As many of you know, I am not a food swashbuckler. My tastes are decidedly pedestrian. For instance, seafood is not my thing, and I prefer beef well done. I admit it. I’m really a pot roast and mashed potato sorta guy.

However, I do like Thai food.

Tonight, we went to a local Thai restaurant with a couple of the Usual Suspects, the Original Bill and the Quietly Sinister Linda. After an appetizer of beef satay and chicken satay (which is marinated beef or marinated chicken cooked on a wooden skewer, and served with peanut sauce for dipping), I had beef cooked (stir fried, I assume) with chili peppers, basil, string beans and a bunch of other spices. Add a bit of rice and a couple dollops of ass-kicking hot pepper sauce and you got some good eatin’ – and spicy enough to kick your sweat glands into overdrive.

For dessert (like I need dessert), we had fried ice cream. It comes from the kitchen looking a bit like a dirty tennis ball sitting in a pool of wonderful raspberry sauce. The waitress then dumps flaming brandy on the “tennis ball”. When the flames go out, you slice into the brown orb and see that it is full of delicious ice cream. Yowza!

The meal was great, but the best part is, of course, enjoying it with good friends.

Gott-damned civilized, that.