I'll try putting this up in smaller portions. Perhaps it was the length of the posts that held it up. If that's the case - this will have to be done in 10 or 11 installments. Here goes:

At 9:00 p.m. we are informed that the people inhabiting our table are not ready to leave. We must wait for 20 minutes for our table. This is not a problem, as it drew sympathy from the front-of-the-house staff, and upon gaining our table, we were presented with 2 glasses of champagne for our trouble. I readily forgave them for the wait!

After setting up our game plan with the server we were ready to start eating. We had our fixed courses set - and our chosen courses all under control.

But first - a couple of things to pique our interest arrive at the table. The first is a beautiful silver bowl containing two perfect eclair pastry puffs filled with gruyere custard, and, two of the famous salmon tartare cornets that look exactly like G.I. Joe-sized ice cream cones (complete with paper wrapping). They're adorable and pretty dang tasty, too.

Bread is offered, too - not in a basket on the table...no no no. Its brought by on a large tray, where one picks what one wants. I went with a lovely wheat sour dough with a braided pattern on top...perfect with the butters.

On to Course One......