White Nights and Beehives

Yesterday was St. Patrick's Day. Rather than brave the loud, crowded, smoke-filled Irish pubs, a group of us made plans to go to a concert at the Kennedy Center.

We started the evening at Notti Bianche, where Fr. Steven wanted to meet for a pre-concert cocktail before meeting the rest of the group at the K.C. I'd had a late lunch in anticipation of our dining after the concert, but he hadn't, so he ordered one of their appetizer sampler plates.

What is it about this new trend in D.C. to serve a single, enormous shrimp with the shell, tail, head, legs, and feelers still on? This is the third time I've seen it in the past week outside of Asian restaurants. Fr. Steven's "bruscetta trio" had one of those shrimps on a white bean puree atop the bread. There was also a prosciutto with fig compote on bread; the third "bruscetta" was a little lame, being three breadsticks and a little bowl of hummus-type chickpea puree for dipping. He was drinking a Colosi Bianco 2004 from Sicily, which I sampled, and I drank a flute of Bisol Prosecco Crede.

After the concert, the three of us survivors scooted over to Cafe La Ruche in Georgetown for a late night repast. Svet had a huge piece of a fruit tart with strawberries, bananas, and big blackberries on creme patisserie on puff pastry. He's had a similar dessert before and we have this ongoing argument about what was used to glaze the fruit. I suppose I could just taste it myself, but I prefer to continue to demand he develop his culinary sensibilities and try to describe it to me himself. He's too intelligent for me to be satisfied with his continuing assertions that he doesn't know and doesn't care. His mother drank a glass of white wine. I had the tourte aux courgettes, a wonderfully flavorful deep-dish pie of zuccini in a bechamel sauce accompanied by a green salad in a light vinegar and oil dressing. The main course food here is such a great bargain! My tourte and salad was only $2 more expensive than Svet's dessert.

And thus we celebrated Saint Patrick's Day.