One more reason...

After a particularly harrowing dining experience this weekend, I can say that I love my husband more and more each day. Upon a long unscheduled workday we decided to scrap the homemade dinner and go for a barbecue sandwhich (sans onions) from Wolfgang Puck Express. I eat there at least once a week for this gem of a sandwhich, it's been a favorite of mine for nearly two years now, coupled with the delicious rosemary fries. I heartily recommend the vegetarian Butternut Squash Soup as well. Lunch is really casual, and that was the original WP concept, but I don't dislike the more formal affair that dinner has become. What I dislike in any establishemnt is an incompetant waitperson who in our case was named Ryan. We were told of the wine specials by each of the staff members (all three of them) that we came in contact with before we were seated. Having declined our waitperson wrote us off as cheap. I hope that the two blondes who were the focus of his attention paid him for his services. Our meals sat on the ledge for 10 minutes before being delivered to our table, our glasses sat empty except for a few melting ice cubes, and I was timing our exit via cell phone, after 20 minutes of no contact, I call it a loss. Having myself worked in the service industry I understand that you may not neccessarily see the direct impact of running someone else's food, but as a consumer I don't care who delivers my food just get it from the kitchen to the table promtly. As much as I like WP Express we have had a few mistakes with them preparing orders as asked, so we always do a double check for the onios Larry and I both dislike. To our dismay they were present, as our server didn't come to check on us another nice employee did. When she asked, "How is Everything?" I said in all honesty that truly the service was horrible we had not had refills on our tea since we arrived, trust me its a southern thing. The order was late, and prepared incorrectly. She quickly offered to have them re prepared, which makes me leary for two reasons they will rush the order as you've already waited once and two I'm already at the mercy of the waitstaff before becoming public enemy #1. So I declined. Ryan never once apologized, he did immediately bring a pitcher to refill our drinks but this is not his particular fortay as they were never filled again, nor for that matter were the other two tables within our vicinity under his care. This does not include the two blondes whose proverbial cup runneth over. The highlight of the evening was when our pompous waiter asked Larry if everything was okay. Larry's response was priceless: "The food is good."

Traditions.

Our annual splurge is the delectable dinner at Global for Valentines Day. The seven course sensory extravaganza did not disappoint. From the arrival of the "Amuse Bouche" a cream of celery soup with a paper thin shred of fried celery, followed by the earthy and beatifully presented Escargots au vin rouge with Oyster mushrooms, resting on a puff pastry nest. Our third course was the organic spring mix tossed with applewood smoked bacon, pine nuts & Goat cheese. The heart of the meal was a choice between Duck "Aux Epices" which is the breast seared to perfection, rubbed with Mediterranean spices, Poached Pear "d’Anjou", paires with seasonal local vegetables & a drizzling of honey lemon Duck sauce or Maine Lobster baked, resting on wilted "Bordeaux" spinach, potato cake, & topped with vanilla "beurre blanc" sauce. To cleanse the palate a warmed Taleggio cheese coupled with grape salad & fig glaze which paved the arrival of the Grand Marnier Citrus Tort a ganache "a l’orange" & Citrus Mousse resting on a "Coulis Framboise" which was divine. The night cap was a Duo of "levre d’Amour" a White chocolate with passion fruit & Milk Chocolate with Grand Marnier. Which was complemented with a cup of coffee for Larry and a decaf cappucino for me.

Here's to...

Standing up for what you believe in. I recently resigned from a job of five years due to a corporate oversight. But fear not, I have just accepted an offer as the Assistant Manager of Helzberg Diamonds in Southpark. So celebrations are a given. As I have already established the wonderful culinary delights of chef Bernard, it would only seem logical that I celebrate with dessert (and a glass of champagne) from Global. But I have to make a special mention of the soup of the evening Pina Colade - a variation of the namesake drink. Not frozen, but served chilled with succulent bits of pineapple and coconut. I seem to have found my heaven on Earth

Sh....It's a secret...

Ever feel as if you have a secret and you just want to tell the world--like claiming your earings are CZ when they really aren't because you don't want to appear snobbish, but you're really proud that you scrimped and saved? On a smaller scale, my birthday celebration dinner was at a local restuarant named GLOBAL. I confess the people in this city are heathen. I swear allegiance to chef Bernard and his exquisite culinary creations. We are seriously unworthy. Each meal starts with the obligatory bread which is accompanied by a everchanging spread I haven't decided if the blackbean spread or the honeynut fig is the favorite. The owners will tell you that it's more than a restaurant-- it's a destination. We arrived as they opened @ 5:00pm (reservations recommended on weekends). Dinner starts @ 6:00. We happily ordered appetizers as a way to pass the time--crab cakes and a one-of-a-kind pear and brie quesadilla. The endive salad is a must, but the featured soup of the evening, a cool watermelon and salmon soup, was delectable. (If published in a recipe book this one would be worth the price alone.) And for the main course, the menu changes seasonally but I have been a fan of his Tower of Chicken(alternating layers of grilled chicken breast & fingerling potatoes, served with a Chorizo sauce) and most recently, the tantalizing squash ravioli in a wine reduction. The paella which combines rice, peas, red pepper, Chorizo sausage, chicken, mussels, shrimp, and sea scallops tossed with saffronis truly a work of art, in presentation and flavor. Dessert is always the defining aspect and I have yet to be disappointed. I have even used them in lieu of flowers on the rare occasions when an apology is warranted - or at least I would if it came to that. ("Lie!" Brandon's boyfriend says.) The passionfruit mousse wrapped in white sponge cake is the perfect ending to calm the palette, and the chocolate torte's rich flavor and delicate texture is sinfully sweet.

Painting: Chardonnay by Leon Roulette

Check out their website www.Global-restaurant.com