Monday, April 30, 2012.
Pork Chops And Lasagna At Mandina's.
Back in the days when I was trying to get something started in radio (not knowing that my food writing would be the thing that would get me somewhere), my model was Johnny Carson. If my twenty-five-year-old self could visit my present life, he would be pleased to see that I stay home every Monday and broadcasrt from here. Johnny didn't work at all on Mondays, but still, the idea would have resonance.
Dinner at Mandina's in Mandeville, which seems to be moving up in our list of regularly-visited restaurants. I think we've eaten there three times this month. Maybe that's why I broke away from my usual order of trout or soft-shell crab amandine tonight and had the lasagna. I never thought that Mandina's red-sauce dishes were their best, but I was in the mood. It was reasonably good, but not one of their best dishes. Too much cheese, I'd say. Mary Ann had something else to say: "There's no such thing as too much cheese." I always check with her whenever I want to know about how the mainstream feels.
She had the grilled pork chop, which was bigger than I expected, though not as big as the waiter indicated with his thumb and forefinger. Still, it was beautiful, and her appetite left a meaty bone for the dog Susie.
The past few times at Mandina's, I thirsted for a martini. Today, I had one. They were out of Tanqueray, so I had Hendricks gin instead. When it finally came out, the drink was very large. I have enforced a one-martini limit on myself since last year, but how do you calculate that when the drink is a double? I now know the answer. I felt the impact of this the rest of the night. But how do you ask for a small cocktail? Or leave half of one behind?
Mandina's. Mandeville: 4240 La 22. 985-674-9883.
It's over three years since a day was missed in the Dining Diary. To browse through all of the entries since 2008, go here.
