experience.

Stephen ordered a Rogue Dead Guy Ale. I tried a sip and it was so goo don tap. Much better than the bottled version.

Instead of sugar and sweetener packets, they bring out a tray with splenda, raw sugar, and equal. Pretty cute looking, but I imagine that this would get messy super quickly. It was pretty amusing watching Stephen trying to make sweet tea with the brown sugar. It doesn't dissolve as easily as Sweet n Lo. And Equal and Spelnda just doesn't taste the same in iced tea (apparently).

For appetizer I ordered the Goat Cheese and Safffron Cheese Cake. It was served with red bell peppers, a sweet onion and apple butter marmalade on top and frilled pita on the side.

It was enjoyable but definitely the type of appetizer made for 2 or more people. I took most of it home with me. Definitely not complaining. The goat cheese cake tasted smooth and tangy. I admit that I ate the entire topping off of it.

Stephen ordered the Black Bean Alfredo Nachos. These look good, right? And they were! The sauce in the middle is a type of queso. Delicious.

Up close and personal with the delicious topping of my appetizer.

For my entree, I ordered the Wine Smoked Venison Medallions. They were served with a fresh blackberry chutney and sauteed horseradhish and herbed greens. The flavors in this plate were intense. The meat had a sharp smokiness of red wine the paired interestingly with the horseradish and chutney.

Stephen ordered the pan roasted filet of beef. It was served with a truffled fig and port sauce and melted manchego cheese. Some potatoes and asparagus (that I ate).

Here is my herbed greens and horseradish. I adore horseradish and its sinus clearing powers.

The wine smoked venison. Just the right serving size for me. The meat was not gamey at all. And it was super flavorful.

The blackberry chutney. Such a welcomed sweetness with the harsh horseradish and the smokey venison.

For dessert, I ordered the vanilla creme brulee. This was the only mistake of the meal. I did not enjoy this at all, and only took a few very small bites. Stephen didn't like it either. There was something very off about the sugar topping.

Stephen ordered a chocolate caramel and pecan cake. He enjoyed it so much that I only had a chance to take a bite right at the beginning. He devoured the entire thing before asking if I wanted any more. Sad Astrid.

One thing that was not disappointing: the decaf coffee. It was the best cup of decaf I have ever had. And it was served at my perfect temperature: nice and hot. It did not burn my tongue, though. Very impressed. If only I was impressed with the dessert, too.

Verdict: I loved the restaurant. But once again I emerged without being full. I am not sure if I am alone in this, but I get far more full when I cook for myself. At restaurants I am more apt to pick at my food. I do eat, but it isn't ever as satisfying as my own meals. I promise I am not tooting my own horn (although I am a great cook). I just know what I like and I am good at making it.

Anyone else experience something similar at restaurants?