Day 9: A Gastropub

It was a quiet Monday night -and time to catch up with those friends you didn't get to see over the holidays. I had a nice Monday night meal with my friend Karie. And what better place than a gem of a place in Redwood City called Martin's West Gastropub.

I am in love with Gastropubs these days. But who wouldn't like a place that emphasizes great bar food - often with large amounts of pig and wild animals - and great food - all in a casual setting.

Our meal a Martin's did not disappoint. We had the Charcuterie plate, including duck liver mousse, smoked rabbit, and  wild boar. The Brussels sprouts leaves were inline with the new fad of deep frying Brussels sprouts. But the oil was too hot - and so they were a bit charred.

Our favorites were the Scottish quail eggs and the bone marrow.

The Scottish eggs were true to the original form of a soft boiled egg, surrounded by sausage and then deep fried. But they were done with small quail eggs. Very delicious.

We also had the rare (although less rare these days as pubs and specialty restaurants are starting to do it) bone marrow. What was interesting is that instead of creating smaller cross sections of bone, they split a bone length ways.

For the newbies to bone marrow - the inside of the bone is a cross between a creamy custard, but rich with fat. You eat it on toast. It is so delicious.

It's good to have friends that you can go out with on a Monday night - and eat bone marrow, quail eggs, wild boar, rabbit - and still have a great conversation about family and 2012 goals!