Sunday, June 04, 2006
Bastone, Part Deux
Tuesday night, I invited my folks to stop by the house and check out my newly re-finished hardwood floors (amazing!). Usually, the only way I get them to drive ALL THE WAY out to Ferndale from Sterling Heights is by giving them the promise of food. See, in their parts, they're hard pressed to find ANY restaurant (other than a mom-and-pop coney island) that doesn't belong to some chain: Ruby Tuesday, Olive Garden, Don Pablo's...you get the drift. So, whenever they come over here, they know they're in for something different: big, greasy food at Polish Village in Hamtramck, stylish Korean at Shilla, upscale Mediterranean at Assaggi.
This time, I wanted to introduce them to the wonders of Belgian cuisine at Bastone. I knew they would enjoy the steamed mussels, but I didn't realize how much. They were in awe of the open, classy decor of the place, the total feeling that they were in a completely different city outside of Metro Detroit. I explained that the best way to eat there, if you're not particularly starving, is to order a bunch of appetizers and share. So, my dad ordered their house salad, which was loaded with fresh greens tossed in a sherry vinaigrette, and topped with caramelized pecans. By the way he raved, you would've thought it was the best salad in the word--I think it was the pecans. My mom had a bowl of the potato-leek soup, thick and hearty, with a smoky background from the bacon. I had just enjoyed the same during my last visit, the week prior. I ordered for the table Bastone's signature steamed mussels, fried calamari (a family staple), and pomme frites, and my dad and I each had a pint of the beer special, a nice Belgian brown ale.
OMG, my parents DEVOURED everything! Todd had called during his break from class, and asked that I bring him home whatever leftovers we had. There were none to be had! My parents loved every bite of that meal, and I was so happy to introduce them to something new. I could tell, as my mom kept asking for directions from their own house, and was busily trying to figure out particular landmarks so they wouldn't miss it ("Okay, it's on the opposite corner from Barnes & Noble, right?").
I stopped by CVS on the way home and picked up a half-gallon of Stroh's Sanders Bumpy Cake Ice Cream for Todd, as an apology for coming home empty handed from Bastone.
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