Friday Night

The Friday night ritual used to consist of eating at the best restaurant in town.  It's this hole-in-the-wall, and as you know, those are always the best kinds.  

There's this great one in Anchorage called Ski and Benny.  I wish I had one of their salads right now.  They were so good!  And the dressing...   Everything that you order from there is just wonderful, and you can always eat for 2 days off of one meal.  (That comes in handy, especially on those snowy days.)  It isn't just the always hot food or the overabundance of food.  I think what makes it so great is that they know their customers...whether you're stopping by to pick up an order, or whether it's being delivered, they know who you are.  

Well, that's how this place is here in town.  BUT it's being sold, and I know that when the new owners take over, the service and hospitality and atmosphere won't be there.  I don't know "without a doubt" know but I know "Tupac is still alive" know.  (Meaning I can't prove it, but it's my gut feeling.)  It'll be worth paying a visit just to check it out when the new owner takes over, but that's about it.  Call me cynical, or cuckoo, or stubborn but it just won't be the same.  A new Friday night ritual will have to be started.  This may mean that I have to start cooking again on Friday nights.  Don't get me wrong--I love to cook. I love almost everything about it.....except for figuring out what I'm gonna cook and then cleaning up afterwards.  :)  I love the smells of spices and sauces and deciding for how long those noodles really need to cook.  I love the sound of the knife cutting through the onion, but not the tear gas emitted by the onion.  As much as I enjoy the culinary life, it is nice to take a break once every few days.

It's like another restaurant back home. You definitely want to visit at lunch b/c the manager is there, keeping everybody on their feet and conversing with the customers.  I remember stopping in there a couple of years after having moved away and he actually remembered where I had moved to!  I thought that was so neat!

So, here's a toast to your Friday Night Ritual and may it ever be what you hoped for!  :p

-T