A Month of Gratitude - Day 8 (Date Night!)

One blessing of an older child is a built in babysitter.  Luke really needs a sandwich board that says "Will babysit for food."  (Pun unintended.)  Tonight he was left in charge for a couple hours while Neal and I ducked out to our newest favorite restaurant.  Pasta Pomodoro is a small, practically mom-and-pop restaurant in Voorhees, NJ that specializes in gluten-free dining. The food is so good!  If you didn't know what your ordered was gluten free, it would be really hard to figure it out.

We must be an easy mark.  Always, we order the Bruschetta when we walk.  It's not just "good for gluten free," it's just plain good.   Then we check out the menu.  Tonight, the waiter suggested mozzarella sticks.  Like he said...when's the last time you had gluten free mozzarella sticks?   Well...never.

Tonight Neal ordered chicken parmesan - something he hasn't eaten in over a year - and said it was excellent.  I said I need to start being more methodical about the menu and just work my way through it section by section.  I had a hard time deciding if I wanted to try something new, or if I wanted to eat a dish I had before and really enjoyed.  I wound up choosing gluten free gnocchi with broccoli rabe and sausage in olive oil and roasted garlic.  SO good.

Plus, they have a dessert tray. Not a token "Well, we have ice cream, that's gluten-free..." dessert, but a whole dessert TRAY of real desserts, many of them homemade.  The first time we went there, Neal felt like he hit the jackpot.

Plus, the desserts change seasonally.  Neal had a panna cotta that was served on a baked apple and then covered in caramel. I had a pumpkin cheesecake that was worth every calorie. (No, I didn't take any pictures.  They disappeared too quickly.) 

 The waitstaff is attentive without hovering, and the owners mingle with the patrons.  Last time we went, it was our wedding anniversary.  The owner, a romantic Italian grandfather, was standing in as maître d' and said to Neal "You can sit next to each other...and whisper in her ear...or sit across and gaze into her eyes."  I chuckled and said, "Please, we've been married sixteen years!" He deadpanned, "So you mean seat him here and you want that table over in the corner?"  Not quite -- ultimately we opted for across-and-gazing, but mostly because it meant that we could steal each other's dessert more easily. (All's fair in love, war, and cannoli, right?)

We've found a new favorite restaurant, and tonight I'm thankful Neal and I had a chance to get out and enjoy some time without little people.





Although Luke is reminding me that I still owe him a pizza...


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