Friday Night Fun

Last night's dinner at 309 was fabulous. We enjoyed ourselves so much that I neglected to take any photos of the evening save this one of Chad with my leftovers bag:

We began the evening by meeting up with our friends at Tavern on Prospect, a quaint but chic little pub located in the same area as 309. While there we toasted to Jennifer's birthday and I presented her with a small birthday gift in a Twilight series gift bag. She is a total Twihard and I think it may have been her favorite part of the whole night.

Following the fun at Tavern on Prospect, we headed over to 309. Just as the last time we were there, the place was bustling. Even with the slight crowd, we were warmly greeted and seated promptly. (This time we were far from the restroom.) Jennifer and I perused the menu while we waited for the guys to square up the bill at Tavern.

After selecting a bottle of wine, the guys rejoined us. We got to work on our entrée selecting. For some reason I was really craving a burger so I went with it. Some Honey Glazed Winter Squash also caught my attention so I ordered that as a side. Chad decided on the Tuna Nicoise salad with Wild Mushroom and Truffle Oil Risotto. Tonight's selection were a little out of the ordinary for us, normally I order the salad and Chad's ordering the burger. We also started with a small plate of tasty calamari.

Every morsel of food I ate was delicious. My burger ordered to medium done-ness was superb. The crispy garlic fries were exactly what I needed. However, I must say that the honey glazed winter squashes made such an impression that I need to attempt duplication. Even though I quickly reached stuffed status, we finished the meal with the Rockslide Brownie. There is always room for dessert. It was tasty but not the best I have had.

Chad was pleased with his salad too. I stole a bite of his risotto and it was interesting and great-tasting. Our dining companions raved about their meals as well. A fantastic dining experience.

On a slightly less gourmet level, I neglected to document Thursday night's dinner with an entry. Tilapia with Shallots and Marsala was front and center for our night flanked by asparagus and brown rice. The original recipe called for broccoli as a side but I swapped it in favor of the asparagus - turned out out to be a great decision. Chad gobbled this right up!

Another exciting night planned tonight. We are headed to one of our favorite Illinois wineries, Willet's Winery in Manito for the best thing ever, Wine & Dine. I can't wait. Up first, a 10-miler followed by Body Pump with Liz!