Pilgrimage

Happy New Year from us to you!

And God bless Revolver Restaurant in Findlay, Ohio.

FD and I made the pilgrimage (a very quick 25 minute drive) down there for a very special New Year's Eve dinner. And I couldn't be happier about it.

Seriously, I'm going through Revolver withdrawal as I write this.

Some of you may remember my review of Revolver and its fantastic bathroom when FD and I went there for our 2nd wedding anniversary.

We loved it so much we HAD TO go back for New Year's Eve. Like I called the week before Thanksgiving to make reservations and they had to call me back because they hadn't figured out the NYE dinner services yet. Now that's LOVE!

The whole experience was heavenly. I recently wrote a Facebook friend, "A Revolver meal is love in food form."

First, it was Beatles night, which meant that we heard the Beatles the entire 3 hours we were dining. If you were raised on the Beatles and heart the Beatles like I do, then you can imagine how rad it was to eat such delicious food while listening to "Here Comes the Sun," "Something," "Two of Us," "I've Got A Feeling," and many, many other rad hits.

FD started the meal with a Barrel House Brewing Co. "Red Legg" Ale, a home-run from a Cincinnati brewing company.

One of the boatload of things I adore about Revolver: They use local products--produce and meats from local farms and beers brewed in Ohio. See what I mean when I say God Bless them?!

I started the night with the tastiest Cosmo ever made. Yum.

We spent quite a few moments talking to Debi, co-owner of Revolver. She knew who I was because she came across my review of Revolver and my post declaring my undying love for Revolver's bathroom. Which, may I mention, Debi and her staff sterilized and wiped down SEVERAL times WHILE we were there on NYE. Seriously, can I get another God Bless?!

The food on New Year's Eve was even better than our summer visit. I trust restaurants where they out-do themselves consistently, not just blow your mind the first time--like, sadly, Cohen and Cooke when they were on Main Street in Bowling Green.

For a complete photo journal of the eight course New Year's Eve Dinner, visit Flickr. But I'll give you a little teaser.

Amuse Bouche: American Sturgeon caviar with banana, avocado, cucumber, and creme fraiche. Imagine a small salty, sweet fruity party in your mouth, then multiply it by a billion of fun. That's this dish.

Course 1: Fois gras with golden raisins, currants, grapes, and toasted brioche. It was my first time tasting fois gras. I was scared. I am no longer scared. Instead I am addicted.

Course 2: Sea scallop with braised oxtail and orange-ginger reduction. OK, I'm totally allergic-will-die-from-shelled-seafood, so Chef Micheal made me special truffle-butter raviolis with braised oxtail. I'm special and very lucky. This was purely winter comfort food. Think pot roast but waywayway tastier.

Course 3: Duck consomme with sage and rutabega noodles. So delectable we used our rolls to help lick our bowls clean. Without our rolls, I think we would have for-real licked our bowls with our tongues. Gorgeous presentation too.

Course 4: Roasted monkfish with veal sweetbreads and celery root-apple puree. Monkfish is my new favorite fish--so moist and mild but completely perfect with the sweetbreads, which tasted like a crispy, juicy chicken wing pumped with crack. I was scared of sweetbreads before too. Right now I'm totally craving them. Most people are really scared of these delicacies like sweetbreads, but I firmly believe that's because they haven't had them served correctly. My philosophy is if I'm going to go big and eat at sweet restaurants like Revolver, I must be willing to try new things. Otherwise, I should be eating at Applebee's or the wretched Reverend Chico's. (Yuck.) (Sidenote: I wasn't really crazy about the puree. It just didn't seem like part of the dish like all the components in the other dishes. It seemed more like an after-thought. But I'm no Gordon Ramsay...)

Course 5: Lamb with homemade merguez sausage, calypso beans and roasted red peppers. This dish was my favorite. The absolute perfect winter comfort food. The lamb was cooked perfectly, and with the sausage, beans, and pepper, it had all the seasoning it needed. (Yes, I loved it so much I forgot to take a picture of it before I started eating. Ooops...)

Course 6: Fiddlehead tomme with pancetta and apple crumble. Imagine a rich salty and sweet almost dessert with the tang of Swiss cheese. Mmmmmm....

Course 7: Angel food bread pudding with tangerine ice cream and eggnog served warm. Exactly what I imagine the food in heaven tasting like. Absolutely perfect.

If after reading the menu, you're still not convinced, then I guess you're just going to have to go to Revolver and taste it for yourself. Seriously, if you live in Northwestern Ohio or anywhere in the vicinity (hell, if you would travel anywhere for food), you MUST go to Revolver. The prices are beyond affordable for the priceless food and the phenomenal customer service. At least experience a meal there once on a really special occasion. I know for sure if you do, you'll go back again and again. And if you go, tell them "the girl who wrote a blog post about the bathroom" sent you.

One last thing I just can't overlook:

Dear Jack-ass-Who-Sat-At-The-4-Top-Next-to-Us, next time you go to a "nice" restaurant act your age, not a fool, and drink some water in-between your one-too-many beers. You were grossly rude to the staff and inconsiderate of the diners around you as well as your obviously-embarrassed girlfriend, who should dump your f'-ing ass ASAP.

Love, Revolver's-#1-Fans.