2009: The Summer of LudoBites

Everyone and their brother has been remarking that this summer has gotten away from them. There's a collective sense that we've been beset by a perpetual June Gloom. This summer has certainly flown by fast and without much to map it by except bad news, but for me, just as The Summer of '69 is a kickass song by Bryan Adams (I did not personally experience the summer of love but thank you so much for asking), the summer of 2009 will be the Summer of Ludobites.

It's been a summer of rectangular tables, backless stools, paper printed menus, Jay Z songs from the black album, and the joie de vivre imparted by breathing in the molecules of strangers and friends who are passionate about food, wine and life, and more than likely, drunk on all three or on their way to getting there. For this, I thank Chef Ludo and his wife Krissy, the architects of the LudoBites patented feeling.

The last night of Ludobites was beyond memorable, beyond good and evil. A special shoutout to the big hearted, fun loving My Last Bite and hubs, The Delicious Life, the Baubshow and bf, and the wine making Kinsellas for breaking bread with the Yuttiness. The parade of dishes we shared marches through my head as do these images:

Fish and chips with a side of kim chee. Light, flakey, crisp and beautiful. We got the last plate and we licked it clean.

Liquid foie gras. A 9 year old who you will see later proclaimed this one of his favorites. He was visiting with his mom and 11 year old brother from Philly and they just had to eat Ludofood so they showed up and waited for a table. What a curious and fascinating trio. Bon voyage you 3 musketeers.

There was swooning and wooing and iphoning too.
There was drinking and merry making by all because 14 bottles of wine for 8 people = good math skills.

The croque monsieur is a paragon of virtues. Bold, black, cherry sauced. This is a ham sandwich that went to hell and was resurrected to teach us something. What? That it's badass. The best sandwich I've ever had in my life. Period.

The wine people know math and they know their wines.

This pork belly has attained mythological stature in my mind. It's golden like apples that start wars amongst beauties and win prizes and glory.

Daria our favorite waitress (whose lipstick had insane staying power) displayed the duck fat fried chicken to massive oohing and ahhing. This bird is fowl. Best fried chicken ever.

Duck duck goose. Succulent, firm, delicious.

Prawns. Pass it on but not before taking one or maybe even two for yourself.

Jokes and hijinks by a couple who flew down from their vineyard just for this meal and then flew back home. What a life, huh?

My Last Bite is a real life Auntie Mame. Madcap, high energy and good times. A cute human with a fondness for Rolling Stones' tunes. What's not to love?

Ludo and the Baubshow. Can you feel the bromance?

Krissy and Chef Ludo toasting the hard work that takes place in the kitchen. Where the magic officially happens.
Precocious child proudly displaying the spoon that Ludo modeled on the cover of his cookbook, Crave.

Krissy and Baub.

The Bulgarian (check the still fresh lippy) and Bob.

Parking lot farewells are always the best. (And no, the foxy lady in the manwich is not me. You will never see a picture of the Yuttiness because I'm like Batman and shit.)

We know LudoBites is coming to a theatre near us again in November or so. This autumn looks like it could be a good one.