Give Me More

This might have been one of the best bacon bites ever, sadly, just a bite. It all started with a communication breakdown. Alright, so I started things off in kind of a gay way in any regard. Freakin wine spritzer. I just didn't want to get drunk, and my tolerance is really lacking these days. One of those things that goes with age that no one lets you in on. I wanted something light, not too much albeit not too little. I asked the bartender at Evening Star Cafe in Del Ray, "I'd like a wine spritzer please," which made me feel a little stupid, and to make matters worse, "with ice...and how is the mixed grill app?" He said, "well, how hungry are you?" To which I replied, "not very, why? Is there only one scallop or something." He chuckled, and said "yeah, you want soda or sprite?" "Sprite," I said, and regretted it later. I had never ordered a wine spritzer out; I'm too cool for that, and I guess before I'd had it with soda water. It was gross, yet slightly refreshing.

Back to the scallops. For some reason, I thought the bartender was joking about the scallops. I half expected a full plate of scallops, wrapped in bacon. Old school. But when the plate with one scallop was placed before me, I felt like I made a bad choice. This sure as hell isn't preventing any hangover at this rate. But what the one scallop lacked in size, it was made up for by the giant rectangle of fresh, house-cut, juicy, slabby, fatty bacon. It was like a sparerib, but saltier. I don't usually eat this much fat, even on a piece of bacon, but this time I couldn't get enough.
Soft, velvety even, melt in your mouth fat.

Creamed corn and avocado puree accompanied the land and sea combo. So small yet so good, I needed the two friends i was sharing my table with to try it. They refused, "I feel bad, it's sooo little." I implored them, and "yummm, mmm, wow, man," were the responses. A baby plate topped with a flavor bomb. Good things really do come in small packages. More please.

Evening Star Cafe is located on the corner of Mount Vernon Avenue and Howell Avenue in the Del Ray neighborhood of Alexandria, VA.