How exciting! When I left my old job, a few of us went out to dinner to celebrate. We had so much fun that we decided to do it every month. I asked the gals if I could write about our dinners and they liked the idea. Next step was coming up with a name for our little group. At first we tossed around ‘The Dinner Diva’s’. Hmm, that was a bit too boring and we are definitely not diva’s! We are more fun than that! So, after deliberation I came up with the ‘Hungry Heifers’… and hilarity ensued!! We all loved it! So here we are the Hungry Heifers!
Instead of picturing cows grazing in the field, picture women who like to eat, drink and have a good time, laughing, toasting, sloshing their drinks (occasionally putting their elbows on the table, talking with their mouths full… oh the humanity!) and enjoying themselves… and not necessarily behaving either! We are smart, working women, some with families, some single and all with a wicked sense of humor! This month we were trying Thai food. I have never had Thai food before and was looking very forward to it. We were going to Lemongrass, in New Paltz. So, the good news… we were all glad to see each other! It had been a while, and we had lots of catching up to do. The bad news, well… where to I begin?? First, one HH club member was picking me up at home for the first time. She accidentallyparked one street over before she realized she was in the wrong place. Twenty minutes later, she appeared at my door. Funny story. Then, as she was explaining what happened, I was engrossed and forget to mention that I needed to go to the ATM for cash… until we were comfortably seated in the restaurant that is! So, I got to be the annoying one that needed a separate check (so I could pay with my Visa card). As many of you know, I try to offer very specific info for restaurant reviews. However, this time I will be brief. Mainly because I don’t have shining things to say. So, for the positive… the menu was extensive, reasonably priced, the wine was delicious, and for the most part the HH’s liked their meals. But I am the fussy one! We ordered 2 appetizers, a plate of vegetarian spring rolls and chicken satay. These were good. Not great, good. The chicken was fried, but typically is grilled. The sauce was tasty, but should have been a bit thicker, spicier and more of it. The report on the spring rolls was positive.
spring rolls chicken satay
Next came the main courses. 3 Pad Thai and a Vegetarian Fried Rice with Tofu. The Pad Thai was loaded with chicken and shrimp, but they were overcooked. The noodles were gummy, and even though I have not had Thai food, I know it should be spicy… and this was bland at best. The HH with the vegetarian dish, said she enjoyed her choice. Anyone that knows me, knows that I like food. If the meal is good I will finish it (unless the portions are large and then leftovers are in order). I barely ate half.
pad thai fried rice with tofu
We were all looking forward to dessert, but that quickly (well… not quickly) changed. After our main courses were served, we did not see our waitress again for an hour. Now, this place is small, has about 10 tables, were were the first customers in the place that night, and we were sitting in front of the kitchen. So, we felt ignored. We were no longer in the mood for dessert.
We just wanted the bill. So, the next time we spotted out server, we asked for the check. She smiled and went on her way. 20 minutes later, she arrived back at the table… and refilled our water glasses… and left again. Hmm, no check?! Free dinner tonight? Did we miss a sign on the way in reading… "Dinner is on the house, compliments of Lemongrass, tonight only!!" Wow, were we lucky… not quite! The check(s) came later. The bills were not exactly right, but at this point… we just wanted to pay and leave. For the first time in history, there was white-out on my bill! It took another long time to have someone process my credit card, but then we were free… I am all for long and leisurely dining, but this was just poor service. We had plenty of talking and laughing to do, but if we didn’t this would have been an uncomfortable amount of time to wait.
Needless to say, I can’t speak for my fellow Heifers, but I won’t be going back. The strange thing was, the place was mobbed by the time we left. Go figure… to each his own I guess. I look forward to our Febraury get-together! We may even do a wine tasting with food that is offered in our area. Do you enjoy the things that we enjoy? If you live in the Hudson Valley area and are interested in joining us at one of the Hungry Heifer Club events, email me … we are always accepting new members. Do you have a similar arrangement with your friends? Type a comment and let us know how you got started, do you have a name, what fun things do you do with your group… we would love to hear all about it!