The IDB (Incredibly Decadent Buffet) is something we came upon about two-and-a-half years ago. At the time, we wanted to celebrate our anniversary in a buffet, and my wife discovered one in a mid-sized Jersey town.
Now, I knew that it was going to be a major disappointment, because 1) it was in a mid-sized town of no importance, and 2) in New Jersey, but would she accept that as criteria for exclusion? Nooooo...after all, it didn't cost much. so we went, were duly disappointed, and then I said one of those lines by which I have misled my long and pernicious life: "You have to pay for class."
After which, I made a reservation at Philly's most expensive and prestigious Sunday buffet, the Swann Lounge, in the Four Seasons Hotel.
Yes, you can wreck a diet there quicker than you can say "chocolate."
Yes, it probably costs more than the amount spent to feed a family of twenty-seven in Bahrain.
But oh, was it good. The service is endless, the sense of leisure is pronounced, and the food is great. So, we've ended up hitting the place three-four times a year.
Without further ado, the menu:
Breakfast Station French Toast Baugette with Toasted Almonds and Vanilla
Blueberry, Raspberry, Blackberry and Chocolate Chip Pancakes
Belgian Waffles with Fresh Berries, Whipped Cream and/or Maple Syrup
Bacon, Sausage and Pennsylvania Scrapple
Soups Creamy Acorn Squash with Sweet Pea and Acini de Pepe
Seasonal Salads Mixed Field Greens
Red & White Cabb,e Chicken< Coriander, Thai Sauce
Cucumber, Bell Peppers, Red Onion, Feta Cheese, Dill Vinigrette
Fingerling Potatoes, Charred Onion, Pommery Mustard Remoulade
Farfalleni Pasta, Mixed Winter Veggies, Garlic Dressing
Shrimp Mary Rose, Caesar Salad
Omelette Station Choice of Salmon, Ham, Bacon, Mushroom, Onion, Pepper, Herb, Spinach, Tomato and/or Caviar
Entrees Baby Rae of Lamb "Au Poivre Style"
Muscovy Duck Breast, Crispy Potato and Leg Confit, Fresh Thyme
Beef Wellington tenderloin with mushroom duxelle
Black Bass with Jumbo Lump Crabmeat, Thai Curry Sauce
Asian Spiced Pork Tnederloin with Wood Ear Mushrooms and Hoisin Glaze
Prosciutto Wrapped Quail with White Bean and Tomato Ragout
Roasted Organic Turkey Breast, Light Marsala Jus
Clams, Mussels, Shrimp over a Black Bean Sauce
Vegetables Vegetable Bouquetiere
Country Style Yukon Gold Potatoes
Desserts French Hazelnut Macaroons
Vanilla Ice Cream
French Pistachio Macroon Cookies
Carrot Raisin Walnut Slice
Chocolate Fudge Brownies
Orange Pistachio Ganache Slice
Chocolate Jamin Tart
Pineapple Almond Financier
Grandma's Chocolate Cake
Apple Cinammon Blackberry Crumble
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Four Seasons Creme Brulee
Fresh Fruit Tartlets
Raspberry White Chocolate Marquise Mousse
Disgusting, isn't it? Among the desserts, I think the Chocolate Jamin Tart and Grandma's Chocolate Cake were the most impressive. And judging by her cake, Grandma was a sociopath who liked killing children by blocking their arteries with cholesterol soon after birth. It was all heaven.
To the Righteous belong the fruits of violent victory. The rest of us will have to settle for warm friends, warm lovers, and a wink from a quietly supportive universe.
I think I actually felt my cholesterol count increasing simply by reading that menu.......
The problem for me, though, is that any sort of buffet like that would end up being a bit of a waste because I'm not really all that capable of consuming a lot of food at one sitting, even when the meal is paced in a very leisurely fashion with many breaks in between.
I recall once being invited to an Italian wedding banquet.... *shudder* Let's just say it is not an experience I would want to repeat.....The food was superb.. but for me it was definitely too much of a good thing. What we will sometimes inflict upon ourselves in the interest of being polite....
Spoiler
testingtest12
Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup. Spoiler
testingtest12
.......All those moments ... will be lost ... in time ... like tears in rain.
@DW.....LOL...I wish I could boast such a dainty appetite..unfortunately....I think I could manage to make myself quite ill at a buffet such as fable's IDB
@fable:.....Yum.......I can see why you and your wife fancy this establishment ...
I'll be looking for fedral express to deliver my doggybag
Scayde Moody
(Pronounced Shayde) The virtue of self sacrifice is the lie perpetuated by the weak to enslave the strong
Originally posted by Scayde I'll be looking for fedral express to deliver my doggybag
I kept telling my wife we should take a giant pork roast home. All it would require was a blanket. Then she could carry the thing and refer to it as "Baby Alfred." For some reason, that didn't appeal.
To the Righteous belong the fruits of violent victory. The rest of us will have to settle for warm friends, warm lovers, and a wink from a quietly supportive universe.
Originally posted by fable I kept telling my wife we should take a giant pork roast home. All it would require was a blanket. Then she could carry the thing and refer to it as "Baby Alfred." For some reason, that didn't appeal.
LMAO..too bad..the plan has a certain genius to it
Scayde Moody
(Pronounced Shayde) The virtue of self sacrifice is the lie perpetuated by the weak to enslave the strong
Found it: the football bit of pagan humor I was looking for. I've no idea who wrote this, so no one to praise.
Football: Christians vs. Pagans
Heard one night on Between the Worlds Radio, WIKA...
Bob: For those of you who have just joined us, this has been one hell of a game! The Salem Witches, led by the ferocious play of Sven Gahrinnson, a huge Asatru defensive end, have taken a 21-14 lead over the Bethany Baptists.
Sam: That's right, Bob. Sven's a force, but Bethany's quarterback Paul Damascus has been throwing passes with all the zeal of an evangelist passing out tracts on Judgement Day. Leading the Baptists' Fire and Brimstone offense, Damascus has been burning the Witches' secondary all evening.
Bob: Sam, now that was uncalled for...
Sam: Hey, if the Witches hadn't put a spell on the referees they wouldn't even be in this game!
Bob: And if the Baptists hadn't soaked the field with holy water, the Witches would still be able to use their running game, not to mention the third degree burns that Salem's tight end received.
Sam: His name was Vlad! I'll bet he wasn't only a witch but a…
Bob: Don't say it!
Sam: But the Bible says...
Bob: SAM! Let's return to the action on the field.
Sam: [mumbling] Well it does...
Bob: Salem's just about to kick off with 2:35 left in the fourth quarter. JohnPaul is on his own five yard line to receive for the Baptists. Here's the kick... It's a beauty! Just look at the hang time!
Sam: I'd look for a penalty on that kick. Illegal summoning of air elementals, I would think.
Bob: JohnPaul takes the kick... he's on the ten... the fifteen... WOW! WHAT A HIT!! Sven just leveled JohnPaul! I'm amazed Bethany's return man could even hold on to the ball. Uh oh... JohnPaul's not moving. The trainers are coming out to the field.
Sam: [chanting gleefully] Threefold law! Threefold law! Sven's going to pay! He meant to hit him hard.
Bob: Sam, this is football! You're supposed to hit them hard. Besides, Sven's not Wiccan, he's Asatru!
Sam: [mumbling] Well, they're all going to burn in hell. They aren't Christian, after all. The Bible says --
Bob: [cutting off Sam] It looks like JohnPaul's going to be okay. He ay not know what time zone he's in after that hit, but at least he's on his feet. The Witches' defense takes the field. Sven holds down the left side while Gavin Lord leads Salem's Wild Hunt defense. Listen to them howl! The Witches' fans are going wild, the pep band is leading a spiral dance while the cheerleaders are drawing down the moon. I can't imagine how Bethany can even hear the count over all this noise! Here's the snap. Damascus drops back. Here comes Sven! Damascus is scrambling, chased by the Wild Hunt. He has nowhere to run, not with the Hunt on his heels. Damascus throws the ball away, stopping the clock with 2:08 left to play.
Sam: There's a flag on the play. I'll bet it's against the Witches
Bob: My guess is holding on the offense, Sam.
Sam: Yeah, right. You're just saying that 'cause you don't want the Baptists to win.
Bob: No, I'm saying that because one of Bethany's offensive linemen is still holding someone's kilt!
Sam: They should call that a foul. After all, the Bible says --
Bob: [cutting Sam off again] The refs have marked off the penalty and the players are lining up again. Damascus is calling the signals. Here's the snap. He drops back and throws. It's caught by Moses at the 30 and he's brought down immediately. That's going to bring up the two minute warning.
Sam: Let's break for a word from our sponsor, New Jerusalem Witnessing Tracts.
Bob: Let's not. We're back! The word on JohnPaul's injury is either a slight concussion or demon possession. The team is calling in a specialist from the Vatican to be sure. It seems that Sven hit him hard enough that the Bethany return man thinks he's in a past life. He keeps saying, I was really just kidding. I like lions. Really. Good kitty! There's 1:58 left on the game clock and from the look of things on the field, I think that Bethany's starting to panic.
Sam: Why do you say that?
Bob: Because it looks like they're going for the Hail Mary play.
Sam: And why do you say that?
Bob: Just listen to the Baptists' fans.
Fans: Hail Mary, Mother of God... Hail Mary, Mother of God...
Bob: Here's the snap. Damascus drops back... he's under pressure... Damascus scrambles to the right, looking for an open receiver... he reverses the field, running to the left... Sven is right on his heals... He throws... Touchdown!! What an immaculate reception! Touchdown Bethany!
Sam: Yes! Yes! YES!!!
Bob: Let's be a little objective here...
Sam: Time to make those sinners pay!
Bob: Bethany's going for the two point conversion. The Wild Hunt is growling, you can hear it even over the roar of the crowd. This could be the game right here, folks. The Baptists are pulling out all the stops. I think that's even the Ark of the Covenant that they're parading over there. Here's the snap... It's a quarterback sneak! Damascus dives into the heart of the Wild Hunt! Look at that pile! Damascus is somewhere at the bottom. It's going to be a moment before they sort this one out, folks. One of the Baptists is in Sven's face. Uh oh... I think he's witnessing to the Asatru. Yep! There's the flag! That'll be unsportsmanlike conduct on Bethany. Fifteen yards off the kick off. It looks like the Baptists have made the conversion! Bethany leads 22 to 21.
Sam: That's not the only thing they converted. It looks like Sven is headed back to Bethany's sideline.
Bob: No! Sven! You're a warrior! Come back! Come back!
Sam: Oh... is da widdle asatwoo a kwistjun now?
Bob: [ignoring Sam] Fourth quarter... 1:22 left on the clock. Bethany sends a deep booming kick into Salem's end zone. Wait... who is that returning the kick? Long hair... curves... It's Artemis! Those Bethany defenders don't know who they have coming at them!
Sam: If she turns anyone into a stag and they don't call a penalty, I'll protest!
Bob: Artemis fields the ball deep in her own end zone. She's bringing it out! She's at the five, at the ten... breaks a tackle… to the fifteen, the twenty... she's on the sideline with room to run... Does anyone hear trumpets? Are those angels over there? OHMIGOD WHAT WAS THAT FLASH OF LIGHT?!?!??!
Sam: Where did all of Bethany's players go? Where are their fans?
Bob: Looks like its the Rapture... Artemis is left with a field empty of defenders... She's at the fifty... the forty... the twenty...Touchdown!! Salem's ahead by five with Bethany nowhere in sight!
Sam: Judgement Day... It can't be Judgement Day...
Bob: Looks like the refs are talking this one over. The clock is stopped with fifty-eight seconds left to play. The Bethany Baptists are nowhere in sight and the Salem Witches lead 27 - 22. Here's the official ruling...That's game! The Bethany Baptists forfeit the game and the Salem Witches win, 27 - 22!
Sam: [still bemoaning his fate] Judgement Day... It was Judgement Day and no one came to get me! It can't be Judgement Day! Why? Why, Bob? Why?
Bob: Don't know, Sam. It's your system of belief, not mine. You're welcome to hang out with us Pagans.
Sam: Dear GOD! It was Judgement Day and they sent me to Hell! This is Hell, isn't it Bob?
Bob: [thinking of being the only Pagan that Sam knows] Only for me, Sam. Only for me.
To the Righteous belong the fruits of violent victory. The rest of us will have to settle for warm friends, warm lovers, and a wink from a quietly supportive universe.
@fable...*HUG*...this is hilarious.....I can't tell you how many people I would love to send this to that would never speak to me again.......*snicker*.......Hey..that might be just another reason to do it
Scayde Moody
(Pronounced Shayde) The virtue of self sacrifice is the lie perpetuated by the weak to enslave the strong
Glad you enjoyed it. That's about the best piece of pagan humor I've yet found, save for one or two bits that are kinda in-jokes about various major pagan and Craft groups. But I'll keep searching!
To the Righteous belong the fruits of violent victory. The rest of us will have to settle for warm friends, warm lovers, and a wink from a quietly supportive universe.
Originally posted by fable Glad you enjoyed it. That's about the best piece of pagan humor I've yet found, save for one or two bits that are kinda in-jokes about various major pagan and Craft groups. But I'll keep searching!
LOL...Please do..that was pricelessly irreverent
Scayde Moody
(Pronounced Shayde) The virtue of self sacrifice is the lie perpetuated by the weak to enslave the strong
Reminds me vaguely of an entrepreneurial idea my partner and I once came up with. We figured we should market cat kibble in the shape of little crosses and call it "Nero Brand Lion Chow"
by the way, I don't mean to cause offense to anyone
Spoiler
testingtest12
Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup. Spoiler
testingtest12
.......All those moments ... will be lost ... in time ... like tears in rain.
so we went, were duly disappointed, and then I said one of those lines by which I have misled my long and pernicious life: "You have to pay for class."
