babaganoush

babaganoush is an eggplant something-or-other that...well...just is. i don't know much about it, except that we had it at this bitty restaraunt in carmel called la bicyclette and it was truly tasty. they served it with roasted garlic, garbanzo hummus, and homemade pita.

this restaraunt, by the way, is a new fav. their menu changes every 3-4 days, with the appetizer and soup being set (that is, no choices...you get what the chef dreams up in his kitchen). the appetizer, on this occasion, was the babaganoush (which, incidently, i really enjoy saying). copper pots hang from the ceiling, and there's a coveted table, inside a little house...inside the restaraunt. the water glasses are tiny, rustic things, the napkins are kitchen towels, and the tables are snug. they call it "rustic french" cuisine, but what comes out of that closet of a kitchen is amazing. if quail is rustic, then i must redefine my terms.

i took a picture of the asparagus soup, not because it looks all that impressive, but because i want to remember how amazingly smooth and creamy and fresh it was. i could have eaten just that and left happier than a family of clams.