So, I finally visited Barolo, which is in the Metropolitan apartment building on Sixth and Olive. After walking past the place for months and seeing all the wanna be models and wanna be modelizers entering the place, what finally got me in there was that it was mentioned as gluten-free friendly. It wasn't like the Hallelujah chorus rang, but now I really had to have dinner there.

The food is very, very good. The music volume levels and choices are ridiculous, and just a little bit sadistic. After working in major league retail and dealing with suicide inducing store soundtracks, I can recognize a sadistic music arranger. But, on to the food.

I requested a whiskey cocktail, asking for the bartender specialty, and I was blessed with a mixture of Maker's Mark, Frangelico, walnut liquor, Marashino liquor, and something else. The marashino soaked cherries were medicinal - the only drawback. (For great cherry action, the Manhattan at Volterra sports sweet vermouth soaked dried cherries, and the Balmer has very tangy dried cherries.)

For apps, we had a great prosciutto platter and I shared the escargot with my father. For French born snails, they were very plump and juicy - but the babies I had at Cote Sud in Nola in October were divine and cannot be compared. Both are very garlicky.

My entree was the veal scalloppine in truffle oil and lemon juice - perfectly cooked and not overly pungent. I currently live with my mother who douses everything in truffle oil and nearly makes me vacate the house every time. Barolo is more sensitive and the dish was marvelous. They do know how to cook the veggies just right, but nothing to write home about. I wish I had told them I was allegic to potato and carrot, and gotten more beets.

Next time, I will try the veal appetizer, and maybe a pasta dish, because Barolo does have a rice-spinach pasta for us gluten-free'ers.

On another note, I really feel like going for a long drive through the city and country, maybe ending up at the beach for a bonfire. A few years ago I went to Golden Gardens and there was an official society of pirates celebrating in costume, and they were having the best time. I sometimes wish I had joined them...