Q Restaurant and Wine Bar

Quintessential[1] Quality Quisine



http://www.qrestaurant.com/


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ck0U14YFg1Q&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvX3CHwycgc&feature=related

(Suzi Q may neither have been the most talented bassist, nor the best female Rock-and/or-Roll singer in the 70's, but, damn, she was one of the qutest! My apologies to the Boss on that last video, but her mullet was always better than your long, greasy locks… not to mention her leather catsuits.)


This morning I went back to Q Restaurant and Wine Bar (see last 'blog-entry from September 5th, 2011) over on Clement Street. I was happy to see that the rain we have had for the past few days has let up (for now, at least) and I didn't have to slog over there soaking wet; it was actually pretty sunny this morning, if not a bit windy. Once again, I sat at the "Wooly Willy" table; however, also once again, I forgot to bring a strong magnet with me to play with it.

In addition to their standard decent breakfast/"Brunch" menu, they had several good choices on today's Brunch Specials from which to choose, of note:

• Fried Green Tomato Benedict; I have had this before and it is one of my favourites of theirs (it isn’t quite as good as their Chayote Benedict, but that was something special breakfastarily altogether and one of the main reasons that I moved Q up into my Starting Rotation)
• Black Bean Corn Cake Benedict; I have also had this one before, and it is a very good choice, too
• Chilaquiles; I have never had their version of this desayuno mexicano, but would like to try it someday
• and Susio's Rico Suave French Toast; this looked very tempting "Cream Cheese and Strawberry Stuffed French White Baguette with Strawberry Compote and Caramelized Walnuts"; I almost went with that one

However, instead I ordered off the Brunch Specials menu: Hippy Heaven (No Eggs) ~ Tofu Scrambled in Olive Oil with Light Curry Spices, (Red &) Green Onion, Mushrooms, Pepper, Tomatoes, and Spinach[2], with Homefries and Buttered Toast. I also had a glass of ½-Orange, ½-Apple, ½-Cranberry juice (just to mess with their minds), and I had brought in with me a cuppa Blue Danube[3] Coffee House coffee (from down the street).




The curry spices used in the tofu scramble were actually pretty spicy; I really was not expecting that, but it was all very good. It was made with roasted red peppers, red and green onions (they didn't list the red ones in the menu, but I was happy to see them in the scramble), and lots of fresh spinach (this was really one of the deciding factors in my choice this morning; I really just wanted an excuse to tie-in Spinach/Popeye/Bruce Ozella ~ see below). As this meal had no added milk products in it, it was suitable for both Vegetarians and Vegans alike. (Those damn Vegans! They really piss me off with all of their "No Eggs", "No Cheese", etc. crap, and their stupid Secret Handshakes[4]!) I told one of the servers that this really could have used some bacon in it (actually, I think the addition of roasted cauliflower or maybe even some edamame in the scramble would have been great).




Q has a pretty good selection of condimentary supplementation: Tabasco® (the standard red), Tapatío®, Castillo® Salsa Habanero, and Original "Louisiana" Brand. I was aware of what they had, but had come with a few from my own collection and I used a little Cherry Republic KaBob's Kick'en Hot Sauce (Thanks again, Greg and Cindy!) on the scramble and some (well, a lot really) Palo Alto Fire Fighters Pepper Sauce (Thanks agains, Amys!) on the potatoes. PAFFPS is really a mighty fine hot sauce! I talked one of the servers/bartenders/(manager guy?) into trying some, too (Mrs. Huneycutt, please note, I did get his name… Adam, or something… but forgot it pretty quickly; now if he was the hot ginger female waitress that was working there, I am sure I would have remembered his/her name); he also said it was very flavourful.

With the bill today came two Tootsie Roll® Midgees® (the basic cocoa/chocolate ones), which is always nice.


Glen Bacon Scale Rating: Hippy Heaven ~ 6.8; Bruce Ozella's Popeye artwork ~ 8.5 (probably even higher when I get my copy of the new comic book)


[1] Stupid, useless etymological pointer of the day:

This word has nothing to do the enticing aroma of five sisters, it simply comes from the Latin word roots "quinta" (fifth) and "essentia" (essence). Apparently, in ancient and medieval philosophy, the "fifth essence" was "pure essence, substance of which the heavenly bodies are composed" (right after Earth, Wind, Fire, and Maurice White).

[2] I really wanted to get a meal that included spinach this morning so as to segue into this cool information:

An old friend of mine, probably one of my oldest in the World, is going to be the artist for a new Popeye comic book that is due out in April. This is the dream of a lifetime for Bruce as he has been a huge Popeye fan since he was a kid. He happens to be a very talented artist/cartoonist, too.

http://www.comicsalliance.com/2012/01/18/popeye-idw-roger-langridge-bruce-ozella-april/?a_dgi=aolshare_facebook

I know that I am looking forward to purchasing a copy (or ten) of my own when it comes out. (What?! We have been friends for over 45 years, and I have to buy my own copy?!! What kinda cheapskate is this guy?!!!)

Congratulations and good luck, Bruce! (I expect some cool swag, though!)

[3] Stupid, useless cunning linguist pointer of the day:

As I discovered on my recent trip to Vienna (Wien) last month, the Danube River is actually called the Donau in Austria (and it's called the Duna in Hungary; someone is wrong somewhere, Ahnold). Hence, the Blue Danube in German/Austrian would be "der blauen Donau" (who really cares what it is in Hungarian, Milos).

[4] Of course, as everyone knows, a "Vegan Handshake" is made with Soy or Almond Milk only.