Bar hopping may have been a thing of my twenties, but I still find a surprising amount of joy from popping about different venues on a night out.
Though we had grand plans for a fancy, multi-course dinner on our anniversary this year, the timing of the event fell in step with a particularly busy couple of weeks for us both, so we decided to cancel our reservation and bar hop instead. And let me tell you, it was the best date night we've had in a very long while, and possibly one of our best anniversaries (lucky number 12!). Perhaps taking the pressure off an upscale, expensive dinner opened the door for a more casual evening of easy romance.
This is how we found ourselves at Mr. West, a recent addition to U Village and a new favorite on our list. By day, Mr. West is a coffee shop and breakfast joint. Think fancy lattes and lots of laptops adorning tables filled with college kids. But by night, Mr. West is just the spot for a cozy date, complete with avocado toast, side-by-side seating for holding hands, and craft beer and cocktails.
Because this was just one stop on our evening, we indulged in only a couple of sharable light bites, opting for the Handsome Salad with heirloom carrot ribbons and pickled shallot, and the Avocado Toast with curry and mustard seed. Though they were simple dishes, the flavor was anything but. Dare I say it... I think Mr. West's avocado toast is the best avocado toast I've had. And, I will certainly be replicating the recipe at home!
And what could be more fun than browsing cute potted succulents as you pay your tab? I couldn't resist and brought home a mini potted plan to add to my collection... a sweet reminder of a lovely evening. We might be Eastsiders, but we'll be back to Mr. West!
Though we had grand plans for a fancy, multi-course dinner on our anniversary this year, the timing of the event fell in step with a particularly busy couple of weeks for us both, so we decided to cancel our reservation and bar hop instead. And let me tell you, it was the best date night we've had in a very long while, and possibly one of our best anniversaries (lucky number 12!). Perhaps taking the pressure off an upscale, expensive dinner opened the door for a more casual evening of easy romance.
This is how we found ourselves at Mr. West, a recent addition to U Village and a new favorite on our list. By day, Mr. West is a coffee shop and breakfast joint. Think fancy lattes and lots of laptops adorning tables filled with college kids. But by night, Mr. West is just the spot for a cozy date, complete with avocado toast, side-by-side seating for holding hands, and craft beer and cocktails.
Because this was just one stop on our evening, we indulged in only a couple of sharable light bites, opting for the Handsome Salad with heirloom carrot ribbons and pickled shallot, and the Avocado Toast with curry and mustard seed. Though they were simple dishes, the flavor was anything but. Dare I say it... I think Mr. West's avocado toast is the best avocado toast I've had. And, I will certainly be replicating the recipe at home!
And what could be more fun than browsing cute potted succulents as you pay your tab? I couldn't resist and brought home a mini potted plan to add to my collection... a sweet reminder of a lovely evening. We might be Eastsiders, but we'll be back to Mr. West!
