Surviving

[by Mike]

After a long week of some inconsistent fast food (ranging from awesome lamb-fennel schwarma to a terrible Chinese buffet) and lots of tacos (corn tortillas, rotisserie chicken, cucumber, radish, lime, and chipotle salsa) I thought it was time to treat myself to something a little nicer.

My previous searches through Yelp turned up one possibility, Blonde. The lone review wasn't particularly helpful, but it linked to the restaurant's website and, despite the aliased text, the prospect of candied apple and fennel proved to be enough persuasion. In classic Long Island tradition, Blonde was located in a strip mall sandwiched between a hardware store and one hour photo developer. The interior decor, however, was largely unaffected by the neighbors. A few too many candles illuminated a warm color palette and a painted wall with a modern touch.

Spoiled by the cocktail selection in Boston restaurants, I tried starting with and Old Fashioned in the hope they would have a nice rye or two. While they weren't stocking rye, this did have a bottle of Milagro blanco tequila that made for a fine tequila Old Fashioned. After a few sips my appetizer arrived; duck paired with spinach, frisee, raw onions, and candied pecans with a ponzu dressing. While I would have appreciated a few more of the addicting pecans, the array of flavors and textures were great.

The quality of the salad had my hopes raised for the entree, pork loin with sweet potato puree and crispy fried leeks, and I wasn't too disappointed. Although under seasoned and somewhat overcooked, the pork loin had a great crust that kept crisp through the entire meal. Also lacking salt, the sweet puree was soft and full of rich, roasted sweet potato flavor and he leeks were a nice addition, melting in the mouth and providing a base earthy flavor when combined with the rest of the dish. All in all, only a few seasoning adjustments away from a really good dish.

One interesting note is the size of the portions. Accustomed to the, shall we say, delicate servings common in Boston, I was blown away by the size of these dishes. The pure bulk of food certainly helped to assuage the price.

For now it's back to cereal, tacos, and cheap take out as I build up my savings and hunger for the gluttony awaiting my return to Boston.