better late than never

this is the very picturesque patio of slow's barbecue joint, where we went tonight for our anniversary dinner, finally.

kisu had been looking forward to visiting this place for quite a while, so even though i am in the midst of a head cold we went. early in the day it looked like i would have to cancel, since i suffered a few hot flashes/waves of nausea i didn't think i'd survive. now i know what menopause will feel like.

after lunch i felt much more stable, although still stuffy. i banked on getting a real spicy sauce that would open up my sinuses and allow me to actually taste the food. that didn't quite happen, but i understand that the grub was really good. the most i can say for it is: unusual (the split-pea and okra fritter appetizer) and juicy (the pulled pork, pulled chicken, and brisket combo). kisu says it was all delicious and that we should definitely return. i'm all for that. i'd like another chance at some of the side options without the olfactory handicap. i did manage to save a significant portion of my dinner for leftovers, though. i think i'll keep them until wednesday in hopes that my head will clear by then.

the restaurant itself was very nice. there's a bit of an in-crowd feel going on that starts when you miss the door. we actually had a guy across the street holler over to us that we missed it. the door and the patio wall are very reminiscent of a stockade or an army fort. as you can see from the picture, that feeling is amplified by the arrow slits in the patio wall. inside, the design was industrial meets natural, as demonstrated in the bathroom: large metal slabs formed the stall doors with no effort made to hide the welds for the hinges, handles, etc. the sinks were two rectangular rough-hewn stone basins. it was a pleasing combination.

all in all, we had a nice evening, made all the better by the fact that when we returned home, the two kids were already in bed. i took a shower, some medicine, and promptly fell asleep watching the season premiere of heroes.