The last day of April has finally arrived. April is to Spring like February is to Winter. The weather teases us but never appeases us, and both feel about 50 days long. When May and summer arrive the days though long fly by in a blur… Today’s trip to Dizzy Horse was a celebration. My wife passed her big student teaching project earlier this week. She is one step closer to her degree!!! We met some friends and sat at the bar. It was going to be a special meal. When we walked in #41 by the Dave Matthews Band (DMB) was playing on the house sound system. Today, April 30th, is the 29th birthday of the album Crash by DMB. #41 is one of the cuts from that album… …and it’s playing at Dizzy Horse as we enter… Hmmm… Magic is in the air…

Today was also Dallas’ birthday, so I had to sing some Happy Birthday greetings, and wow it was nearly a packed house at 4:30 p.m. this cloudy and wet Wednesday. We had some foreshadowing of what was on the menu from Chef Toby on Tuesday, so there was some anticipation going into this celebratory evening. Sure enough, I knew what was in store for me: Smothered Smoked Pork Burrito (12 hour smoked pork butt, roasted poblano, melted fiesta cheese, carmalized onion, ranchero sauce pico, and cilantro lime crema.) My wife ordered the Salisbury Steak (special blend ground beef steak, red wine mushroom and onion demi, fresh baked buttermilk biscuits, butter whipped mashed potatoes, and corn ribs.)

We enjoyed fellowship with our friends and neighboring diners while waiting for our main courses. We did order two appetizers prior and yes we have our favorites. The bruschetta and crab rangoons. We did not finish either course. Our policy is nibble on these tasty treats and save the rest for tomorrow. We are going to share a secret about the bruschetta. Chef’s generous portions of the toppings always exceed the bread, so we bring home the extra deliciousness and then make our own bread in our air fryer. About one minute is all it takes to crisp up a french loaf cutting. Since all the flavors have had an additional 24 hours to blend the beauty of the dish will still make your taste buds dance… We never waste this wonderful work… If you like it as much as we do, share the secret…

The Salisbury Steak arrived first. The plate appearance is beautiful. The corn ribs in a fold above the meat and demi, with the green onion supplying a contrasting color neatly placed over enormous buttermilk biscuits. This meal is the epitome of comfort food. The meal reminded me of my maternal grandmother’s cooking. She was old school country from a large Catholic family in the heart of Whiteside County Illinois. The biscuits had my heart from the minute I saw them. I stole a few bites of biscuit, and it was decadent. The buttermilk was perfectly balanced with the buttered top. The biscuit had a gentle crispness on the surface and a melt in your mouth center. These biscuits could easily be used for breakfast with a spot of strawberry jam, biscuits and gravy, or just as your side bread with a chicken pot pie. I did not try anything else on my wife’s plate other than the biscuits. My wife assured me that the entire meal was delicious. I can’t wait to have some tomorrow for supper. We usually trade entrees a day later. No other dining experience in the QC offers this service… <sarcastic laugh here>

My second burrito, my second Dizzy Horse blog… what a coincidence. That is my left hand next to the burrito and Dallas is in the background on the right. Wish her a Happy Birthday this week please! Let’s make her special day a special week!! I enjoy how the ranchero sauce and pico spill off the top of the burrito. The smoked pork portion was generous as was the cheese on the inside. Every bite was different. That’s the joy of the burrito. When you wrap it, the ingredients mix and flavors change by the forkful. I poured my cilantro lime crema directly on top from front to back. I like experiencing layers of flavor and layers of texture. In terms of flavor I found the crema complimented the ranchero pico. You could taste the two separately and each helped bring out the flavors, or if you prefer wine jargon, notes of the meat, cheese, and onion. The salt, smoke, and sweetness were all present, and shifted slightly from bite to bite. The sauces simply helped you experience them more fully. About half way through the burrito I hit the spot where everything was sealed tightly (pork and cheese by itself in the tortilla.) I was not expecting this bite as it was missing the onion. There was just a small bit of crema and ranchero sauce. In this singular bite I melted into the chair. The pork melted into the cheese (or was cheese into the pork?) The tortilla segregated these flavors perfectly. I tasted the 12 hours of labor that went into that meat at that moment. This was the moment I waited for all evening. When everything within the process of cooking, preparation, planning, and plating creates a dining experience equivalent to the feeling of a homer or a hole in one. There was my Dizzy Moment. Three ingredients, a whole lotta of blood, sweat, tears, passion, and love… This is the moment that keeps bringing us back. This is the Dizzy moment. The ride! The struggle! The beauty that is Dizzy Horse! The magic that Chef Toby creates. Our friends and my wife laughed at me when they saw my joy as I relished every bite. I did not finish this burrito. I wanted to. I did, but I would have been in a miserable food coma unable to write about the joys of Dizzy Horse.

Thanks again Chef Toby and Dallas for a short respite from the real world where we can enjoy a meal and fellowship with likeminded folks. Until soon my friends… Tip generously… Patience is a virtue… Enjoy responsibly!!!