La Fisheria

As I mentioned earlier last week, this last Friday was the private opening of La Fisheria...Kyle's baby that he's been working on since we moved here in October. 

I really didn't know what to expect, but I was excited none the less. 

When we got there, the production crew was getting all of their gear together, and the make-up artist was running around touching up people's faces. Apparently she dusts the top of Kyle's head to take away the shine when he's being filmed ; ) The chef and owner gathered the wait, bar, and kitchen staff on the back patio for a pep talk and to make sure everyone's attire was correct.

There were two film crews running around all evening. The establishment isn't very large, so we were all ducking under microphone poles most of the evening.

The restaurant was originally a house that was first converted into a Vietnamese restaurant, so the bones were already there. As you can see, the original wood floor was kept. The rest of the decor was in bright oranges and sea blue/green. Very Mexican beachy...which is what they were trying to achieve. 

After a large number of people had arrived, the production crew had us go outside for a ribbon cutting. I attribute this photo to my six-inch heels and six-foot wingspan. 

The only bad thing about working with production crews is that everything is on their time. In reality TV, if you think they are just filming things as they happen...you're mistaken. For all of the guests that night, this meant waiting several hours to start trying Chef Aquiles's food. Major bummer...I was hungry.

When the food did start to come out of the kitchen...I wasn't disappointed. The first to come out were two raw oyster preparations, but I didn't get pictures of them. I'm not a huge oyster fan, but Kyle is and he said they were awesome. Above is a piece of seared Ahi Tuna with garlic infused olive oil, a dusting of cayenne, and a sprig of fennel leaf. 

This was a red snapper ceviche. Most places use tilapia for their ceviche, so the fact that he used such a high quality fish impressed me. 

Oddly enough, this one was one of my favorites...octopus. I couldn't tell you everything that was in it, but it had the creaminess of an aoli, but it was also light and acidic. I loved it!

By the time we were ready to leave, the place was packed. I was very excited to see such a great turn out...for both the chef and Kyle. 

Towards the end of the evening, Kyle and I were able to snag Chef Aquiles away for a quick pic. Unfortunately, the guy taking the photo was unfamiliar with iPhones, but I have the picture none the less.

This is a set of large canvases in the entry of the restaurant...it's Chef Aquiles and his daughter in a Charlie Chaplin inspired shoot. I love it! His family was there that night, and his daughter would even carry around a tray of hors d'oeuvres. Actually, I read an article about the restaurant opening, and it spoke of the fact that this wouldn't be one of those restaurants where the chef comes in, gets it going with his name on it, and then turns it over to a head chef. Chef Aquiles has actually moved his entire family here from Mexico to provide a safe place for them to grow and learn. 

The one guy I didn't get a picture of was a guy who looked EXACTLY like Billy Gibbons from ZZ Top, and being that he's from Houston...I thought that's who it was. I mean, he was tall, had the long beard and ponytail, hat and sunglasses (inside, at night). I was so adamant that that was who it was that Kyle went up to introduce himself. The man said, I'm not who you think I am, my name is Larry, but don't worry I get that a lot. Kyle said, well, that's okay, I get mistaken for Denzel Washington a lot, too.

Afterward, we went with some friends to eat at the Red Lion. I realize we were just at a restaurant opening, but we each only had about 8 bites of food...so we were pretty hungry. Anyway, I thought the name "Red Lion" sounded familiar, but it wasn't until I saw this on the wall, that I realized where we were.

The guy in this clip is the owner. The couple we were with knew him pretty well, so we chatted for a minute. He's a much more charismatic man than what he shows on clip. Actually, I don't think it hurt that when we met him, he had been partaking in his pub and was a bit snockered. He looked at me and said (in a thick English accent), "Well you're a tall drink 'a water, aren't ya?" I just laughed. Then he looked at Kyle and commented on how tight his slacks were on his bum. It made Kyle a bit uncomfortable, which made myself and the couple we were with laugh even harder.

I realize this is a ridiculously long post dedicated to only one evening, but the sad thing is that I only told you of about half of it! Anyway, I hope you enjoyed hearing about our adventures in food.