Encore!

The forecast is calling for snow. In October. And of course, on Saturday. We have our town Halloween parade on Saturday. It's already cancelled without a drop of rain or snow on the ground. As usual, I've heard the supermarkets have been pillaged and I'm sure there isn't a loaf of bread or gallon of milk to be found. I didn't feel like figuring out something to make with my lack of ingredients and my lack of culinary skill. We usually go out on Saturday night but I wasn't sure whether to believe the weather persons or not. So, I thought we'd have a delicious night out at Sugar & Plumm and worry about snowstorms tomorrow.

I know I've already written about this place but you know how it is with new places- you never know if they're going to get better, stay the same or go down the tubes. I have to say, this time the food was just as fabulous as the first time and the service got even better.

Luckily we got Avery again as our waitress. She's fantastic. I like that she always addresses E, like he's an adult and his opinion matters. The food came much quicker this time. As those who know me in real life know, I'm a creature of habit. For my entree, I ordered the crispy skin salmon. But, I decided to try the spinach salad- it's spinach,sugared pecans, REAL dried raspberries, cheese (I'm not sure what kind- B ate it) with a very light dressing. It was SO good. Everything just tasted really fresh.

B ordered the butternut squash soup and the pizza crepe. Last time, B got the tomato soup. But, their menu changes slightly seasonally, so tomato is out and butternut squash is IN. He thought both soups were phenomenal and he said something about them made them "different". He was right! (But, I'll get back to that). He thought his pizza was also awesome.

Then....Dessert. THIS time, *I* was actually the one to change it up. I saw there are, indeed, cupcakes there. I asked why they aren't on the menu and Avery said that they do change things seasonally and sometimes add or take away some things so instead of changing the hard copy menu, they just display the new stuff. I decided to try the fruity pebble cupcake. The icing already just LOOKED like a kind I'd love. I dug in, and the cupcake seemed kind of "hard", so I was like "uh oh". But, that uh oh turned into a pleasant surprise. It was the most interesting texture of any cupcake I've ever had. It was FILLED with fruity pebbles. FILLED is actually an understatement. The whole thing was something like I've never tasted before. I loved every bite.

B, in a twist of events, got the same thing he got last time- the banana and nutella crepe with chocolate ice cream. Again, he wanted to lick the plate, and again I had to remind him people were sitting next to us.

The best part of the evening was getting to meet and chat with Lamia Jacobs, the owner whose brainchild is this wonderful place. She is so warm, friendly and engaging and she LOVES to talk about her "project"- this store/restaurant. Owning a boutique-type retail establishment, B and I know how personal it is, and Ms. Jacobs is no different. She CARES. She was almost giddy at seeing E eat his sliders. It was actually really endearing. She pretty much spent our entire meal talking to us (and it was NOT an intrusion)- we were asking her how she got into this business, etc, and she was happy to share. Everything is made fresh- even the butter. They make their own. Their own chocolate, their own everything. She tastes everything to make sure it's sweet but not TOO sweet. There was a piece of chocolate on top of my cupcake- it was dark, not usually my thing, but it was printed with ghosts (so cute!) and it was so good. I wasn't sure it was real at first. Anyway, Ms. Jacobs is there a lot. She doesn't live close but she loves to check in on her baby. She's opening another store in NYC and has grand plans to open a few more in key locations around the country. I don't doubt they'll be successful if she finds chefs and staff for those that are as good as the one here!

So, it was a lovely evening. I can't wait to return there for more delicacies. Thank you to Ms. Jacobs for her time and scintillating conversation.

http://www.sugarandplumm.com/