Mussels and Beer

The other night I took the RER over to Port Royal where I met my friend, Shonali, at L’Académie de la Bière. This cheery restaurant fully deserves its "The Academy of Beer" title. The two page list of beers is enough to satisfy a beer aficionado and fully intimidate a newbie, like myself. I like to think the restaurant lives up to its name by schooling its competitors and educating it's customers. Our smiling, English-speaking waiter was attentive and patient as we discussed different beer and dinner options. Shonali got started right away with a cherry flavored beer, which she enjoyed through our meal of mussels and a goat cheese salad. I was waiting for another friend to arrive to order my drink, so I put beer out of my mind and instead focused on fishing the lightly flavored mussels from the massive glass bowl in which they were served. I also savored the hot, round mounds of goat cheese that sat on the crusty piece of bread covering our salad. Unlike the salad at Fuxia, the greens did not let down the ingredients they supported. The salad was fresh and coated in a light salad dressing that added gloss and flavor without leaving unseemly pools at the bottom of our plate. To top off the meal, we had a side of crispy, golden fries (enough for two of us to enjoy together), which the waiter served to us with a plate of ketchup he had squirted into the shape of a heart.

When our friend arrived I decided to order a beer. Let me first say: I hate beer. I have never had a beer that I've actually enjoyed. It's such a popular drink, though, that I see different bottles and labels practically every time someone celebrates a super-bowl, a 4th of July, a birthday, or just a Saturday night! And each time I think to myself "hmm, maybe this one is good. I should try it." It never is. This beer, though, was good. The first beer I've ever enjoyed! It's probably because it didn't really taste like one. But now I can say that I've actually finished a beer. I don't know what brand it was. All I know is that Shonali turned to the waiter and said "She doesn't like beer...lets get her a girly one." So, I ended up drinking "fruits du bois", which means "fruit(s) of the forest". (The mystery forest fruit tasted a bit like rasberry.) Shonali and our other friend ordered two regular "golden" beers, which were served in massive, bowl-like glasses. As their beers really did taste like beer I didn't like them, but I guess that's the good thing about L'Academie de la Biere--there's something for everyone. With great food, great service, and great drinks at great prices I forsee another dinner there in the near future.