Food for the "Soul"

I don't think I will ever be able to fully express in words on this blog how much I love my friends. Its time that I spend with them that make me feel refreshed and back to where I need to be. When life gets crazy and there are extraneous details that bog us down, all it takes is a good kick in the pants from those that know you best to kick you back into gear and back to being your best. We have all been so busy with work lately that there has been little to no time to spread peace and love. We find our calendars filling up so quickly that we had to plan this dinner nearly a month in advance to ensure all parties were present!

Sara is our new restaurant scout and she planned a girls dinner at an eclectic little establishment in Plaza Midwood on Friday night. Sara and I, along with Laura, Mary Katherine and Kealy made our way to Central Avenue to Soul Gastro Lounge for a fantastic dinner and uncontrollable laughter (what else is new!!) From the outside, Soul was nothing magical but as soon as you open the doors the mood completely changes and you find yourself in a chic hideaway tucked away in a culinary wonderland. The menu is completely tapas and small bites which was perfect for our food obsessed taste buds. I always love small plates of food to taste because by the end of the meal, you have experienced a plethora of flavors guaranteed to satisfy all of your cravings.

We started with cocktails and of course Mary Katherine and I could not resist the mixed berry margaritas. I am pretty sure when our waiter told us the berries had come from the farmer's market that day, we fell in love with the drink. Sure enough it was refreshing and crisp and created nothing but happiness in my mouth. Like children who had never eaten before, we chose so many tasty items from the menu and shared amongst the table. Dips with pita, greek country salad, an artisan cheese plate, shrimp and chicken skewers and shoestring french fries kissed with truffle oil. And when we consumed the above and cherished every bite, we decided we still needed more and indulged in mini kobe beef sliders and cured salmon pillows wrapped and snuggled in phyllo dough. Soul is the perfect place for a date or small group of friends. The atmosphere was so warm yet sophisticated enough that kicked it up a notch. The service reminded me of dining in Italy where the meals linger and you are welcome to take your time and enjoy your culinary experience along with the company.

A night out with these girls is never complete without a sweet ending so sure enough, we drove over to my favorite gem, Amelie's, for coffee & dessert. Pure bliss!