W. has emailed, tonight's dinner is pasta with collard greens pesto. And this comes from where? Review tomorrow. Note to self: don't tell W. about blog post.

Meanwhile, Philoxenia. Lovely space, highly recommended for a winter meal. Homey and spacious at the same time. Neat trick. Service was almost excellent on technical grounds, but I'll give them even higher marks for the really nice way they handled TS's blasting of a water glass's contents all over the table -- twice.

Now I get it: reminds me of when I was a TS. The four of us would go out to dinner every Friday night, a ritual. M&D had a shop of sorts in Great Neck, my brother and I would either train there from our house further up the line, or they'd come get us, depending on the location of the restaurant du jour. One year, it was Sta Via on Port Blvd. Another it was Ray's in Little Neck (or maybe that was Sunday nights?). M&D, people of habit. I miss that. Just not our style these days (or our wallets).

Anyways, as you can see from the post below, Philoxenia was a birthday hit-the-spot. Birthdays and me, low-key, please. Place was about 3/4 full, Saturday night around 7, meal almost European in its duration. No one's rushing anyone out the door. Greek salad, extensive, lovely, very very fresh. The pita bread just kept coming, pleasing TS and TD to no end, interesting olive dip with it. Half-carafe of something red I couldn't for the life of me spell here (you'll know the one), well worth the small price, generous pour. Grilled octopus, simple oil & vinegar compatriot, firm but almost creamily so in parts, excellent. What's that leave? TS's lamb stew (a weekend special), he loved it but he's a good eater. TD went simple, chicken souvlaki, she was pleased and that's an effort. Can't recall W's but I liked it, hold on, hold on...nope, not coming to me. And for me, the grilled salmon, very nice, no stepping out with it but wasn't much in the mood for bold and daring. Highly recommend the fries, dusted with parmesan cheese and oregano. Dandelion greens also really cleanly cooked and flavorful, needs salt thrown on them. Skipped dessert, after all, waiting at home was the birthday cake (four individual pieces from Buttercup; too many Thanksgiving Day leftovers to get a whole one).

Philoxenia? On the "Frank Bruni Would Rank It Thusly If Only He Would Step Away From Lower East Side Sushi Joints" scale: two stars, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, and the parts were pretty darn good.

Whose Birthday Is It, Again?

And so it was that I found myself contemplating my birthday-dinner destination. Original thought had us (wife, teenage daughter, teenage son) going to Aquagrill, even if that outrageously good salmon BLT isn't available at dinner; TD doesn't eat things that swim, but then again, what does she eat? chicken was available; it's just a first-class joint w/out first-class prices.

But something was wrong. There just wasn't any...momentum. Maybe it was the gray overhanging weather. Maybe it was New York in November. Maybe it was time for someplace new. Maybe I just wanted to take a long walk and eat dinner at the end of it; Aquagrill is a medium-length subway ride away.

I say to W, what think maybe we don't go to Aquagrill. Ok, she replies, a bit too readily. First warning sign. I'm thinking maybe we walk and then eat. Ok, she replies, second warning sign. Go to Astoria? I say. Sure thing! It's the most life I've seen in her all day. We look at each other. We live at one end of 36th Ave. It's about a 30-minute hop (note to self: try the Palace fried chicken) up to the strip by the yellow-line trains. The Cuban is solid, the Brazilian stuff-yourself place entices, arepas, crepes, no shortage of options. Then, bing, light bulb: Philoxenia. I mention it. W's eyes light up like Christmas trees. We just happen to have a review of it right here, she says, and opens the folder where she collects all the interesting food things I find, cut out and then forget about. Philoxenia clearly had momentum. And chicken should be available (try to find a menu online...).

Off we go. W doesn't even complain about the weather. TS -- how does he do it -- listens to his I-Pod and carries on a conversation all the way there. Should he go to college or straight to the major leagues? :) I wish I had such problems. TD is a Chatty Cathy. I'm just happy they're happy. And this is what makes it a happy birthday.

Happy birthday, Dad!

Hi, Dad! Happy birthday a day early :)

You're always talking about how you could write about food so well...so here, a blog.  Go forth and write.

Love, Chloe

P.S.: Feel free to change the name, or delete this one blog entirely and start a new one.  I had no ideas for the name, sorry!