Dinner with Friends

Have you ever had an "it's a small world" moment?  It can't get any smaller than being on a 18x12 mile Portuguese island in the middle of the Atlantic and finding out that a college friend of your cousins wife is moving to your tiny island too.  Actually, even weirder, before that the new doctor that got here is from my home town, and my mom knows his parents too (possibly lived in the same neighborhood when we were kids).  So that was weirdness number 1.  But then I found out my cousins wife's friends (did you follow that?) was moving to the island as her husband was being stationed here too.

She got here just as I headed back to the States, but as soon as I returned I made sure to show her around the island.  She is great and I am glad to have a new friend here.  We decided last weekend to all go out to dinner together.  Ryan and I thought Rocha was a good choice and we headed down to Porto Judeu for dinner.

We laughed when we got there because Alexandra's husband quickly realized everyone he works with was dining there too.  That's how you know it's a good restaurant.  It is busy, but also busy with Americans.  Then another one of his employees came in too.  It really is a good place and popular with Americans.

We started off with bread, cheese and these bread things, which seem to have onion and cheese with them.

 

Ryan ordered the steak, which he had before and it was the best ever.  Around here it is hit or miss, and this was miss.  No big deal.  That just means next time it will be a hit!

Alexandra and her husband tried the alcatra.  Ever heard of alcatra?  If you have been to the Azores, chances are you have.  This is a typical, traditional Azorean dish.  It is similar to a pot roast, cooked in it's own fat, in a clay pot.  If I had to pick one dish to represent the island, this would be it.  I have had the fish kind before, but most traditionally it is meat.

They ordered some potatoes to go with it because otherwise it is a lot of meat.

I ordered grouper.  Here it is known as cherne.  You can see it is served very traditionally.

For dessert we split a chocolate mousse.  It is hard to pass up homemade mousse.

It was a nice end to a nice dinner with (new) friends.

QUESTIONS:  Have you been to dinner with new friends recently?  How about just dinner with friends?  Do you often go out with other couples?

Don't forget to get your votes in for my giveaway.  Ryan and I are moving this summer.  Guess where we are going.  If you have not guessed already, list 3 states or countries below and if you guess correctly you will be entered to win a package of goodies from both the Azores and the future location.  Ends tonight 11:59 pm EST.