Valentines Day, Dinner without resevations.

Well I have felt the brunt of working at the casual, little, brother tavern;to the four diamond formal dining room. We at the Broad Arrow Tavern, don't take reservations for the dining room , while our sibling restuarant the Maine Dining Room, books right up on weekdays and weekends, the result being that we can handle all the available guests as they need nourishment or drink, The downside is you can get a dinner rush that hits like a Tsunami and lasts for a while; that you didn't even see coming.

Tonight was a rare occassion where all the tables were sat perfectly staggered allowing us great time to put their dishes together with ease and finesse. No scrambling to acheive picture perfect quality. The specials tonight were a Mixed Game Menu. Samplings of wild boar tenderloin, venison chops, and Long Island duck breast. Flageolet Beans and Winter greens gratin. (swiss chard, broccoli raab and spinach all braised in garlic and then coated with fresh herb panko and butter, then browned off.)Served with a roasted mushroom and red wine sauce.

For a different fare we served;
Gulf of Maine fished Filet of Sole
Stuffed with a bacon , asparagus & crabmeat filling, Smothered in lemon beurre blanc sauce with a side of poached asparagus and basmati rice.

Lovely, yet the wonderful thing for me tonight was the volume of Sole that we sold and in pairs,it was tremendous, like 16 orders all night and with great praise from all the servers and from all the guests as well, couples coming up to say that they hadn't ever had better sole in the last twenty years. Many couples mind you. It was like I was making the perfect Valentines Day Dinner for couples who came through Freeport. Great , Happy to oblige, the only thing being I didn't actually have a significant other, no one to take out to dinner myself even if it was later in the week , with that in mind I decided tha I wasn't going to be bitter, I would clear my ego and my mind from the detachment and keep on making dinner without reservations.