Thalia

[ceebeegee]

Last night Jason took me out to eat at a restaurant of my choice, to pay off the bet he lost to me about Star Wars. Paula joined us as well. We ate at a restaurant I've always wanted to try but never have, Thalia at the corner of 8th Avenue and 50th Street. What a delightful experience in every way--the food was fantastic, every bite. Paula and I ordered the baby spinach salad (with candied walnuts, roasted apple slices and a maple syrup vinaigrette) and the crab cake appetizers to share, and Jason got this mushroom, polenta and truffle reduction combo. Then Paula and I each ordered pumpkin crusted scallops, and I think Jason got either the halibut or the salmon. We tried to figure out what to drink with this and settled on a nice fruity white wine--I generally prefer red but if there's a white with some fruity/berryish notes to it, I like those. (I am no oenophile so bear with my utilitarian vocabulary!) For dessert we shared the chocolate tasting plate. I will say, all that rich food is a little difficult on my system right now, and I had a hard time sleeping last night but it was worth it--I had such a good time. The wine was so good, and it was wonderful spending time with my ducklings. I also loved the atmosphere--environment is a big part of my enjoyment at a restaurant, and this place had beautiful colors, all warm oranges and browns and recessed lighting and shadow boxes. I found it interesting that the restaurant "works" as an upscale environment, considering that 1) it's on 8th Avenue which can be poretty honky-tonk, because it's so close to Times Square, and 2) it's so big. But with the proper lighting and layout, you can achieve intimacy anyway. A work of design genius!

Thank you Jason!!

Comments

[alexlady.livejournal.com]

i've walked by that place a million times, but i could never find anyone who could vouch for it. that sounds wonderful!

i like the words "reduction" and "crusted."

[mollyx.livejournal.com]

Well, we can all now vouch.
Get the polenta. I'm not saying the salad wasn't delicious (it was), or that crab cakes weren't yummy (they were).
But if you want that "Oh My God" feeling where your eyes roll into the back of your head, get... the polenta.

[ceebeegee.livejournal.com]

Uh, yeah. It was like sex. Seriously. "Last night Jason, Paula and I had sex together!"

[kellygirlnyc.livejournal.com]

Huh. I'm glad you liked it. Put a bad taste in my mouth when Letham and I went in terms of service, but we didn't have any food. Maybe that makes up for it.

My drink was knocked over on the bar and spilled all over me. The bartender paused in his conversation with a pretty girl to throw me a rag, and never refilled my drink. Nice.