Dean & Deluca--to go!

Last night was my last supper with David before he left for Aspen for the eight week long Aspen Music Festival. I miss him already...

After work, I picked up some dinner from Dean & Deluca's prepared foods counter. I'd only recently discovered it and was amazed to see them selling soft shell crab ($10 each) and crab cakes too ($10 each or $8 for Thai style)!

I sauntered over to the counter not sure what I'd be getting and after scanning the cases for something appropriate, I noticed, atop one case, three different kinds of pizzas. I opted for pear and gorgonzola ($11).

It seemed to be large enough for two people, but I wanted to pick out one more thing. I was thinking about a couple of crab cakes, but instead opted for their mixed green salad ($14 /lb.) with dried apricots, cranberries and goat cheese. At just $4.23 (he scooped until I said when), there was more than enough for the both of us.

While my pizza was baking (they're made fresh, to order) I sauntered over to their gourmet chocolates counter to pick out a few after dinner treats. Scanning the case, I decided upon: Antoinette (dark chocolate ganache in rose water), Queenie (dark chocolate ganache with earl grey), Juliet (fresh mint with chocolate) and Charlotte (white chocolate ganache with green tea and chamomile). $5 for the lot.

Lastly, I stopped by Soho Wines & Spirits for a bottle of bubbly to go along with it all...

The verdict: pas mal.

But for $22 and change (not counting wine), it was a perfectly suitable dinner.

I think although the ingredients of the pizza sounded intriguing and exotic, the overall taste of the pizza was just okay. David and I were both a fan of the chewy, meaty dough (he said it was from overkneading), but I'd rather see them do a traditional pizza (with a wet, tangy sauce) or even a white pizza--the pear and gorgonzola just didn't do it for me.

And the salad, also, looked more exciting than it tasted. But it too, was fine. And on to the chocolates, we were excited by only two of them, and I found at least one of them to be a bit pedestrian.

But like I said, at $22 for a full, three course meal--for two, I'll probably be back. With David away for the summer, the cook is out of the kitchen.