Food=Fantasy

Last night I had a great meal. That's a big statement for me, because I'm so picky about food. But there's not a better word to describe the fresh, complex, and inspired dishes that I enjoyed at Roy's (http://www.roysrestaurant.com/), a chain of restaurants from acclaimed chef/owner Roy Yamaguchi. I had been to Roy's in Tampa, but I think that this visit was far better. It helps to dine with someone who knows the best items to choose.


As a land-locked city, Atlanta's not privy to as much fresh seafood as I would like and it can be hard to find truly delicious fish. At the same time, we have some fantastic restaurants that do take the time and resources to fly in the freshest seafood and prepare it in such a sumptuous way that you can feel like you're at the beach. Last night's meal was the later.

The evening started with their signature Hawaiian martini, made with vodka that has been steeped with pineapple...tastes slightly sweet, light and tropical. This was accompanied by the chocolate souffle martini made with Godiva liqueurs and drizzled with chocolate. These two cocktails felt a little like bookends to a meal and created a delicious contrast to one another. Though I'm not a big "drinker", generally reserving these extra calories for wine and its health properties, the martinis were a treat!

My friend and I enjoyed a variety of Asian/Hawaiian inspired appetizers...lobster potstickers (crunchy and golden on the outside with a delicious sauce), marinated Poke (the freshest fish marinated in a soy-based marinade with scallions), oysters on the half-shell with a crunchy topping, and the freshest tuna roll that I have tasted. As an entree, we dined on butterfish, which is aptly named for its soft and melting texture. Finally, for the pièce de résistance, dinner was capped by a warm chocolate souffle with a melting center, vanilla ice cream, raspberry sauce, and fresh whipped cream. A little Kona coffee on the side and it was heavenly! I could almost hear the waves crashing outside, smell the salt, feel the breeze...

I've had the beach bug for a while and have a couple of trips that I'm looking forward to. After last night's meal, I had fantasies of being stretched out in a hammock on a Maui beach with a glass of wine after a midnight stroll...mmmmm... Food=Fantasy.


You may be thinking...how could she eat all of that?! Well, it goes back to this: One meal doesn't make or break a healthy life. It's okay to splurge once in a while, because it's about what we do consistently in life, not one meal or even one day. I know that the meal I had last night was excessive in calories...probably exceeding my daily needs. However, with that knowledge, I can make good decisions today and through the weekend that will provide nutritional balance. Unfortunately (or fortunately!), I don't live on this kind of meal regularly, so I can afford to splurge. Food should be fun. Food can be fantasy! (At least once in a while...)