( continues...) we were celebrating birthdays when we made the reservations.

The dessert explosion:

Organic Buttermilk with White Pepper, Toasted Milk Ice Cream & Nutmeg (So so good.)

Olive Oil Ice Cream with Venezuelan Chocolate & Red Wine (The Venezuelan chocolate was blended with cherries and apricots and millet and GOD.)

Poached White Peaches with Rolled Oats & Lavender (I thought about licking the plate. I almost did.)

Indonesian Chocolate with Pine Nuts & Pandan Broth (I never knew pine nuts and chocolate would go well together. Haven't a clue what Pandan Broth is. Could be made of boiled babies. I didn't care.)

They also brought out something that wasn't on the menu: two servings of Earl Grey Mousse with Dark Chocolate & Caramel Ganache Filling, and a sprig of fresh mint. Bless their hearts.

We quietly made "nom nom nom" lolcat noises at the table. We got more coffee and finished off our red wine. We exclaimed over the coffee. We discovered it was an Intelligentsia blend of beans from Guatemala and Nicaragua. As we finished scraping our spoons across all the plates, they brought us a Charlie Trotter's bag. Inside it were several bags of the coffee we'd made noises over, and two Charlie Trotter's marinades. Organic Thai Barbecue Sauce and Organic Ginger-Soy-Hijiki Sauce.

At this point, roommate and I were staring at each other, dizzy and sated from all the food and wine, and exchanging a look of "OMGWTFBBQ JACKPOT." Bill is paid. We were shuffling around about ready to leave when they asked if we'd like to tour the kitchen. Of course we did. They took us around back where there were tiny television monitors. Through the doorway was the studio kitchen! And tons of people were in it eating! Then we went to the actual kitchen, which was filled with chefs in white jackets and hats, copper pots, cast-iron skillets, an actual wood-burning stove, and a small bank of freezers. They bring everything in fresh every day. Also in the kitchen was a small table filled with people who were experiencing the even-more-expensive Kitchen Table Menu, which is a spontaneous fifteen-course extravaganza.

The chefs at Charlie Trotter's are kind of hot. I am just saying. Possibly it was the food talking.

Then we asked if we could see the wine cellar. We went downstairs to one of the FOUR wine cellars, the red cellar. It was locked and temperature-controlled, small and packed with hundreds of wine bottles, all numbered. Above our heads were four double-magnums of red wines priced at $35,000 each. I was afraid to move, as the power of the klutz runs strong within me. We made it out of the wine cellar without having to take out a bank loan to cover any damages, and finally left around 9:45pm. The valet immediately got us a taxi.

In short, it was amazing, exhausting, and I don't think I could eat like that very often, but damn, I'm glad we did.

In short, it was amazing, exhausting, and I don't think I could eat like that very often,

You could if you married Julia Louis-Dreyfuss.

Holy crap, shrift. That sounds incredible.

I had forgotten that about Louis-Dreyfus, assuming I ever knew it. Good on her for being a pretty productive member of society regardless.

OMG, shrift. I think I could die right now, die of food.

I'm going to go cook. But I'm going to do it with a sort of desultory air, in deference to your superfantastic evening out.

Man, that sounds like an amazing experience!

It really does.

That's just phenomenal. Love how you got the tours and all.

Cracking up over the bored oncologists. One of the things my brother loves about going to cancer conferences is that he gets meals at places he'd never be able to afford (or drag his wife to.) His reports from those revolve around food and swank hotel rooms.

I'm sorry to say, I probably would have been terrified the whole time. I am so not used to eating out, nevermind FABULOUS eating out. Hell, the last time I even came close to splurging was with megan walker and lisah, and that's probably the most I've spent on a meal (which was quite worth it! Oh, the duck...) And I probably exposed my poor taste by not liking the amuse bouche thing at all. (Or not. It was almost tailor made to be poison to sarameg: texture issue, a certain sweet + savory combo I can't do because it reminds me of a liquid antibiotic that made me urp.)

Sometimes you can find out exactly what money is for. Food and service? So very high on the list.

Why were you there, shrift? I mean, apart from the bit where you should be. I think I missed that.

It really was fantastic, you guys. Crazy, but fantastic.

But I'm going to do it with a sort of desultory air, in deference to your superfantastic evening out.

Dude, right now I'm making spicy chicken soft tacos which I shall wash down with a fine Corona while watching TV. I'm so high class.

I'm sorry to say, I probably would have been terrified the whole time.

Well, sarameg, I was terrified going in, but I decided to embrace the experience because I probably will never be able to eat there again. I'm not used to eating at fancy places either, aside from the few ritzy places I've been on the company dime.