Tuesday, December 21, 2010. Looking Up. Gallagher's. I made up the sleep I missed during the eclipse by sleeping until eight this morning. I made up for that late start by doing the radio show from home. I celebrated the winter solstice, which happened in the middle of the show. We have now made a decisive turn towards summer, and just thinking about that warms my bones. I hear that this is the first time since 1638 that the winter solstice has featured a performance by the moon in the role of eclipsee.
MA and I took lunch at Gallagher's Grill. The traffic getting there was so clotted that I wondered whether I'd be able to get back in time for the radio show. Gallagher's was full, too. Only the departure of several tables at once allowed us a place to dine.
Pat Gallagher was hard at work. He said the holidays have been tremendous. His Christmas Eve is a sellout. Good for him. I wish we had more restaurants like his on the North Shore.
The forces that affect one's restaurant decisions are many and sometimes unexpected. A guy called me on the radio yesterday and raved for two or three solid minutes about how great he thought Gallagher's turtle soup is. "I'm ruined for life!" he said. "I can't eat turtle soup anywhere else again, because I'm sure it would never be as good as that one!" Now, of course, I must have this turtle soup. And I did. It's good, but not to that degree.
The waitress proposed cranking her peppermill over MA's salad. When she was finished, I pointed to a dish of lemon wedges. "I'd like some pepper on these lemons, please."
"What? Oh, I see. You're just messing with me," she said. "Well, how about I put some fresh ground pepper right into your lap?" Ha! I love servers sharp enough to come back after I crack wise. My wife looked up at her, begging for sympathy for having to put up with my foolishness full-time.
I had a nice piece of pan-seared lemonfish with a thick, tan, spicy meuniere sauce, and sugar snap peas on the side. That hit the spot. How does Pat Gallagher keep lemonfish and pompano on the menu all the time? Those two fish are always there when I go, and always good, too.
Mary Ann ate--of all things--a hamburger. She thought it was just okay. That opened a discussion as to whether a gourmet bistro should be expected to make a great burger. I say no, because such a thing is on the menu only for people who don't know how to eat. MA said that such a thought was pure snobbery. That's where I tuned out.
No supper tonight, because neither of the Marys wants to go anywhere. And I have to do all of tomorrow's work tonight, because of a major lunch on the schedule.
Gallagher's Grill. Covington: 509 S Tyler. 985-892-9992.
