Previously I posted about a special soup delivery from my teammate/Local 3.  This week I was thrilled to try out the restaurant… errrrr… from inside the restaurant. 🙂

Our server, Lauren, was very nice and just the right amount of attentive.  She made a couple of fantastic wine recommendations and was knowledgable about the menu. She certainly didn’t steer me wrong!

The duck fat-fried Hushpuppy + Sambal Aioli “snack” was good (mayyyybe a bit more solid than I could chew, but worth it!).  I love the crunchy flakes of salt sprinkled on top.

For dinner I ordered 2 appetizers: the Sweet Potato Soup (new on the menu and VERY good) and the Oven Roasted Mushrooms w/ Polenta and Truffle Jus.

The polenta was some of the best I have had.  Perfectly creamy, not even a hint of a lump to be found (often a problem with restaurant mass-production).  The truffle jus gave it a rich, decadent taste that played well with the perfectly roasted mushrooms.

Of course, I forgot to take pictures until dessert.

Banana Creme Brulee with a slice of sticky banana bread. It tasted like banana pudding.

We may or may not have made reservations for the below before we left… 3 weeks from now when I can fully chew… Don’t judge me.

On Monday nights Local 3 will have “Chef & Coolio’s Fantastic Monday Night Voyages*”.  A 3-course family-style dinner with beer/wine pairings.  Only $35.  16 seatings.  Beat that, Atlanta restaurants.

*Apparently Coolio refers to a rubber chicken, not the rapper.

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This Christmas, Santa brought me an ice cream maker.  Despite not being able to chew, it has taken me this long to use it.  (Sad, I know.)

It was worth the wait for this pumpkin pie bowl.

I’m still amazed at how easy this was.  Just blend, cool, pour, mix, eat.

Now that I have that sequence down, the sky is the limit!  I love savory desserts, so I’ll definitely be ice creaming up a bunch this spring!

Like pumpkin pie in a bowl.  On ice.  And vegan-ized.

You get the idea.  It was good.  Eat this:

Pumpkin Pie Vegan Ice Cream

• 1/3 C raw cashews
• 1 15-oz can pure pumpkin puree
• 3/4 C water
• 1/2 C unsweetened coconut milk (a la So Delicious)
• 1 tsp pure maple syrup
• 1/2 Stevia packet
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp fresh grated nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ginger
• 1/4 tsp guar gum
• 1/8 tsp kosher salt

Place all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth.  Refrigerate for 2-3 hours, until well-chilled.  Place in ice cream maker and process according to instructions.

Spoon out and enjoy!

Tasty toppings: dark chocolate syrup, caramel, crumbled ginger cookies (or Biscoff), cacao nibs, pumpkin seeds, etc.

Makes 3-4 servings.

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What is your favorite dessert?  Do you like a salty-sweet?  Fruity?  Sugary?