‘squeat*!

Heard on 4^th floor, Chicago House, West Quad circa 1970, every day around 5:30: “d’jeat?” “no d’jew?” “’squeat!”.   And on this momentous day in Michigan “squeat” out! is possible, and I don’t mean “outside dining”!  In honor of this day, which it seems we’ve awaited for an eternity, I’d like to recount the finest meal I had out before the latest lockdown.  It was at a place I wrote about here about a year ago, little Albena, in the back of the Siren Hotel on Broadway in downtown Detroit https://wordpress.com/post/theviewfromharbal.com/44. The meal was in late October.

 Their website https://albenadetroit.com/ is so minimalist, it doesn’t even list a phone number.  “Contact” gets their e-mail, a click on “reservations” gets a message that they aren’t currently taking them on Tock.  They were practicing “social distancing” before it was required, never seating more than 4 at their 8 stool bar, keeping dining parties as far from each other as possible.  Of course, if they’re restricted to 25% capacity, that’s one couple at a time.  Even at their prices, it might be tough to keep the lights on with that kind of traffic.  We’ll see what kind of answer my e-mail gets.

As you depart they give you a little tiny scroll.  I thought it was the menu.  I just unrolled mine hoping it would jog my memory.  Alas it is just some inspirational crap.  Now I have a pretty good memory, though not up to Mr. John Prine’s (God rest his soul) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ww1SenQwaMg. So here’s what I recollect.

I’m afraid I can’t remember all the courses we wolfed down at Albena that day.  All I can provide are pictures, taken like a good millennial at his/her food.  Our millenial shutterbugs got all 8 courses.  It seemed those 3 behind the bar were always just preparing our next delicacy behind the counter.  Of course, there were also the wine pairings, which I did not capture.  So here goes

Course #1.  Something beany

Course #2.  A little salad sort of thing. Locally grown, of course. Probably picked from out back, grown in the grit of Woodward. I trust they washed it off first.

Course #3.  More colorful tastiness.  Yes, of course we ate the flowers.

Course #4.  I believe those were little fishes.  Scrumptious. Cooked too. The dabs of sauce between were essential.

Course #5.  Lookit that lovely lamb chop, and of course the innocuous sauce next to it.  They did’t mind if you just grabbed the bone and gnawed away.  No bibs necessary.

Course#6.  I totally forgot what this was.  Probably in a swoon after the lamb.  I’m sure it was delicious

Course #7. So you need a dessert to lead you to the dessert?  How about a little yogurt atop raspberries topped with pignoles?

Course #8.  Now they didn’t whip up this behind the counter as we watched.  Probably yesterday.  But a nice slice off nonetheless.

I can’t imagine a more pleasing dining experience than having these kids tend to you.  Save up your $$$ and go if you get a chance.  You’ll have no regrets.

*Translation from Quaddese

d’jeat?: did you eat?

d’jew?:  no, did you?

‘squeat!: let’s go eat!