He works so I can eat

Ok, so I didn't quite come up with the title for this blog post on my own. My fabulous fiance may have been poking fun of my current part-time working status and my attempt at becoming a super blogger so that I can fulfill my dream of meeting Anthony Bourdain when he sarcastically said "he works so she can eat". But lately, it seems as if the benefits of Carl working have heavily benefitted my foodie palette. The most recent "working" dinners I've gotten to attend with Carl have been oh-so delicious, with a pricy bill to match. The best part, neither of them came out of our pockets! Enjoying a nice meal complete with wine always tastes better when the bill isn't hanging over our heads. The first meal we enjoyed together was compliments of Carl's insurance dealer. Apparently discussing the oh-so-exciting topic of disability insurance means a delicious meal.

We met our insurance date at the W Ft. Lauderdale's signature restaurant "Steak 954". I immediately knew our experience at the restaurant was going to be one to remember as we walked past their jellyfish tank. I must say, if I weren't so starving I could have stared into the tank full of mesmerizing jellyfish for hours. If you ever find yourself visiting Steak 954, please allow sufficient "jellyfish staring time", as it only enhances what is going to be a top notch dining experience.

Once at our table on the patio, we took advantage of South Florida's seasonal delicacy, Stone Crab. Stone Crab season just started a few weeks go, so of course Stone Crab found it's way onto Steak 954's appetizer specials menu. We each indulged in one giant crab claw which was the quintessential stone crab experience. Arriving at our table perfectly chilled, it was accompanied with a dipping sauce that I honestly couldn't even tell you about. It was not needed. The meat of the crab was the star of the dish. For those of you who are looking for a "green" dining experience, my future father-in-law puts it best when describing Stone Crab as the perfect "green" food. Stone Crabs can regenerate their claws. The law dictates that when one of these crabs is caught, only one claw can be removed, and the crab must be thrown back so that it can regenerate that claw for next season. This means that no crabs were harmed in the making of this dish. Actually, I have no idea if yanking off a crab's claw hurts or endangers the crab's risk of survival in any way, but hey it's a pretty cool concept! The claws were about the size of my fist, and they were pre-cracked for easy dining. The meat was cold and succulent, and it tasted like it had been swimming that morning.

Since moving to Ft. Lauderdale, my personal goal has been to eat more seafood. Yes, it's ironic, but I find steak restaurants are great places for a wonderful piece of fish. That evening, snapper was featured on the menu, so I opted for the snapper while Carl opted for a nice piece of red meat. The fish was as fresh as the seabreeze that kept us cool that evening. The fish was fileted but served with all the bones in tact, which I believe enhanced the flavor. Yes, the bones prove tricky for eating, but the work was worth it! I also had to taste Carl's steak, as I'm a true steak lover at heart! Steak 954 does not mess around, the steak was cooked to a perfect medium-rare and the seasonings took a back seat so that the true flavors of the meat could shine through. Overall, the entire dining experience at Steak 954 was one I'd love to repeat again soon. Our server knew the menu like the back of his hand, and even suggested several wines. There was no need to call over the sommelier, although if we would have requested the sommelier's help I'm sure he would have indulged us with a smile on his face. Our meal lasted over two hours, and we never once felt rushed by our server who generously kept our wine and water glasses full. I guess discussing insurance benefits does, indeed, have it's benefits!

Tony can you hear me?

I had a foodie revelation the other day. Being a foodie is the things careers are made of. The Food Network is a cash cow, the Travel Channel is less about Travel as it has become about food, and even Bravo (the home of the Housewives) has jumped into the food obsessed culture of today by hosting shows that attract fabulous ratings like Top Chef. There are probably hundreds of thousands of food bloggers, and I am just another little fish swimming in the sea of food blogging. I do love food, and I do love blogging, but I'm no Perez Hilton here. I've been around the world, and I've done my fair share of eating. I can check eating in Italy off my list, I can check eating in Paris off my list, and I can now check eating in Thailand off my list. However, in life everyone has to have that one seemingly unreachable goal. Something that is so outlandish that if it ever does come true, it's as good as winning the multi-million dollar lottery jackpot. My absolutely absurdly laughable goal is to meet Anthony Bourdain. No, I don't mean I want to meet him on the streets of any given city in a whirlwind encounter where I forget my own name and hastily ask him where I should spend 7 bucks on a cheap meal he recommends, but I really want to sit down with Anthony Bourdain at a small unassuming eating establishment that serves something like foi gras on top of escargot with a touch of truffle salt. Tony not only goes to the El Bulli's of the world, but he finds the true hidden gems of our great cities and he lets the world know that McDonalds and Dairy Queen aren't the grand gourmet, but that the tiny establishment down the street that can whip up incredibly creative and fresh meals in a charismatic fashion are the places we should be investing our dining experiences. Because, really, everytime we enter a restaurant and order a three course meal it is an experience that should be savored. The real allure that Anthony Bourdain has is his lack of stuffiness. He doesn't dress in a designer suit and expect someone to kiss his ass, he just expects someone to wow him with a creative dish and some great food. At the end of the day, that's what I want my blog to be about- delivering fabulous food finds to the everyday person. Of course, every once in a while I'm going to get dressed up and spend an exorbitant amount of money on a meal that is, indeed, going to blow me away. However, for the most part, I just want to find delicious food that isn't served from a drive-thru window. One day, perhaps I'll be at the forefront of food blogging and Anthony Bourdain will film a show in my city. Maybe one day I'll get a phone call from his producers saying they would like me to be his tour guide for one afternoon and Carl and I can show him our favorite hot spots. Until then, though, I'll come back down to reality and keep on dreaming the impossible dream! I'll work on my dry sarcasm, and learn how to be a real badass. I'll avoid ritzy brunches that serve the unmentionable eggs benedict (thanks for the tip Anthony), and I'll keep exploring the cities I live in through the food they have to offer. And, hey Tony, if you're ever in South Florida, don't hesitate to give me a call.