Thank you for all the birthday wishes! Sven took me out to dinner at PB Boulangerie Bistro. 
We got there early, before the crowds had arrived. I ordered onion soup and mushroom risotto. Sven chose snails, followed by one of the specials, a lamb shank that was extremely tasty and quite dramatic with its sprig of rosemary. The lamb had been cooking all afternoon. (The French have a verb for this, of course. It is "mijoter" and perfectly describes the method of cooking. The word evokes a marvelous aroma, one which filled Wellfleet's bistro last night.)Sven and I discussed how successful Boris, Philippe and Valeria, Philippe’s wife, have been with their venture, which opened only last year. We decided the difference was in the details. At one point, Sven had dropped his napkin. When he reached down to pick it up, Sebastien, the "sommelier," swooped in with a clean one. The staff is discreet, efficient, and seem happy to work there. The music, playing in the background, reminded us both of our French travels. The tunes had obviously been chosen with care. Return customers always receive a special greeting from the chef or his wife, as would be the case in any good bistro in France. In fact, a dinner at PB really transports you to France. This restaurant is the perfect antidote to the nostalgia Francophiles may feel between trips abroad.
When we reached dessert, a waitress cranked the “luminaire” and the lights dimmed, then everyone clapped. As I blew out the sparkler/candle on my crème brulée, I felt special, just the way anyone should feel on their birthday.
(While we are on the subject of PB, I wanted to point out their Alsace Wine Dinner, Thursday April 14th at 6 pm. The cocktail reception is followed by Seared Fois Gras, Trout Matelote, Choucroute Garnie, and Apple Strudel. The menu includes four different types of white wine. The whole shebang costs only $85, plus tax and gratuity. This dinner is an event, one not to be missed, for a very modest price considering all the food and wine involved. Reservations are still available …)
