Special Occasion Dinner... Animal!

Day 4: (actual birthday)

Did someone say hominy? Or more accurately crispy hominy with lime. Animal had me after reading just the second starter on the menu. I mean how many places are there where one can find hominy these days? Now that I think about it, the last time I had hominy other than in a rare serving of pasole to cure a hangover, was at my childhood daycare center. I know it may sound strange that at a daycare I ate hominy but for some reason the cooks at the childrens center often created dishes I would not have found at home or else where. They made grits with cheese, chicken chalupas, and my favorite the a simple steamed hominy. Many a night I have dreamt of that fluffy sweet corn like taste.

The menu was mouthwatering. R and I ordered:

the crispy hominy with lime

lettuces with sumac vinaigrette, beets, avocado and feta pita

pork belly with kimchi, peanuts, chili soy and scallions

branzino with artichokes, leeks, potato and green garlic as our entree

... and the housemade pound cake with strawberries and cream for desert (you gotta have at least a version of cake on your birthday right!)

The hominy was devilishly simple and perfect. Lightly battered and seasoned with salt and pepper, squeeze a little lime on top and next thing you know all the hominy is gone and you are left wanting more. The pork belly was like butter. The vibrant kimchi and peanut sauce accentuated each crispy buttery bite. Even the lettuces were more than your average salad. The light sumac dressing allowed the lettuces and the beets to speak for themselves. A sprinkling of feta and a crumble of pita chips only made each bit brilliant. That was just the start and the entree proved to be just as fantastic. The branzino was crunchy, flaky and light.

The space is small, modern, and acoustically sound. Dim lighting, dark wood tables and bare light bulbs on the wall, the restaurant was as aesthetically pleasing as the food. We sipped the Hollis pinot noir, reflected on the splendor that was our meal, gazed lovingly into each others eyes and anticipated desert. We opted for the housemade poundcake with fresh strawberries and whipped cream. While the bacon chocolate crunch bar was tempting I thought it might be a bit too much after such a full meal. The poundcake was light and moist and the strawberries ripe. The perfect end to a perfect meal that culminated the perfect birthday weekend!