Province

For Nate's birthday he surprised me with tickets to the theatre, sweet man! In a display of gratitude I bought a very hot black dress with a low cut bodice I knew he would appreciate, sweet me! The last element of our date night was a reservation, which I made at Province located at 161 North Jefferson.

Province was wonderful and we loved it - all of it. The decor is fantastic. Hot pink walls and accents of urban grays and blacks lend to a very modern and fresh feel. The cork tables and floors tie to the focus this restaurant has on sustainability. The enticing menu was spattered with local and sustainable farmers. Even the cocktail menu highlighted Death's Door vodka, which I wrote about here. Before I decided on my meal, I ordered a very dry, very delicious Death's Door vodka martini.

While the ambience was chic, our waiter was knowledgeable and friendly, which we appreciated. After giving us a tasty amuse bouche made of radish, pea shoots, garlic, jicama and sherry vinaigrette, he guided us into ordering excellent dinners. I started with perhaps the best oyster I have ever had. It was slippery and smooth and my martini was a perfect accompaniment. Next I tasted the asparagus and poached egg salad and was inspired - I will be recreating this at home very soon! My husband was more than pleased with his chopped steak hamburger and he allowed me to confiscate half of his super-crispy, very addictive fries, which our amiable waiter aknowledged were double-fried to obtain their texture.

I was heady with the excitement of a night out, theatre tickets, and a handsome husband (and maybe also my martini)....thanks to Province for starting our night with a delicious meal and wonderful service!