Steak salad

Things that went right today:

1) Got my computer back!

2) My son's surgeon saved his broken finger

3) Got a yummy loaf of bread from a friend

I offered to take my son out to lunch a few months ago. Without thinking through the potential consequences I told him he could choose where we went. We were near our home at the neighborhood shopping center and of course he selected a place that was within his line of sight at the time (with teenage boys it is important for food to be close at hand...no waiting). He also chose the place with the most "guy" energy. Naturally. The sports bar on the corner. I had seen it before but had deliberately avoided it. Sports theme restaurants are not really my dining destination of choice typically. They are usually smokey and loud and seem more like a venue for a end of the year soccer party than a planned meal. Not to mention that you can generally assume that the menu is packed with artery clogging fare which is not on my current diet plan. Plus it was obvious from the outside that this one was definitely a bar first...restaurant second. But true to my promise off we went.

We got inside and it pretty much was what I had expected. Huge TV screens blasting too many different games at high volume to do justice to any of them. Smoke, lights, total sensory overload. But I figured it was a fun way to spend time with my son anyway so I was upbeat...especially since to my pleasant surprise I discovered a steak salad on the menu. Things were looking up. And then came the bread. All I can say is...well...heaven sent! Seriously. Light fluffy rolls with a hint of honey taste to them. Melt in the mouth goodness. So I ate three. There went the diet but I did not even care. They were worth it. Not long after arrived the best steak salad I have ever tasted. I cannot really define what makes it so wonderful. It's a pretty ordinary salad really, but something about it makes my mouth water just thinking of it. The steak was perfectly cooked and seasoned. I am not usually much of a steak person but I LOVED that salad. I scarfed every morsel and would have licked the plate if I thought I could have gotten away with it. No kidding. For the following week I thought of that salad ridiculously often until I couldn't stand it anymore and made my husband take me back. He raised his brows a little in amusement when I begged to go to the sports bar, but he sensed my desperation and has learned over time that it can be dangerous to get between me and a food craving. So off we went and guess what? He loved his kabobs too. Now over the past few months we have been back a half dozen times. We have become a bit obsessed actually. It is kind of getting embarrassing now so we may need to hold off for awhile, but every time I go I have the same thing....Steak salad and yummy rolls. And every time I leave stuffed and satisfied. Bliss!

So the moral of the story? I am thankful this day that I followed my son's lead. That I tried something out of my comfort zone. Had I followed my own instincts and habits I would have missed out on so much deliciousness. Sometimes it pays to try something new. Or give a second look before judging something's worth. There are treasures untold that can be ours if we are not too blind or afraid to discover them.