Michelle and Lori were in town on their way back from showing their Twin Cakes baked goods at the Boston Marathon Expo. I'd met Michelle at Foodbuzz back in February, and I was glad I finally got to meet Lori, too!
We were seated in the private back room, which I'd never seen before. It was a bit more airy and rustic than the rest of the restaurant- it must be especially beautiful in the summer time!
Before getting to the food, I ordered the Master Cleanse-Tini: lemon, maple syrup, cayenne and sake. I'm coming down with a little cold so I was apprehensive about getting a drink, but I think the cayenne actually helped clear up my sinuses a bit. Or at least that's what I'm telling myself ;)
For my entree, I ordered an old favorite: the Zucchini, Local Roma and Heirloom Tomato Lasagna, with basil pistachio pesto, sun-dried tomato marinara, and macadamia pumpkin seed ricotta.
I had this dish on my birthday and loved it, and the second round definitely didn't disappoint. So creamy and rich, yet surprisingly light. I never wanted it to end!
Lori got the Pad Thai with Kelp Noodles and Baby Bok Choy, served with snow peas, king oyster mushrooms, tamarind sauce, sesame salted cashews and cilantro oil:
And Michelle got an heirloom tomato stuffed with some kind of curry cauliflower. They just changed the menu, and this was a brand-new dish- it's not even on the website yet!
All evening, I was waffling on whether or not to order dessert. I've passed on the last two occasions I've visited Pure/One Lucky Duck, and ultimately decided that I've been a good girl for long enough. I caved and ordered my all-time favorite dessert: the Mint Sundae, with chocolate, fresh mint and mint chip ice creams, mint chocolate cookies, chocolate sauce and vanilla cream.
Michelle got one, too!
And Lori went with the Trio of Dark Chocolate Coated Indian Spiced Ice Cream Treats: chocolate cardamom coconut ice cream cone, pistachio gelato ice cream sandwich, and chai tea creamsicle.
Absolute, complete and utter bliss. To be completely honest, one of the reasons I was hesitant to order dessert was because I worried about looking like a Lent failure when I posted it. Documenting a large portion (though not all) of my daily eats comes with a sense of accountability, and while sometimes that accountability is a positive thing- I'm constantly encouraged to try new foods and eat plenty of vegetables- I need to remember that the biggest accountability I have is towards myself. I am human, and sometimes I am powerless in the face of chocolate. That doesn't make me a bad person, or an unhealthy eater, or a bad blogger. Yeah, in terms of Lent I had a moment of weakness, but my point is that I shouldn't worry about how that weakness looks to anyone else. It's my body, my Lenten resolution, and my choice. Besides...that sundae was so worth it ;)
Though the food was absolutely phenomenal, the company was what really made this meal so special. Lori and Michelle are truly sweet, genuine people who have a tremendous passion and work ethic for what they do. It was informative and inspirational to hear about their experiences, as well as just to chat and get to know them better. I honestly felt like I was with friends I'd known for years- we spent two and a half hours in the restaurant! It was one of the best meet-ups I've been to, and I was truly sad to say goodbye at the end of the night.
And now, I'm off to bed. Gotta sleep off this cold...or maybe just find myself a few more Master Cleanse-Tinis? 'Night!
