Restaurant Roulette with Suzanne! July Issue!

Today marked the beginning of a new month, which meant it was my turn to choose our restaurant adventures. To make the evening even more special, it was our friend Chris’ birthday, so we invited her to join us for our monthly dinner outing.

Before the food festivities began, we toured the James Gallery in the West End. What a hidden gem! Not only is the artwork impressive, but the sculptures and garden are beautiful as well. The gallery is housed in an original 1800’s stable, which adds so much character and charm to the entire experience.

I had made reservations at Happy Feet on the South Side so we could relax and enjoy an hour of reflexology before dinner. About halfway through our treatment, two rowdy young people burst into the shop and immediately disrupted the peaceful atmosphere. One of them opened the door as if to leave, then suddenly started screaming. He slammed the door shut and yelled that someone outside was trying to hurt them and that the police needed to be called.

Meanwhile, a group of ruffians was outside banging on the windows while we sat there, feet covered in oil, wondering if this was really happening. It felt like we had somehow wandered into the middle of an action movie.

Long story short, everyone was unharmed. Three city police officers arrived and eventually escorted us to our cars. There we were, with oily feet, interrupted reflexology sessions, and nerves that were anything but relaxed.

Needless to say, we were running late.

Our first stop for Happy Hour was Bedford House on 12th Street on the South Side. We arrived only to find… the door locked!

A waitress spotted us through the window and explained that their air conditioning had broken, forcing them to close for the evening. It was 95 degrees outside, and judging by the look on her face, it had to be much hotter inside. The poor woman looked like she was moments away from melting.

At this point, we looked at each other and asked:

“Now what?”

Remember, the rule is that it has to be somewhere we’ve never been before!

We pivoted and headed to KingView Meadhouse & Winery on Beverly Road. They offer an extensive selection of wines, meads, and ciders.

I ordered a Royal Cider, which was decent. Rachael and Chris each tried a glass of wine, but their taste buds unanimously concluded that it tasted more like vinegar than wine.

We shared a trio of dips served with chips and pita: ricotta dip, buffalo chicken dip, and spinach artichoke dip. Overall, it was pretty good. The atmosphere was pleasant, and it happened to be trivia night. If you’re looking for a fun evening out, they host trivia on the first and third Wednesdays of each month.

Finally, it was time for dinner.

We headed to F&F Pizza on Beverly Road, located in the former home of Bado’s. They did a fantastic job transforming the space. The restaurant is now bright, open, and welcoming, a huge improvement from the dark and somewhat dingy atmosphere of its predecessor.

Rachael enjoyed an Aperol Spritz while we shared our meal family-style. We ordered meatballs, arancini, a wedge salad, rigatoni with hot sausage, and a Calzogie, which is essentially a pizza topped like a hoagie.

The menu listed hot sausage as an upcharge, but we could barely find more than a few crumbles in the dish. Overall, the food was mediocre. Nothing was bad, but nothing really stood out either. The flavors felt a bit flat, lacking the spices and seasoning that would have made the dishes memorable.

One bright spot was our waiter, who was attentive, polite, and efficient throughout the evening.

And because it was Chris’s birthday, the restaurant treated her to a complimentary dessert: a warm chocolate lava cake that was a sweet ending to a very eventful day.

Will we remember Chris’s birthday celebration?

Absolutely.

Not because of the food, the wine, or even the birthday cake, but because we somehow managed to fit an art tour, a police escort, a closed restaurant, a winery detour, trivia night, and dinner into one unforgettable evening.

Once we had a drink in hand and knew everyone was safe, we couldn’t stop laughing about it all.

Here’s hoping next month’s outing returns to normal… although after this adventure, normal suddenly sounds a little boring!