Lemon Mango Tango

We needed a stretch of the legs. Jen elected to join us for a quick romp in the Park. I wanted to try another of Carthay's teas, as several weeks still stand between myself and the expiration of my self-imposed sabbatical from inebriation.

"Lemon Mango Tango: Zesty Meyer lemons balanced by sweet mangos. Light, fruity acidity makes for a refreshing infusion."

I tried to talk Jen into having another Pimm's Punch (see previous entry) so we could witness the infusion of gregariousness with neurotic self-consciousness. She said no, water please. (I'll try again next time.)

This tea lends itself to a dollop of honey more readily than the rooibos - the sweetness cuts very nicely through the tartness.

Organic Tangerine Rooibos

My sabbatical from alcohol began a few weeks ago. I haven't taken up permanent residence on the wagon, I plan on having a drink with some friends on April 21st (because there is no way I'm not joining my friends in a pint on Potter Day Lite) but for various reasons involving diet, physical and psychological health, and finance, I'm drying up for a couple months; then all bets are off.

Until then: tea!

Our friend Chris was in town and wanted to take in the Carthay Lounge I'd been writing about. The Carthay Circle Drinking Club's constituents on this day also included Jen, Eryhn, Darcy, and Hannah. Chris and I were happily gallivanting with a traveling clam-jam.

My photo indicates that Chris began with an Aviation Cocktail (reviewed recently) but my notes suggest he must have had a Brown Derby at some point because I find the words "well-balanced, grapefruit not overwhelming" and "honey + grapefruit good." These observations might also have belonged to Darcy, who seems to have been enjoying a Derby initially as well.

Given that I wasn't "drinking" I decided to investigate the latter pages of the lounge menu. I've become increasingly fond of loose-leaf teas of late. I'm also trying to abstain from caffeine, so our sober explorations began with the "Organic Tangerine Rooibos: Rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants."

Carthay's loose-leaf tea pots are served with a lemon wedge and an individual serving jar of honey, which is lovely, but this red tea stands up well all on its own. (I have actually found myself returning to Carthay for a repeat pot of their rooibos.) It is a friendly, well-spirited tea that tastes like a pleasant walk in a tropical climate.

In all the years I've known Jen, I'd never seen her have an alcoholic beverage until this night. Not that she's never had one before, she just tends to associate alcohol with headaches, which I can only assume is the product of insufficient hydration.

She wanted something sweet, but being vegan, the Brandy Alexander and Chip Shot were not options. The committee eventually agreed on her having a Pimm's Punch.

Jen enjoyed it, which is not surprising given how innocuous the Pimm's Punch tastes, and found herself soon describing her general sensation as "fuzzy." For the next hour she would check every few minutes to make sure she wasn't being too obnoxious because she was being so bold as to participate in the conversation and have a good time (which can, to the semi-reticent, be terrifying).

I'm hoping I can talk her into having another drink with me when my abstinence concludes.

And then there's Eryhn, who rarely needs excessive coercion. Her souvenir Ariel cup was a particular point of interest that evening, or so the photos suggest. As far as I know, Eryhn still hopes to be Ariel when she grows up. Gingers do need their role models.

Eating Carthay

The drinking companion you see least on this blog is my girlfriend of six years. You don't see much of her because the number of alcoholic beverages she imbibes in any given calendar year can usually be counted on one hand.

We find the two of us here on this blog because we decided to finally take in the full Carthay Circle Restaurant experience in honor of her birthday.

The proper dining room is on the second floor. Every other entry on this blog pertains merely to the bar and lounge domain on the ground floor.

For starters I had the Ginger Pork Satay with Green Papaya Slaw and Mango Raita. 

The pork is tender, sweet and delectable. The rest of the plate - the slaw and raita - almost feel like a superfluous afterthought. I'd have been happy with just the satay. This one skewer was the highlight of the entire meal (for me, at least).

As an entree I had the Tiger Prawns on a Broth of Fingerling Potatoes, Leeks, Applewood Bacon and Thyme.

Definitely enjoyable, particularly if you're fond of prawns. Nothing to write home about, but certainly satisfying.

Her starter, which she found to be quite rich, was the Warm Artichoke Tart (with) Redwood Hills Goat Milk Cheddar, Baby Spinach and a Blood Orange Vinaigrette.

There is really nothing to complain about with this dish, its only downside being that the description of the ingredients is far more vibrant than the flavor of their combination and execution.

Her entree was the Vegetarian Mushroom Risotto; Roasted Carrot Coulis accented with Orange Truffles.

This dish made her vegetarian palate very happy. She loved the generous slices of portobello; large, well cooked slices of basidiomycota make her do a happy dance.

Ordering a starter and entree (or entree and desert) entitles a diner at Carthay to reserved seating (standing, rather) for the World of Color Show, which we both decided to take in finally on this occasion. The show, which might benefit from some semblance of a storyline, is mostly enjoyable until the last act (following the gratuitous death of Mufasa) at which point they completely lost me until the finale.

If I had the evening to do over again I would not have allowed myself to be persuaded to be seated outside, which is bereft of what would have been a very nice view were it not for the high, thick wall fence surrounding the balcony. Even if you're seated next to the wall you can't really see anything. And we missed out on soaking in the ornate nature of the main dining room with its mural ceiling, private rooms and intriguing alcoves. Then again, maybe being seated outside removed the distraction of middle class families who can't be bothered to ask their foul-smelling children to stop screaming for a few seconds.

The Carthay Circle Restaurant has the infrastructure, foundation and potential to be an excellent fine-dining restaurant experience, and on a long enough timeline they may yet fulfill the promise of the furnishings.