First off - I had to flip eggs all day, ensuring the masses from the 'Croft, were well fed. Nothing I love more than getting a bacon mist facial while my mother is turning her body into a ball mitt on the beach! If you can wear a party hat while doing it, all the better. However, all hope was not lost.....I had big dinner plans for the night. My hometown BFF was taking me to "Daves Place"! Hmm - ok, never been there.
One thing to note is that "the Croft" is not a culinary mecca. Very little is homemade, there is no local produce, and for sure, the most ethnic it gets is the fresh from frozen egg roll you will get at "the Pine Yard", or the congealed lasagna at "Vito's". Unless its Schnitzel on a Bun day at Mom's place. Dining is routinely a crap shoot.
So as I advertised this "Daves Place Excursion" amongst the restaurant patrons, they merely asked me "why are you going there and not to 'The Granite'?" I confess, I did not know. Daves Place was already a B plan - what were we in for. Surely BFF would know how critical dining is to me.....actually she wouldn't because SHE NEVER READS MY BLOG!!!!! Anyway - the whole Dave's place bit was a wash as BFFs sister wasn't keen either and was going to be interloping on the night aswell. We instead went to "the Craftman". I have never in my 30 years of 'Croft life, been to the Craftsman. It was always the destination spot before Prom, or valentines day etc...(2 of my least favourite occasions....although I had a FAB prom dress if memory serves.....) I drive past it everytime I go home and always wonder, under what circumstance would I find myself there.....now I know. When I need a Birthday "C Plan". Here is a good insight into "The Craftsman":
Pretty classic. We couldn't take the time time to print a nice sign? Or at the very least, scribe it on a flat surface so that the fluoro-paint didn't run.
Buy I'm a maverick. I'm going anyway. Now we are all just in it for the material! To be quite matter-of-fact, the restaurant is the porch of a house with an additional add on porch. It is an eclectic schmeer of old Coke bottle paraphernalia, tin signs, mismatch furniture, nappy indoor outdoor carpet, and vinyl table coverings. It has everything....except heat. And its a hopping little joint complete with live entertainment. A stirring medley of Matchbox20, Neil Diamond, Eagles.....I bet there was GaGa in his gi-tar repertoire too!
After some banter with a man BFF-sis calls "Local Flavour", we commence with determining by which method tea water is heated. BFF-sis will not drink tea water heated via a coffee brewing system.......Who knew she was a kettle-snob :). The tea was quite good. I stuck with the UK theme after wrestling between liver or fish.....I went with fish and chips. Tasty. Note: The tartar sauce was just mayo...... At 36 years old - at 5:30pm, I'm dining on fish and chips and tea......feeling 26, looking 86! I give the meal an 8/10. It could have scored higher if not for the aforementioned "Local Flavour". A middle aged lad - trying to sober up on some coffee chooses to engage us in conversation about sauerkraut and then moved on (no doubt prompted by our scathing glares) to sit front row, rooting on the 1 man band. No doubt his first groupie.
Back at the BFF family ranch, I've learned that the cheesecake my surrogate mom always makes on my big day for me.....has been made by BFF-sis! Can you believe it? She phoned it in. Truth be known - it was better......but I'll never tell her that. SHE DOESN'T READ THE BLOG EITHER! Finally someone opens some booze, and we settle in for some Wine & Wii. If you currently are not playing "You Don't Know Jack", you should be. I love that game. For that matter if you are still looking for the perfect belated gift - head on out to WalMart for the game - I don't own it either. I only won 2/6 games, which quite surprised me......I need to hone my skills. I used to be good when I lived on BFF-sis's couch a decade ago!
I still needed to know though - why did we not go to "the Granite"? This is the "Croft's" see and be seen establishment (after Moms restaurant of course.....)..... turns out we don't like the owner. Ooooohhhh - now I'm in the loop. I personally think their menu stinks, but apparently they're snooty too. BFF-sis is not a fan of common people who don't think/know that they are, in fact, common.......and guess what I learned? Apparently I'M COMMON!!! I had no idea. Thank goodness she told me. That certainly brought me down a few pegs. And what better time, than on a day committed to me! Good thing she let me live on her couch for free or I might have been offended......
So the festivities forge forth this week - but sadly, so does the wind down of my 3 con-ed courses. Worlds are colliding......
363 days to go till I'm 37.
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