It’s Here, It’s Here!; Dining at the 17

The official season of the Houston Aeros starts in less that 4 hours!  According to fellow flakkers, it looks like we’re going to have a better team than last year.  Probably because we have a new coach that can better discipline the players.  And holy herbies, batman, my main man, Joel Ward, has the “C’ on his sweater!

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Last night was bachelorette party #1.  This consisted of dinner at 17 Restaurant, which is in the Alden Hotel in downtown H-Town, and dancing at Fix.  I didn’t go to the latter.  I must be showing my age ’cause I regard today’s club music the same old crap played over and over again.  But I digress…

At 17, I had the appetizer of local summer greens (served with figs, marcona almonds and balsamic vinaigrette), the entree of pan roasted duck (served with rainbow chard, ras el hanout and cherries) and a nibble of my cousin’s nemesis’ black truffle mac and cheese.  Also, via compliments from the chef, the party was given a potato-salmon mouse wrap in prosciutto appetizer. 

The black truffle mac and cheese was pretty good.  I was surprised that the “earthy” taste didn’t overtake the flavor. 

The local summer greens salad was pretty good also.  My regret was not ordering the dressing on the side because the salad was almost drowned.  Otherwise, the combination of the sweet figs and sour balsamic vinaigrette made the taste interesting. 

The prosciutto appetizer also intrigued my pallet.  The first taste was salty.  Then again, that’s how prosciutto is.  Then the appetizer gave way to a fish taste: salmon.  Yes, intriguing.

As for my main course, I haven’t had duck in the longest time so my taste buds were anticipating with glee.  And they weren’t disappointed.  The duck was cooked perfect.  To my regret again, I didn’t request the sauce to be served on the side because it totally drowned out the roasted chard, which to me had a bit too much salt. 

Too bad I didn’t get a chance to taste any of the desserts: chocolate pecan tart (served with milk jam and buttermilk ice cream) and gianduja chocolate cheesecake (served with ginger soda sabayon and house made graham crackers).  Just a whiff of them almost lead me into temptation.  The things a type 2 diabetic gives up.