Dinner During My Detox

I'm suppose to be on detox...you know, no drinking and only eating healthy and working out. The last few weeks have just been INSANE. Party after party. Excessive drinking and eating. Horrible work-out habits. And totally not enough sleep. (But boy oh boy, it sure was a fun week!)
In any case. I wanted to have a week of detox, but between SF Gay Pride (umm, saving those adventures--and photos-- for a different post!) and then July 4th long weekend (and a trip to one of my all time favorite cities), I was lucky to get 3 days of detox squeezed in there.

Well. How about 2 days and we call it all good? :)

The middle day of my detox was ruined by a sudden urge for a bourbon cocktail. Well. There is just no where else to go, but Alembic. They've got some of the best cocktails in San Francisco, and not to mention one of the best bourbon/whiskey lists in town.

Oh. And did I mention a good friend, just happens to be the very talented chef of the place? So I should have known that my urge for that one cocktail would turn into two (and I didn't even end up drinking my favorite, but going out on a limb to try a delicious new cocktail--Southern Exposure.) And that two cocktails would turn into some yummy items from the kitchen!

My friends Chris and Terry and I had our standard salumi and cheese plate and the lamb sliders...all classics. Beyond that? Everything was at the chef's whim. And we knew Jordan would take good care of us. We had bacon cracker jacks (complete with prize!!) They were so good!!! (Those of you that know me, know my love and obsession for all things pork...also save that for a future post!) The crispy pork belly was amazing (I didn't want to share...after all, another pork dish!) It was especially fun to taste this plate since I've heard my friend Jordan talking about the way they prepare it (he started with telling me that the way he learned to prepare it...something about sous vide...but then he kinda lost me on the rest. All I could concentrate on was the soft, tenderness of the meat, and the yummy crispness of the skin! I just kept on nodding as he was talking...)

In any case. The last two things were the most amazing (to my palate at least). He brought out a dish of these little peppers. Shisito peppers (often referred to as Japanese peppers) to be exact. They were blistered quickly in a fryer, then tossed with a house smoked maldon salt. I didn't think I'd like them (not the biggest pepper fan), but they were AMAZING. Not too hot at all (until that very last one I ate...tears were in my eyes because of the heat!) But overall, a perfect dish to satisfy that desire for something salty.

The last dish was the perfect end. A miso black cod. There was some sweetness to it and the fish practically melted in your mouth. They had marinated the piece in a shiro miso, and then broiled to order until caramelized. There was a bit of chili oil and a few sesame seeds on the top. So good!!

Yea. So. Not quite the detox I had intended. But I was home early. And I had fish. And there was celery juice in my cocktail (which is why I had two). There's always next week for detoxing...