Fall \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Samhain Moon<\/p>\n
Jazz at Barbette. \u00a0Kate and I have begun to go, every once in a while, to the jazz and dinner combinations co-ordinated by Kevin Barnes of KBEM. \u00a0Tonight the meal was at Barbette and the music, jazz guitar, by his brother, Brian Barnes.<\/p>\n
If you’ve not been to Barbette, it’s a stainglass lights, art of many qualities on the walls kind of place coupled with the sort of small, but beautiful presentations that mean you’ve just paid a lot for the meal. Tables are set somewhat close together and there was, at least tonight, a genuine air of bonhomie. \u00a0The wait staff are quick, delicate and attentive.<\/p>\n
Each course had a different craft or Belgian beer associated with it so I passed mine to Kate. \u00a0The first, a Duvel, came with the pretzel course. \u00a0Never have I seen pretzels so daintily and prettily presented and accompanied by a hot mustard sauce, a shallot marmalade and a wonderful gouda cheese sauce. \u00a0Tasty.<\/p>\n
The second, a\u00a0Maredsous, came with gravlax, collard greens and small discs of grits. Sounds weird, but it was pretty good. \u00a0The third, a Chouffe, graced a strange and new food experience for me, pork belly. \u00a0Now when I say pork belly you may think of bacon but in this case I believe they cut a square section out of a pork belly and cooked it. \u00a0I have a very broad palate, more gourmand than gourmet, and I like most things, but this had way too much fat for my taste. \u00a0And, of course, I didn’t have the Chouffe to wash it down with. Quel\u00a0domage.<\/p>\n
The final dish was a deconstructed smore with a square of marshmallow topped by a scatter of broken nuts, a tablespoon size and shape piece of ice cream all on a swoosh of chocolate. Outside my low to no carb emphasis, as was the pretzel, but I went ahead anyway. \u00a0Pretty good.<\/p>\n
We had a university lecturer and her husband, a businessman and his wife, and two militant atheists, one of whom worked for the health insurance industry at our table.<\/p>\n
In these settings I find listening to conversation can be a challenge though Barbette wasn’t terrible.<\/p>\n
A fun evening. \u00a0Oh, and every one said oh! when they asked where we were from and we said Andover. \u00a0“So far.” \u00a0“That’s a ways.”<\/p>\n
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Fall \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Samhain Moon Jazz at Barbette. \u00a0Kate and I have begun to go, every once in a while, … Continue reading Far Out<\/span>