Summer evening

Last Friday evening, B. and I went to a Grieg concert at Chicago's Millennium Park. Part of the Grant Park music festival, the free concert was held at the outdoor Jay Pritzker Pavilion. It was lovely to sit outside, listening to the orchestra: The weather was warm but not too much so, there was a light breeze, and it simply was a quintessential summer evening -- the perfect end to a hectic week.

Afterwards, we went nearby to the Plaza at Park Grill restaurant for dinner al fresco. We were seated at a cozy table for two, away from the crowded bar. The opening ceremonies of the Olympics were showing on the bar's large-screen tv, so if we wished, we could watch the festivities as they took place.

Our waiter was great. Attentive without hovering, he was pleasant and made us feel comfortable. He responded to my questions graciously, and while familiar with the ingredients in the dishes we ordered, he checked with the chef before placing our order.

After determining the chips were made in-house from corn-based tortillas, we ordered chips and salsa to start. The chips were fresh and hot, and were served with two salsas. The corn and pepper salsa was good, the other excellent -- a mango and cucumber pico de gallo tossed with lime (I think) and other herbs that made for an unexpected but very pleasing combination.

For dinner, I had the Kobe beef tacos. Kobe beef is a high-end, high-quality meat, and believe it or not, I could taste the difference; the tacos were outstanding. They were seasoned with achiote and cilantro relish, and accompanied by lettuce on corn tortillas. I dressed the tacos using the provided lime wedges, and as I ate, I tried to remember the last time I had tacos that good.

Part of what made the experience so nice was that my food needs were met without much fuss. Here, it was easy.

I often approach dining-out situations warily. It's hard to predict what sort of reception you'll get -- the server could be gracious or rude, aware or misinformed, or anything in between. And that's just the start, as there's no way to know about what happens in the kitchen or if the utensils used to plate your meal were contaminated before they touched your food. You definitely relinquish some control when you eat out. That's just part of the process.

About a year and half ago or so, I made a decision that I would have to take my chances when eating out. That doesn't mean I'm not careful; it just means I'm permitting myself to have a more normal life. Being diagnosed with food allergies/intolerances definitely impacted my social life, and I finally decided that I couldn't be a hermit -- I needed to be able to go out to eat once in a while.

Now I try new places much more frequently. I choose a couple items on the menu that are more likely to be ok for me, then I ask questions about them. I do my best to convey my needs without being over-bearing, and try to make it as simple as possible for the servers. If there is a problem, I will send my food back to the kitchen, but generally, things go fairly well.

Ultimately, if I get good service, I tip well, and if I don't have any reactions to the food, I'll go back. If I get bad service or a bad meal, not only do I not go back, I make sure my family and friends know about the negative experience, and I encourage them to take their business elsewhere.

B. and I definitely will be back to the Plaza at Park Grill. I already know what I'll be ordering.