Dilemma: special Order? or chance the changing Menu?

[jtphjl]

So this is my new dilemma. Took a former neighbor for dinner to celebrate her birthday, and everone in my family's b-day (all 2 of us). Feeling lucky, OK, blessed to get a reservation on a Friday for 6:00 P.> with only three days notice - dreaming about those Friday Lobster rolls Picnic (takeout) had come to spoil me with -- and hoping a linger of leftovers would make it on the small plate section -- knowing if I really wanted the ipswich clams I could special order and those sandless babys would be all mine - OR - chance Christine would read my mind and on this cold winter night as age 60 grows closer, something warm and comforting would jump off the menu and say "Marry Me" (sounded better then eat me). Arrived 3 minutes late - the room was alreadyhalf full. My wine bottle is promptly remoed from the table, cradled in a cooler, we are seated by the most welcoming of staff and let the fun begin. The amuse plate arrives with a french nutty cheese just teasing nuts and bread crisp - a goat cheese that fell in love with my wine - and ohh baby, let the chef's menu wine me over - and so it did. The arugula sald with pears and cranberry and ohh my G-d, toasted seasoned pecans, Reggiano Parmesan ...more please!No, no, there had to be room for coke a cola brisket! tender, jucy sucullent...it played hide and seek with the mashed potatoes and spinach and I devoured it all. So what did the others have...well there was no sharing that's for sure as starter plates of Iceberg, cucumbers, ruby red tomatoes, bacon, and onion (I would have eaten the maytag blue but my guest requested it remain in the kitchen .

The other starter was the, " Eighties throwback salad", lettuces, goat cheese croutons, pine nuts tickled by a sundried tomato vinaigrette that by request was served on the side and then licked clean by my buddy who had no shame!Don't for one second think these decisions were easy, as roasted marrow bones or the seared foie gras with poached pears with a fig balsamic reduction had to loose. Main courses that I was not even offered a sniff of were the monkfish with a chestnut and bacon risotto and the cippino with sole, shrimp and scallops (OK I am alergic to scallops)but still, I could sniff! Gone. I did ask my server if it would be wrong to order a second round, say the Caramelized pork chop with apples, bacon, brandy butter...in an effort not to embarrase anyone (I sure was not hungry It is just too hard to stop and the entire staff is all so willing) i moved onto a raspberry tart with goat cheese - just so I could pretend (with the goat cheese) we were beginning from the beginning. One more dessert for the table a take on a brulee ...the dish was licked clean when my guest snickered and said, "did anyone want a taste?"

Thank you Picnic for a brining together good people with outstanding service and amazing cuisine!