Oh! What a wonderful night it was!

Rainier is in town. He’s giving at paper at the National Association for Ethnic Studies Conference this afternoon, but last night he was free for dinner.

Through the rain and lightning and terrible traffic, John and I drove into the center of Atlanta to meet him. I had made reservations at Nikolai’s Roof! Oh boy, oh boy!

So, some background. Rainier and I were fellow graduate students in the ILA at Emory, and became really close friends when we were there. He has always been very sweet and respectful and easygoing with me, and I love him dearly. The last time I saw him was nearly ten years ago, when John and I got married.

He’s a real professor now – the University of Nevada even featured him in an ad (“Be a Rebel!”). His daughter is all grown up and he has a grandchild, which is really difficult for me to imagine. On my side, I’m out of academe and Ben will be 8 next month. Compare us ten years later – not too bad!

Now, I have always wanted to have dinner at Nikolai’s Roof, but in all the years I’ve lived in Atlanta I have never gone. Since the dinner was my treat, I got to decide, and I grabbed at the opportunity. It’s at the top of the Hilton and at night the view of the city is stunning. The decor is Russian, but the food is French contemporary with a Belgian touch. I haven’t had such a good meal since we were in Dijon.

We started with a bottle of Roco Pinot Noir.

Some kind of fish mousse – about the size of a pat of butter, with drips and drops of sauce and an edible frond of something that might have been a baby leek – was the chef’s opener.

We were well into an wide-ranging and animated conversation when the piroshkis arrived. These were three little puff pastries, each stuffed with pintade, beef tenderloin or salmon, and served with a creamy dipping sauce on the side. Totally yummy. By the third bite, I was trying not to moan – I love this kind of food and it really gives me a buzz. The wine helped, too (grin).

It was very interesting to observe some of the other diners. My notice was particularly taken by a corrupt-looking older man whose smooth manner was of an oily, repulsive type – much like how I would imagine the portrait of Dorian Gray. His… um… escort was much younger, provocatively dressed, strikingly beautiful, and (I could be completely off but) I wondered what she takes home for an evening that starts with such a dinner. Meeeeiaow… I know, but you had to be there.

Back to the food. Next came a plate of three liquid tasters, each surrounded at the base by a different kind of salt (I liked the “lava salt” best): Lobster bisque with lobster at the bottom, some kind of shrimp-based thing, and I couldn’t tell you what the third one was. The bisque was the highlight.

I think it was at this point that we got the second bottle of wine – a Turley Red Zinfandel.

The main course was a melt-in-your-mouth medium-rare beef tenderloin over caramelized veggies (mostly onions, leeks and cabbage, I think) with chanterelles risotto cakes. Each plate was covered with an ornate silver dome, and the servers chimed them down-and-up at precisely the same moment. Impressive.

For dessert, the guys got crème brûlée, but I had heard about the Grand Marnier soufflé, and so I chose that instead. Someone topped it with orange crème fraîche and almonds. It was the best dessert I’ve ever had. Ever. My espresso was only so-so; I should have ordered the french-press coffee instead.

The rest room was an experience, too. I’ve never had someone hand-deliver the soap, and hold the towel for me. And stuff. “Bon soir!” she said to me. By this point, I was lucky that I didn’t fall down the stairs on the way back to the dining room.

The server – a very handsome lad dressed in a formal red Russian-style jacket – brought me a rose and smiled at me. And then he brought me the bill.

Have you ever managed to stagger while sitting in a chair? It’s a strange sensation.

We closed the place down. I don’t think we made it home until almost 1 a.m.

I can only do that about every decade (or less), but oh! what a night. I’ll always remember it.

Thank you so much for a lovely – and very memorable – evening. Exquisite food, romantic atmosphere, and the very, very best of company. Happy sigh.