Message: | We celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary at Josie last night. It's located at 2424 Pico Blvd. in Santa Monica and is all of 7 minutes from our house. It was an absolutely wonderful meal, perfect service and the restaurant is beautiful inside. We sat in the back half, which seemed much quieter than the front part, in the corner of the banquette so that we were at 90 degrees to each other. I enjoy that seating best because you can talk easily and still play kneesies under the table.
I kidded with my wife about the service because we had an older man as a waiter who was so good at sharing information, being there before you finished thinking you needed something and just taking such good care of us, that I mentioned it must be a sign of age on my part that I no longer find the "actor/waiter" even remotely to my liking in terms of wait service. This guy was really, really terrific without even a hint of attitude. I would say that I have never had a better waiter, anywhere.
I wanted to surprise my wife, so knowing that she has always liked beef Wellington I asked Josie if she could prepare one for last night. She was wonderful about the request and it was the single best tenderloin that my wife or I have ever tasted in our lives, wrapped in a fantastic puff pastry. She did a bordelaise sauce that came in a tiny copper pan with a handle that was set on to the plate and grilled asparagus with garlic mashed potatoes. It was cooked perfectly, rare.
To start my wife had the wild mushroom sandwich, which she said was excellent. It must have been because she would only give me the smallest bite to try and I then wanted more, but being threatened with her fork I decided that discretion was the better part of valor, and backed off.
I had the special heirloom tomato salad with figs, japanese eggplant, arugala and things I am forgetting, but it transported my tastebuds to a planet beyond K-PAX. I had the wild boar for dinner. A very pleasent dish with flavor to spare, but next month when I go back I think I will try one of the fish dishes.
We ended with the three little pot de creme dessert sampler, which was so rich, creamy and sweet that it is probably a good thing that the little cups were to small for me to lick clean. One was caramel, one was chocolate and one was coffee. I also want to mention that the complimentary amuse was a slice of wild mushroom quiche, which was terrific. Hmm, I wonder how much a whole pie would be? Only kidding.
Tax and tip came to $150, and also included a before dinner drink, and a glass of red wine for me, on top of the bloody mary for my wife. Due to the fact that they share a huge lot with Rite Aid in the back I parked my own car, which is a big plus in my book. It was a really magical dinner, and night. I am a lucky man that my wife said yes when I proposed to her.
Finally I want to say that the bloody mary my wife had to begin has become our new gold standard for bloody mary's. I am going to be having one next month when we go back for my wife's birthday. The only drawback was was no olive or celery, but plan to ask for it next visit. |