Welcome to the experiment hitherto be known as “lounge review via retro camera filter” or “a prime example of why I probably won’t use retro camera filters to take food pictures ever again.”
When I head out for dinner and drinks with my girlfriends, lets be honest, I am not interested in bringing my kid along with me. Just like when I go on date nights with my husband, I like to pick places where other people are not all that likely to have their kids peeking over the booth at me, if you know what I mean, and I think you do.
I recently chose Night Light Lounge for dinner with my gals because after a quick Urban Spoon search, I decided that it was the closest place in the vicinity with the widest variety of options. My best friend was wanting “chicken and vegetables” of the non-fried variety, and I shit you not, that is so much harder to find than one would think.
We showed up at about 5:00 PM on a Tuesday and found plenty of places to sit, attentive staff, and the varietal menu we were promised. After ordering a couple of glasses of whatever their house bubbly was ($1 off during happy hour), we decided to share a few things.
We started off with “The Mezza Platter” of hummus, baba ganoush, olives, roasted peppers and artichokes:
(Mezza platter).
The Mezza Platter did not disappoint. The hummus was delicious, just the right texture, and had a hint of citrus that gave it a nice little zip. The baba ganoush was also amazing and I am not sure what was in it besides the usual stuff but I will be back in the near future just to order this plate.
We then decided on a few things we wanted to share less of. My friend Syd ordered the Yellow Curried Fritters (vegetable & cranberry fritters w/ a ginger honey coriander sauce drizzled w/ chili & basil oils). They were light and fluffly like little mini cakes. I only wish there was a bit more sauce, as I am one of those people who can never have enough sauce.
(Fritters).
My BFF who demanded (ok, requested) chicken and vegetables ordered the Chicken Tortilla Salad with the dressing on the side and came looking like this:
(Chicken Tortilla Salad complete with: grilled romaine tossed with a chili, garlic, lime dressing w/ grilled marinated chicken, sun-dried tomato coulis & crispy tortillas topped w/ sharp cheddar cheese & green onions).
I didn’t try her salad but she didn’t complain. It looked nice, anyway.
Last but not least was my Spicy Tuna Tartare w/ cucumber, avocado, green onion & soy ginger sauce served w/ grilled baguette. I didn’t even eat it with the bread, I just ate it straight off the plate. The fish was definitely fresh and had good texture, but I do wish it was a bit more spicy and that maybe it had a tiny HINT of soy sauce or something. Overall it was fine but didn’t blow my mind. Hey, this is essentially bar food we are talking about, after all.
After dinner we finished our drinks outside on the heated and covered patio where smokers and free to smoke, but you must keep your voice down after certain hours. All in all a successful and delicious meal was complete.
(My friend Sydney looking adorable on the smoking patio even though she doesn’t smoke.)
In a nutshell: There is something on the menu for everyone. Quesadillas, hummus, soups, salads, burgers, etc… Good for when you need to please a variety of people.
Must have: The Mezza Platter is great to share and comes with lots of delicious grilled bread brushed with olive oil. YUM.
Watch out for: This establishment is 21 and over, so leave the kiddos with a sitter.
If you’re on a budget: Happy hour, happy hour, HAPPY HOUR. It’s cheaper. Order a few things and split with your friends. You will be HAPPY and full in no time!
