Sunday, January 18, 2009

Eno Terra- Date Night, Wine, Food, and Ring Fiasco



This is more of a story-slash-dinner out blog, but I have to share this 'Married' moment with you...and will also make it a 'Restaurant Review' as well...this might have been 'Oh no terror', but read on...

Last night we went to a new restaurant called Eno Terra,'wine of the earth'in Kingston, NJ, off Route 27, just south off Kingston on the left (make sure on one gets lost). Now we had to make this reservation over a week in advance, it is new and hubby loves Italy, but we are not particularly fond of their other restaurants about Princeton. Why go...because they were cleaver enough to call it 'Enno' in the beginning of the name and hubby loves his Italian wines...well, wine.

Now since we got married (legally) two years ago, I have not been able to wear my wedding rings often, because my hands are in water all the time, and it seems they make the skin underneath chaffed. He teases me and says I am allergic to the marriage, yeah right, you guys see how well he eats right? Also, after years of being around each other the man finally learns not to tell the wife something that might upset her at dinner...like the night he was going to propose, and we got this upsetting phone call, and he just could not do it, because I was crying through dinner...yeah, he told me on the honeymoon why he never officially proposed...

Okay back inside, Eno Terra...we are sitting in this back corner booth seat, with these really dangerous looking long natural wood shelves hanging here and there above our heads, and I am thinking please do not fall and bonk him in the heads. I ask him quietly after the couple next to us leaves, to help me move our table away from the wall, just in case. I look at his ring finger and notice his wedding ring is gone, but joked and said "now you are allergic", and he laughed it off.

Dinner goes well well, I order the Tuna Tartar, and Seafood Bisque. He had Beef Carpacio, and Poussin. Now the waiter told us that they had a 'real wood' grill, not a gas. That was a new one, although I know that Salt Creek Grille boasts about their grilled meats, but theirs is a flat grill; which they shared breaks down because of the heat underneath and the food is therefore (has been for four visits)in consistent.

Hubby's baby chicken was perfect, charred, and what apple wood flavor! His appetizer although was overwhelmed with a vinegar dressing with the red onion garnish, and you could not taste the meat at all (paper thin). My appetizer was huge, we both shared, and I would order it over and over again. My bisque however was a disappointment. I would have liked to have eaten it at home so I could have slurped the entire bowl without fear of starring from other guests. We also ordered their Braised Pork Shank with Farrotto (risotto, but barley like)...was superb! We were full and brought it home and shared it for lunch the next morning, and that was a half order!

The wine list was wonderful and we had four different glasses, and my favorite was the Pinot Noir from the Willamette Valley in Oregon. We also had a glass of grappa which was, well I wish I had another one tonight...

We get my car from the valet, I get into the driver side (he drinks more wine) and my hubby ask the guys for a flash light. I ask "what is going on, did you loose someting"? He replies "Well when I took off my gloves when we arrived my wedding ring flew off, and I want to find it". I just sat there and said "Well sweetie if you did not find it, wait until daylight and we will look for it". He was not going to give up...I thought those guys probably found it on the ground and since it was expensive and platinum, well its buy them drinks next week after they go to the pawn shop. No worries, I was more than calm! Finally after going over every inch of that area where he got out of the car and near the edge of the curb, he found it!

Lesson learned...if he had told me at dinner, I would have freaked out and thought about it the whole time (about someone picking it up off the ground that is). Also, I stayed calm outside, because I knew 'he' did it, not me *smile*, so I could have given him such a hard time long after that...so there is hope ladies after twelve years together they learn when and when not to say dangerous things...

BTW...I would recommend eating there, they make their own sausages, and they are hanging in plain site...

Eno Terra
Category: Italian
4484 Route 27
Kingston, NJ 08528
(609) 497-1777

Price Range: $$$ * Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Parking: Private Lot * Attire: Casual
Good for Groups: Yes * Good for Kids: No
Takes Reservations: Yes * Delivery: No
Take-out: No * Waiter Service: Yes (very attentive)
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes * Outdoor Seating: No
Good for: Dinner * Alcohol: Full Bar (Grappa!)