Operation "Return to Normal" Day 2: Boston Chops
I woke up yesterday morning feeling more rested and less stressed. I put together a hearty breakfast of leftover pork belly and a broccoli rabe and mushroom omelette.
Emotions are still heightened in Boston, but the city as a whole is slowly working its way back to normalcy. Yesterday was a bit up and down. CNN reported that a suspect was in custody which got everyone excited and gave people a sense of relief. Then they retracted it which didn't go over well. Then a bomb threat was called in to the federal courthouse. Then another one at the State House. Both turned out to be false alarms. I suspect there will be a lot of attention seeking losers pulling crap like this for the next several weeks.
I still haven't been able to get to my office because the area is still blocked off. My friend and colleague who works in the same building sent me some photos that one of her patients took from the Hancock Tower. This is a shot of the scene in front of my office building. My building is the tall one with the green fencing on top.
Kind of weird to see that area at a standstill with the remnants of the Marathon still laying in the street. I want the investigators to do a thorough job, but I'm also starting to get a little restless for the area to open back up. An unplanned week-long closing of my business is going to put a bit of a dent in things financially.
This city is in desperate need of something uplifting. And we got that last night at the start of the Bruins game. Take a look:
Later that evening I met up with some friends at a new local steak house called Boston Chops. I'm not a huge fan of steak houses, but I'm always happy to support a local business. And this is one of the very few steak houses that is not a chain.
Bone marrow appetizer. Yes that is bread. And yes I ate it. I have yet to find anything that pairs well with bone marrow other than a crispy piece of bread.
For my entree I ordered a skirt steak with chimichurri butter and a side of braised kale. The meat was cooked perfectly (skirt gets super chewy if it's overcooked) and the chimichurri butter was really delicious. It had the tang, spice, and herby goodness that a chimichurri should have all blended in to a rich butter sauce. Yum.
It was dark in the restaurant so I apologize for the crappy photos.
The menu also has a section called "Rarely Celebrated" that includes oxtail, sweetbreads, tongue, and grilled heart. Good to know that I can get my organ meat fix here!
It was a great night with great friends and too much wine. I didn't have to work the next day anyway so I figured why not? Nothing heals the soul like a good night out. Tell that to the wretched hangover I had this morning though.
