Almost legal

Last night Price and I went to The Rattlesnake‘s 20th Anniversary Party. We had a blast celebrating this occasion at one of our favorite places in Boston. Oh you wonder how did we get on the list? Well I’ll tell you… I WON THE MARGARITA CONTEST!!!!!! w00t w00t!!! I won the contest with the Cranberry Ginger Margarita recipe that I previously posted about. I was so excited to get the email saying that I won. The best part was that part of the contest prize was that a donation would be put in your name to the Dana Faber Cancer Institute. But I asked Chef Brian Poe if it could be made in my mom’s name since she survived breast cancer and he agreed.

We enjoyed the food that included some of our favorite things on the menu, like Grilled Corn Bread, Prosciutto-Wrapped Blackened Tuna, Hudson Valley Duck Tacos, and Horseradish & Red Wine Braised Beef Short Rib Tacos. The beef short rib tacos are only on the menu for a short period of time so I know I will have to get them again before my luck runs out. What I really appreciate about the food there is how well it all comes together, like I would never think a lavender oil would make sense with a lobster stuffed grilled avocado but it really does.

Besides the food, they had an open bar! Since I had a coughing fit the minute we walked in, I stuck with some water at the start of the night. While we were seated and enjoying the food a waitress came up to us asking if we wanted any drinks. I was planning on going with a Raspberry Margarita, one of their “Pink” drinks that was featured. BUT THEN… she went on to tell us about “another margarita that’s really good. A Cranberry Ginger Margarita.” So she is rattling on about the margarita and how it is made with a gingered sugar rim, all while I am trying to tell her that it’s ‘mine’. When she was explaining about the contest I was able to shout over the party’s noise to let her know that I was the winner. So at that point I had to get it. It was really exciting to try it there esp since I didn’t think it was going to be there since the contest said it would be on the menu from 10/20-11/20. Surprises are always good.

Chef Brian Poe and myself, while getting photographed by Stuff Magazine and Price at about the same time

Before leaving I got to chat with Chef Brian Poe for a few minutes about the contest, margarita, and how much I love The Rattlesnake. No, I was not a complete kiss ass. We had a real conversation about how the place has really improved since he started there in 2009. For example, I have tweeted and FB msg’d Poe in the past and he has msg’d me through FB and yelp about different ‘issues’. One being that they had shitastic neon paper menus and I told him how that did not properly represent the good quality of his food (he remembered that!). We also discussed the new uniforms for the waitresses there. Yay! No more tight mini black skirts!!!! In general I loved how he actaully remembered the feedback I, and others, have given him and how he has evaluated those things  in order to improve The Rattlesnake. How can you not like a place that is constantly striving to get better?

So that is why Price and I had a great night and why we will continue to go back to the Rattlesnake.

If you are in Boston stop by there, and try the Cranberry Ginger Margarita before 11/20!!!!