It was the start of a very good eating weekend. Due to hectic schedules, moves and other craziness, we hadn’t seen some friends in a while. Our dinner for four on Saturday turned into dinner for seven, as they had house guests. My operating theory is usually the more, the merrier, and this was no exception.
I reserved a table at The Flaming Buoy, and we ended up sitting in the Secret Room. (Where is the Secret Room? If I told you, it
wouldn’t be a secret.) Lucky for you, I am a lousy secret-keeper. Somewhere between the funky dining room and the tiny kitchen is an intimate room that can hold up to 8 or so diners. The room is black, with black and white furniture and artwork. The bookcases and candles add to the ambiance.
The food was, as usual, excellent, and particularly notable was the black bean soup. It is always delicious (I know, I eat it often), but that batch was extra good. It could have just been the arctic 60 degree temperature outside, but I don’t think so. I enjoyed a spinach salad, with a side of onion rings. Trust me, if you tasted these rings, along with the blue cheese dipping sauce, you would not find it the least bit odd that I ordered them to accompany my salad. They are that good. Others at the table enjoyed the appetizer trio, with lobster mac ‘n’ cheese, grilled shrimp and tuna and watermelon ceviche.
We brought wine with us and enjoyed the 2006 Martinelli Biondi Home Ranch, Water Trough Vineyard pinot noir, a Schug pinot noir, 2008 Dinastia Vivanco Rioja, 2005 Haut Faugeres and a 2004 Match Butterdragon Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon. Dinners around the table included the tropical stir fry with hogfish, bacon wrapped scallops, BBQ ribs, and hogfish with banana salsa. Everyone enjoyed the meal.
We were so far removed from the hustle and bustle of the restaurant, that as we left the Secret Room, we
noticed there were no other customers left, and chairs had been stacked on tables. Despite possibly overstaying our welcome, as usual the food and service were excellent. If you go, and want to sit in the Secret Room, don’t let on that I told you about it!
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