Dinner at Marysol’s

Ok, so imagine you love something so much you decide to start blogging about it. Let's say food for example – just an example. Then once you get going you start reading other blogs on the same subject. You have a few favourites you keep going back to, ones that totally inspire you, make you drool and are just plain beautiful. There are many out there but only a select few actually have you coming back religiously. You're addicted, and you look up to these people. Imagine one of those people you admire so much actually posts a comment on your blog – Wow! Time goes on, as does a few more posts back and forth, and through it all you come to find out you have a mutual friend. Some more time goes by and because of your common love of that particular subject (food in this case) you decide you both have to experience it together at the same time. And then it happens. Your favourite food blogging chef invites you to dinner. OH. MY. GOD.

Amy and I made our way over to Marysol's for dinner tonight. As if just going over there wasn't exciting enough, she had an Asian-inspired meal planned too! My nerves were quickly put to rest five minutes after we arrived and two sips into my chilled glass of bubbly. I was in awe watching her flawlessly prepare the last bits of the meal she had obviously spent hours on shortly before.

I was so excited I could barely contain myself. I must have said about fifty words per minute on whatever I was talking about. Right up until my first bite of food. Then I shut up. Everything was even better than I imagined – all those times I sat at my computer salivating at what she had eaten the night before (don't get me wrong, I've got it going amazing at home too!). But now, when I look at her photos, I can imagine even more what every bite would taste like.

Here's what we had.

Papaya salad – a tangle of crispness, so fresh and with just the right amount of spice.

Wilted greens, so flavourful and yummy.

One of my favourite things in the world, rice paper shrimp rolls. Amazing. And served with our choice of sweet, delicious hoisin, or the most heavenly peanut sauce ever.

Ah, gyoza. How I love thee – golden and cooked to perfection. These were insane. I couldn't stop eating them. It was almost embarrassing. I won't even say how many I had (actually, I lost count).

And the most memorable thing on our plate, stuffed tofu (see very first photo above). They were like little gift bags filled with love. You know when you get a gift that is so beautifully wrapped and you're like, there's no way any gift inside this bag can top what the outside looks like? That's what I was thinking, until I had my first bite. Oh, and did I mention she poured a velvety peanut sauce over it too?? Simply to die for. She got this recipe when she was in NYC a couple weeks ago.

We also had some great wine, Southbrook Triomphe Sauvignon Blanc, and a lovely ice cider and apple brandy port-like drink for dessert – Domaine Pinnacle.

I can't rave enough about my evening. It was so wonderful to have dinner with two remarkable women. My only hope is that we do this again sometime very soon. Thank you so much Marysol, it was truly an honour. This meal was the best!

Check out more of Marysol's alluring meals here.