Paul Martin's Round 2

I went to Paul Martin's last year to meet a friend who just had a baby, and I went back this year because she had another :) I started with one of their spicy house made Bloody Mary's for $10, but because my friend is breastfeeding she opted for an Arnold Palmer. I loved the zing of this freshly made cocktail and it was a great way to start off an afternoon!

I chose the special of the day, which was fried chicken with either salad or soup and ice cream. I was very hungry, but when the huge salad arrived my face must have shown my surprise and my waitress said, "Yes, you'll be taking some of the fried chicken home", warning me that all their portions were equally abundant. The salad was nicely dressed and included some cherry tomatoes for color.

The ample portion of fried chicken with buttered mashed potatoes was definitely enough for two meals! The good thing was that the chicken was moist, crisp, and well seasoned, so I was happy to eat it and looked forward to eating it again for another meal. Yes, I ate the skin, and yes, it was delicious! *

My friend wa craving protein, so she ordered the pulled pork sandwich with regular fries. It came with cole slaw and fried onion rings on a freshly made bun. She finished her entire meal, but then being a working mother with two young children burns calories better than any exercise program. Our entire bill including tax and tip was about $70.

Since I barely ate half my fried chicken, the waitress kindly waited awhile to bring out my ice cream dessert with two shortbread cookies. I shared with my friend since I could barely manage even a spoon of each just to taste the flavors. The chocolate was my favorite of the trio, but none of it wowed me. If I were to have this kind of dessert I would go to Paciugo just a few miles away in Hermosa Beach.

I think I'm pretty lucky to have had a meal with my friend who has two children under the age of 3 at an adult restaurant without her children....maybe it's time to go buy a lottery ticket :)

* Why would anyone order fried chicken and NOT eat the skin unless it was badly made?