Hi, it’s me. Sorry it has been a while since my very first post. I’ve been thinking about what I want to write the past few weeks and I’ve mustered up some energy and time to devote to a post. Since in quarantine, have you thought about the last meal you had a restaurant?

As much as I love and enjoy cooking and eating at home, venturing out to your favorite or new restaurant to experience the atmosphere, people watch and seeing trays of food hoisted on the servers’ arms or shoulders passing by and think it’s your order but it goes to another table is part of the fun for me. I miss that–a lot.

I don’t remember when I last went to a sit-down restaurant to enjoy a meal either by myself or with someone. My memory has been hazy during this pandemic because the days start to blend into one another and you don’t know when the weekend is coming.

My trusty phone photos came to rescue because I try to take photos of what I eat to post to Instagram on the regular.

The last time I went out was with my friend Kelly at Street’s Fine Chicken in the Oak Lawn area of Dallas. I had eaten there once before with her and her friends. The interior is bright and airy with a Victorian-tinned ceiling painted white and brick-exposed walls behind the bar. The walls are covered with art of different chicken breeds. It is interesting art to look at as you eat your chicken. Beady eyes looking at you. 

However, the wonderful thing I was introduced to when I ate there was chickarones. Deep fried chicken skin made into chips that came with a side of sauces. That memory made me excited and my mouth watered. ASMR would be good at this moment because the shattering crunch of salty-lime goodness was amazing. This was a happy place for me, chickarones with a good beer would be a great happy hour-for-one. Yes, a happy hour-for-one exists.

We sat at a booth and were greeted warmly by our server and ordered our Saturday elixirs. I don’t remember what they were, it was either a bourbon based cocktail or something with vodka. For starters, I ordered pimento cheese fritters and a basket of chickarones. I waited impatiently for them to come out as I sipped on my cocktail but once they came out, I was in awe of how large the basket was and cautiously took one as they were fresh and hot out of the flyer. I blew on it a few times and took a bite. I could hear the choir singing in my head and a light beamed around me. It was just a glorious feeling.

I didn’t forget the pimento cheese fritters. I was willing to try new things and they were good. I just don’t remember much because I kept going back to the basket of chickarones.

I remembered my main dish though! I decided to go for French Fried three-piece mixed meat chicken that came with a buttery biscuit and one side, which I ordered the Tabasco cheddar grits. It came out piping hot and I picked up a chicken leg and took a bite through the crispy crust and hit the juicy meat. I was amazed and food makes me happy like that Pooh Bear GIF at the table dancing in his chair. I was that Pooh Bear at that moment.

The Tabasco cheddar grits were divine. Creamy and spicy and went well with the different textures of the chicken. I couldn’t forget the hot buttery biscuit because that was one of the best parts of a fried chicken plate. Some people eat it plain or with butter, I eat it with butter and honey. Just watching the butter disappear into the layers and the golden honey drizzles mix in, is another piece of heaven.Kelly and I ended our meal with full and satisfied stomachs. We could only talk about our meals and how everything was amazing and definitely a repeat for next time. It was a wonderful time to go to a favorite restaurant to catch up, eat amazing food (choosing our meals via Yelp photos), and talk about what our next place to eat next. A lasting good-feel memory since it was my last meal at a restaurant.

Although the shelter in place has been lifted in Texas and restaurants can open with certain rules in place, I do not feel safe or confident that others will follow the rules. So I will continue to cook and eat at home, or maybe order carryout with my friends once in a while and FaceTime or Zoom with them share a meal like we would at a restaurant.