Ehh, How Do You Say...Sara Bet?: Goodness, Gracious! Great Gluttony in Gerusalem!

Ahh, October 10th. Erev Yom Rafi (The eve before Rafi’s birthday.) Allison and I woke early to take a trip to the Israel Museum…and we took the right bus, but in the wrong direction. The driver yelled at us to get off at the Malcha Mall, so we got off at the mall. We ended up running a bevy of errands and seeing a movie, “License to Wed,” of which my favorite part was the appearances from many of the cast of “The Office.”

After our day at the mall, we came home for a brief rest before the gluttony. Rafi had been planning to have a birthday dinner at Vaquiero, since, um, he got into Rabbinical school. Sadly, he had a full-day trip on the 11th, his actual birthday, so we decided to have the big meal-party the night before.

Vaquiero is a meat restaurant. And when I say meat, I mean MEAT. Vegetarians (Mel, sorry), avert your eyes...Vaquiero serves 10 courses of meat. TEN! ESER! DIEZ! [Insert fist with thumb pointing up, shaking left and right -- the ASL word for ten -- here.] I wasn’t so excited, because when I went in December, three of the courses were turkey, and I hate turkey. But, after inviting rabbinical students east and west, rounding up two only-Davidsons, and completing the 11-person meaty minyan + 1 with an Israeli, we sat down for a lovely meal together. This meal was better than the one we had for my birthday. Here is a list of the ten courses:

1. Chicken wings – I dedicate these wings to Rafi’s early childhood.
2. Empanadas – I dedicate these meat pies to Rafi’s extensive travel in Latin America. (JK, he’s never traveled to SA.)
3. Chorizo – I dedicate this sausage to Rafi’s awkward teenage years.
4. Veal Finger (I called it Kufta kabob!) – I dedicate this veal finger to something something (he made me stop the dedications.)
5. Corned beef.
6. Goose drumstick.
7. Entrecote.
8. Veal wrapped around cinnamon-spiced apricots.
9. Beef stew.
10. Something else that I can’t remember, as I seem to be in a meat-induced stupor, one day after.

There was also lots of salad, bread, and some really sexy potatoes, but we all psyched ourselves up to consume all of the meat with gusto. We did swimmingly, with everybody enjoying seconds of this meat and that meat. Some of us even enjoyed a warm chocolate cake after all of the food! I want to wish Rafi a happy 26th birthday, with many returns of the day. Thanks to everybody who joined us for dinner, and put out for the hefty price tag of a gluttonous meat meal.

Rafi and I smile because of all of the food. Note the shirt I am wearing. I always wear it the day Rafi wears his green polo. Because dressing alike, is, well, not my thing.

Robbie and Rachel didn’t do all-you-can-eat, but they still are totally fabulous!

Eliav and Jeremy are both smiling because Jeremy has REALLY fallen off of the vegetarian derech. Welcome to the club, Jeremy! This dinner is like going from being a teetotaler to doing kegstands before class.