Return of The Confession of Lily Dare (and a little more)

It's Restaurant Week, y'all!  I've made reservations for a couple of lunches and after my first delicious lunch, I trekked downtown to see a preview of Charles Busch's The Confession of Lily Dare.  I'm quite sure you remember I loved this production when I saw its limited run last year (remind yourself of that rapture HERE) and I'm sure you will be shocked, SHOCKED to discover I loved it even more at the Cherry Lane.  I'll explain more after I tell you about my delicious lunch...



When the reminder about Restaurant Week arrived in my email, I went to the website and narrowed my choices down to about eight places I'd like to try.  With schedules and menus on hand, I finally chose two, the first was Park Avenue Winter.  Apparently, they change their decor and menus by the seasons (and their restaurant name, apparently; on my phone, the GPS listed it as Park Avenue Spring).  I thought the space was gorgeous, very light and airy, with lots of room and a good level of noise.  Try as I might, I couldn't eavesdrop very well on my seat neighbors...

I got out my Nook and enjoyed my two-course Restaurant Week lunch and then succumbed to dessert, even though I had to pay extra.  I mean, when you hear what it was and when you see a photo, you'll agree I really had no choice.  Anyway, I selected Park Avenue Winter mainly because I thought they were serving pumpkin ravioli with pickled cranberries as a main course and they had quite a few appetizers that interested me (when I checked out the Restaurant Week website).  When I arrived, the pumpkin ravioli was on the appetizer list and the main courses were a little less interesting.  Ah, well.  Everything was actually delicious.

I did order the pumpkin ravioli for my appetizer and it was lovely.  The pasta was tender, the pumpkin filling was rich and perfectly spiced, and the pickled cranberries were out of this world.  I now need to have them on every dish.  There was also a hazelnut gremolata, which was tasty, but maybe there could've been fewer hazelnuts and more cranberries, but that's probably just me.  It was a delicious starter.  Oh, and the focaccia that was served before my meal arrived was also tasty, served with a pepperoncini-olive-oil dip that was a little spicy and a lot yummy.

I opted for the salmon main course, chiefly because it was served with an orange buerre blanc, which is French for DELICIOUS.  The salmon was served on top of a sort of creamed cabbage and then the delicious orange-y sauce was poured on top.  The salmon was perfectly prepared, with a nice crust on one side and a soft middle.  This was light and refreshing, yet substantial.  I loved it.  Parenthetically, I got a look at a couple of the other dishes on the menu by peeking at my seat neighbors' tables and my plate was definitely more beautiful and more appetizing.  So there.

I shouldn't have succumbed, but when they brought me the dessert menu, even though dessert isn't included anymore in a Restaurant Week lunch, I absolutely had to order the coffee cardamom creme brulee.  I mean, COME ON.  Doesn't that sound amazing?  AND IT WAS.  That may be one of the best desserts I have ever had.  It was creamy, crunchy from the bruleed sugar, and delightfully warmly spicy from the cardamom and coffee.  And the accompanying almond biscotti was also delicious.  All in all, my lunch was perfectly delightful; I got to eat delicious food and peacefully read my Nook in attractive surroundings.  Nothing better.

photo credit: Carol Rosegg

I have to admit, I was having financial anxiety about buying a ticket to The Confession of Lily Dare - the Off-Broadway production is a bit pricier than I had anticipated.  Thankfully, a beautiful gal pal had access to comps and she invited me to join her.  I am ever so grateful for a generous beautiful gal pal.  When I got to the theater, I was at first a little worried that the smaller stage space at the Cherry Lane would inhibit the expansive joyfulness of Charles Busch's work, but of course I needn't have worried.  The intimacy made the show play even more forcefully - some of the supporting characters have grown in size, to terrific effect, but Charles has honed his performance to an incredible shine.  He's so funny, yet also so honest and moving.  I had a smile on my face and/or a tear in my eye most of the evening.  And I laughed heartily with joy at others.  Of course, I loved again the torch song number towards the end, the comedy and pathos are divine, but I was especially moved by a scene near the end of the first act, when Charles-as-Lily has to give up a dream.  Even the way he walked captured the character magnificently.  I really think this is a deeply felt performance, in a little bit of a different way than his other performances.  They're all honest and true, but this one seemed to go that extra mile, at least as far as I'm concerned.  If you want to know about plot, click my link above to read more about the story, which is an homage to 30's pre-code Hollywood films.  But if you want to know about feelings, just know that the huge heart that is always in a Busch play is even more huge than usual.  That love (along with the belly laughs) is what keeps me coming back for more.  Please go see The Confession of Lily Dare - you'll laugh a lot, you'll cry a lot, and you'll be telling one of the kindest men in show business that what he does is appreciated.