Our last date in Texas!

So lastnight we were able to get out on the town one last time.  Last Christmas Kevin was drawn for a gift card for Trevesio‘s for $100!  Sweet deal! The first time Kevin gave me a tour of the Med center was right after they finished the water fountains there, and we walked up to the top and peeked into the restaurant and said “I hope we can eat here someday, that would be a lot of fun!”  He’s had a couple work lunches there but they were more of a “here’s a platter, pick what you like” format.

Well being 9 months pregnant last Christmas, and me being miserable it just didn’t happen while we had two kids.  Then with marathon nursing around the clock, and several other big things happening, it just never worked out.  When we realized that our Texas time was limited, we started looking for someone willing and able to take on all three of our busy boys for long enough for us to go to dinner together.  After talking with a few people we’d about given up on a chance, and then on Thursday my visiting teachers offered to help out with the move, and I said, “well, is there any way…”  And my sweet visiting teacher Stephanie and her husband John P. were able to take them lastnight.

So yesterday, I got the boys ready and headed over there about 15 minutes behind schedule, I couldn’t figure out where their place was, but called her and got that figured out.  I left there right after 6.  The boys took over a movie and a bunch of crayons and stuff, so I prayed they’d keep themselves busy, and not be too much trouble.  I think they did OK.

Right after I dropped them off I called up Kevin and asked where he was at, and we decided he’d meet me there in case there was much wait, as it turns out he arrived there right after me.  As we got there Kevin had them check the gift card to make sure it was still good, and it was, but I think the fact that it was a gift card may have made a difference in the quality of the service, as I feel like there seemed to be little need to try and impress us, maybe that had something to do with my mismatched outfit, thought I had found the time to actually put on some make-up, some jewelry and blow out my hair.

I guess there was a Wedding in their main ballroom.  So we were placed in a side room overlooking the fountain off the side at about 6:20.  Their colors there are cobalt and gold, SO pretty! Their chairs and carpets are so pretty, and they have the coolest lights all around, take a look at their gallery, it’s pretty.  Deep blues and golden hues are my favorite at the moment, so I was in visual heaven, though I managed to keep my camera in my bag, and yes, I took it with me, LOL!

(Photo snagged from their website not mine)

Our waiter took his time, but was kind.  We both ordered cranberry juice.  They brought us a bread basket with a side of flavored olive oil.  That was fun to try.

Kevin ordered~

Bisteca

wood grilled fennel crusted bone in ribeye 16oz topped with pickled heirloom tomatoes and extra virgin olive oil 38

For a screaming deal (yes I’m exaggerating) at 38 or rather $38.

I ordered~

Zucca

roasted butternut squash soup with crème fraiche and toasted pumpkin seeds 8

~and~

Tortellini

pasta stuffed with smoked duck and ricotta, dried cherries, toasted pistacchio bianco sauce 20

After waiting around for quite some time we got our Tortellini and Bisteca.  Kevin’s food was excellent.  It was flavorful, well cooked all the way through, presented beautifully, it was NOT covered in tomatoes… Kevin says the menu we got lastnight did not list tomatoes.  It was presented with a side of delicious asparagus spears, and a cube of herb butter on top, it was gorgeous.  The waiter forgot my soup, so he said he’d be right back with it, but I didn’t see it for at least a half hour.  The nuts and raisins on my tortellini (I guess they didn’t have the dried cherries), and the sauce was so good.  I’d never had duck before, so at first it was delicious, reminded me of a smoked chicken and bacon medley, then it just was too fatty for me, and the pinkness of the meat didn’t do much for me, I know duck is pink even when cooked, but it just looked unappetizing.  My soup was well presented, yummy, thicker than expected, but tasted a little too much like baby food.  The nuts were sooo good.  But there wasn’t enough butternut squash flavor for me.   I think I’ll be making myself some soon, just for fun, and if the boys don’t see it before the blender, who knows, maybe they’ll like it too.

We asked the waiter for a dessert menu and there were 2 desserts with chocolate, one chocolate espresso cake (um, no thanks) and Godiva chocolate cheesecake, Yummy!  I ordered that and Kevin ordered the Italian Cream Cake. TO GO since we were already at around 7:30, and I wanted to be back to the babysitter by 8.  About 15 minutes later, after feeling a bit ignored, the waiter came and asked if we’d like our parking validated, and let me know that the chocolate cheesecake was JUST NOW coming out of the oven and would need to chill before being able to be sliced.  Where was he all this time?  Our tab had already been tallied and the gift card charged, so I decided upon a fruit truffle, which turned out to be a mini apple pie with fresh blueberries, blackberries and raspberries, which I didn’t even touch till breakfast. The crust was not very pastry like, more yeast bread like, but it was yummy.  I’m still sad about that cheesecake.  Kevin’s Cake looked yummy, I can’t say about how it tasted though, or even if he’s eaten it…

We debated back and forth about going outside and getting some pictures at the fountain, we were short on time, but this most definitely was a last chance, and it only took a couple of minutes, so we went for it, and then drove like mad to the babysitters.

Kevin in his shirt from Guatemala, standing in front of the fountains, the grate just in front if him goes down two stories, he had fun standing there, I didn’t care to look, LOL!

Me in front of the fountain.  Some may recognize that this if fairly similar to Kevin’s facebook profile picture, accept his is of him pushing a stroller with Aiden in it.

According to the boys, Stephanie, and John all was well and they had a good time, Aiden even went potty there TWICE!  He’s getting really close to being potty trained, goot thing, cause he’ll be 4 in two weeks, but that’s another post.