One of the essential ingredients I need to be really at home in a city or town is the feeling that I have a place. Cue "Cheers" theme song: you know, the kind of place where everybody knows your name. It is the place where I feel at home when I walk through the door. When I lived in Berkeley, CA, the Cheeseboard, where I went nearly every morning for a scone and a cup of coffee, was my place. In Syracuse the Lucky Moon Cafe, on East Genesee Street, has become my place. I'm frequently there for breakfast--or just to hang out when I need a break.
Lunch and dinner are a different story. From the moment I discovered it last summer BC Restaurant on Fayette Street in Armory Square has been MY PLACE. Valentines Day, birthday, entertaining out of town guests, or because I just feel like it, are all reasons to get to BC. With its fresh, mostly locally sourced food, inventive (for Syracuse) menu, and consistently great food and service BC has become a second home of sorts. After living in Berkeley where we often walked to Chez Panisse for lunch or dinner and frequented such wonderful places as Oliveto in Oakland, Cafe Rouge in Berkeley, and Absinthe and Citizen Cake in San Francisco, my husband and I grew accustomed to really great food. Thank God for the folks at BC--they make it possible for us to really enjoy Syracuse.
So today, reveling in my last few days of vacation, I took myself to lunch at BC. Actually, I go to BC for lunch often--though dinner is more of a treat, lunch is quite affordable. But make no mistake, after a full morning of hard work in the garden, I totally splurged on a simple but dedcadent meal.
It is said that you can tell the greatness of a restaurant by its simplest dishes. So without needing to see the menu (which Sean, my waiter, correctly surmised I had commited to memory) I ordered the grilled cheese sandwich. You can tell by the photo how delicous it was--grilled Tuscan bread with layers of sharp cheddar cheese and fresh, local tomatoes (from Tierra Farm outside Skaneateles) and country-style mustard. The greens were perfectly dressed in a light viniagrette--the perfect accompaniament.
As if that weren't rich enough--I asked for creme brulee for dessert (the Eat Local Challenge will be easy today 'cause I'm not eating much else for the rest of the day). Creme Brulee tends to be one of those overdone desserts that appears on the menu of "upscale" restaurants. I'm always surprised at how easy it is to get it a bit wrong. Remember, the greatness of a restaurant.... This creme brulee was just right--creamy but not cloying with a sugar crust that cracked like fine glass under my spoon. I savored each and every bite. And what price, this decadence? My food bill was just over $12.00. And you know how it goes...the experience of a fabulous meal in a place that feels like home--Priceless.
BC. My place. Should be yours too.
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