All my die hard chef friends will argue that nothing else matters in a restaurant beyond the presentation and taste of the food. Meaning, it doesn't matter if the wallpaper is made of gold or if the bread bowl pre-meal is made of the most olive-stoked artisan loaves, if the food is great, the food is great, and that is all that needs to be present in order for a diner to leave with a memorable experience wafting upon the tip of their tongue and easily recalled later when the return visit is eminent. And I agree with this general philosophy for sure. Some of my most memorable meals have taken place in environments where even a tablecloth was questionable. But I do love it when I find places where the food is good AND there are random, inspiring and creative touches that signify the establishment's wish to stand above the rest. As adults, we rarely find elements of surprise in our daily life so I am always thrilled when someone decides to throw a little whimsy and awe into the mix, especially surrounding food.
This is why I still love going to Norma's at the Parker. Even as the previous gilded tint of potential celebrity sightings or Robert Downey Jr. drug and hooker train wrecks has faded from the resort's initial novelty, the restaurant remains a place that provides sweet little forget-me-nots: the round shape of the simply delicious shrimp and spinach morning frittata; the slim glass shot of fruit smoothie served to clean the palate upon seating; and most of all, the lovely little wafer-thin, crystallized and candied whole orange slices that arrive with the bill!
It's these forget me nots that keep me coming back even though it's not often to spend money on food, that although good, is still just about the most expensive in ratio to "typical" item (think outrageous tuna sandwich!) in town.
