Which is how I felt today working in the other place.

I never truly appreciated how organized and systematic the veggie place was until I spent today with the other place. It shouldn't even have been that difficult. I worked the dinner shift with a busboy and a bartender so I had plenty of help. Over at the veggie place, I work the entire restaurant (bussing, bartending and serving) for lunch and I never felt as frustrated as I did today. I really don't want to rant too much about it but it was so maddening that I texted Lily today to tell the owner that I accept her offer and will start with the new position at the veggie place on Friday. They will hold a quick meeting with the other servers to announce my new designation. This brings me back to when my old boss announced to the TPC ATC staff that I was replacing their beloved manager. I was very scared my peers would sneer and scheme behind my back. Here's to hoping they respond to me going all Jerry Maguire on them, "Help me, help you. Help.Me.Help.You."

I got home and was soon followed by Mica, then Caitlin and we sat in the kitchen exchanging restaurant stories like lazy co-workers and bad tippers. Oh yeah, we talk about you. Yes you, you know who you are. We servers remember the bad tippers just as much as the good ones. Rest assured the next time you come back, we will have the new and incompetent trainee serve you.

*****


I went to Prune again yesterday because I've really been craving for the bone marrow dish again. I simply had to have it again. I sat down and ordered that as my first course then decided to try their sweetbreads with bacon and capers. I remember watching a video of Gabrielle Hamilton claiming she had the best sweetbreads in town. I don't need to describe the marrow to you, I've done that in an old post already. When I got to the sweetbreads, I soon realized what Louiie was warning me about them tasting too organ-y. I simply couldn't understand what she meant when I tried the Apiary version. Now I know. Prune's dish was lightly breaded and deep fried, then ladeled over with a caper sauce and served with a wedge of lemon. The dish was small but I had the most difficult time trying to wolf it all down. I have to honestly say I did not enjoy it. It had the consistency of liver, which I personally hate (except for foie gras, OF COURSE). There was no flavor to it whatsoever and no amount of sauce could help it. I have to give props to Scott Bryan for making his version over at Apiary absolutely delectable that I ended up licking my plate. I am going back there tomorrow for dinner before I meet up with Mica to watch one of our friend's shows.
Maybe if I wasn't forced to eat a plate of this by myself after I had the roasted marrow dish, I might have a different opinion on it.

I've been reading Service Included and I got a tip from the book about this restaurant in Soho called Blue Ribbon having the best marrow bones in the city. Looks like I'm having another new tasting soon.

...and I spent it alone :)

I woke up and took my time. One thing I hate doing on my off days is rush myself. I took my time getting off of bed, making coffee, breakfast, watching last night's episode of Lost, looking at menus online deciding where to eat for dinner. I decided on Prune after watching an episode of No Reservations where Bourdain is joined by Eric Ripert (of Le Bernadin) and Scott Bryan (of Apiary) where they enjoy a late meal at Gabrielle Hamilton's place. I took my time in the shower, got dressed and headed over to Union Square and ended up where I usually go on my day off, a bookstore. This time I went to Strands and bought a copy of Thomas Keller's cookbook Ad Hoc.
I also bought a copy of Waiter Rant, which is the front of the restaurant's version of Bourdain's Kitchen Confidential. I read an excerpt about verbal tipping and found it both hilarious and relate-able that I had to get it.

I walked around the east village and down to Prune, which was about 14 blocks and two avenues from the bookstore. The place didn't open until 5:30pm so I sat at a cafe and perused through Keller's cookbook as I waited for time to pass. Six o'clock came and I figured it was enough time to let the restaurant open and prepare itself before it welcomed diners. I didn't make reservations since I was once again dining solo. I needn't have worried, I was their first customer. I ordered the roasted marrow bones with parsley salad and the seared duck breast with dandelion greens and raisin-caper dressing. Bourdain has said it again and again, his death row meal would be roasted marrow bones with parsley salad. I shall have to say I agree. Honestly, I could die tomorrow and I would die a happy (wo)man. I will tell you the duck breast was fantastic but the bone marrow was the highlight of my meal. Seriously. It was the BEST.THING.EVER. It was nature's butter. Trying to describe it would be futile. No words can illustrate how simple yet absolutely amazing it was. People started pouring into the restaurant as I devoured my appetizer. A couple sat beside me and as the waitress told them about the bone marrow appetizer being the best selling item on the menu, I sneak a glance and smile at her. She pauses and gestures to me and my marrow stained fingers as if to emphasize her point. I couldn't help myself and told them to get it. "You have to get that, I swear, it is amazing," I tell them. They agreed and order it. Later the man turns to me and says, "Would you like a glass of our French Burgundy with your meal? We ordered a bottle and we won't be able to finish it." I graciously accept and later I surreptitiously tell my server to charge me twice for my dessert and give one to the couple at the next table as soon as they finish their meal. I've been specially lucky with free drinks this week. I forgot to mention that the bartender in Apiary also bought me an extra glass of wine when I was there. I had a glass of riesling prior to the burgundy and was at this point feeling particularly generous and adequately buzzed. I tipped the server more than the usual, ignoring the fact that my meal tonight was one of the, if not THE most expensive solo meal I've ever had. I can say now that it won't be my last.

I was lucky with a cab today. New York City is supposedly notorious for it's difficulty in hailing a cab. I never had that kind of bad luck except when it's raining hard. Tonight, I was at an intersection and didn't even hail a cab. All I did was look at a passing cab and it pulled over a few yards from where I was standing. It took me several seconds to realize that it stopped for me and I ran to it. I needed to make the 7:45pm showing of Shutter Island at a theatre near Union Square. I got there (over tipped the cab driver, it was the alchohol, I tell you) and found that the 7:45 showing was sold out. I quickly checked my phone for the next soonest showtime and found one at a theater right in the middle of new yorker hell and tourist district, Times Square. I normally never go anywhere above 14th st unless I'm taking out of town friends around NYC but it was early and I really didn't want to go home so I went and saw the movie. I don't want to spoil it for people who haven't seen it but it was a really good movie. Martin Scorcese did an awesome job as usual despite the conclusion having a particular resemblance to another movie (you'll know which one I'm referring to when you see it).

I walked out of the theater once again greeted by Times Square's bright lights that it felt like it was 7pm despite it being almost 11pm. I got home and Caitlin walked in soon after bearing a bottle of Jack Daniels. We drink while watching Sabrina (the Audrey Hepburn version) in the living room. My eyes, tired and relatively drunk, gave up halfway through the film and excused myself to my room where I decided to type this post before bed before I let go of today's high.

Louiie, we are going to Prune when you come to NYC next month, and we're ordering the sweetbreads with bacon and caper sauce.

***I'm really buzzed and if there are any grammatical errors or typos in this post, I shall fix them tomorrow morning***