Cassis et autres divertissements

Things have running along smoothly for the last few days, despite piles of work to do in every direction I turn. To celebrate a week of constant production in the thesis realm, as well as to say thank you for writing a great letter of recommendation for a major fellowship that I am applying for, I took Red out to lunch at Cassis Bistro. This is a nice little place that is entering its second year, having had a successful first filled with local accolades. It's hip, nicely decorated and the food is pretty good, if a little pricey for lunch. There is a bit of a feeling of trying too hard to be posh, but judging by the fullness of the room, most people aren't noticing it.

I had the thin crust pizza with wild mushrooms, truffle and goats cheese which was pleasantly earthy and filling. Red had the prosciutto, caramelized onion and Raclette version of the dish. We also each had a glass of house wine. Mine, the white, seemed a bit insipid and weak for my tastes. I was also bemused to note that there is only one cassis based drink on the menu, which seems like a bit of a missed opportunity.

We looked over the desserts, and the flourless chocolate cake certainly looked tempting but at $9.50, cost more than a fancy drink, and more than most of the meals on the menu. The desserts here are good (particularly the tangy lemon torte), but come in tiny artistic portions and are way overpriced compared to most local restaurants (even the fancier places nearby). Another wee complaint would be that the lunch menu hasn't changed since the last time we were there in July. While there is something to be said for focusing on something and doing it well, some diversity to the line up would be nice. I think it's a little déclassé to offer "summer organic salad" in the dead of winter, but that's just me. Overall, lunch was great, but I suspect this had way more to do with having a sparkling companion and a good view of the cute chef. I think Cassis is best as a people watching spot, as it seems to attract a very handsome crowd.

Well, off to finish my translation work and put a few more miles behind me on the latest chapter.