A "Big Board" at The Maiden Lane

Luckily for me, I've got generous friends. Lucky, because that means I was invited to dinner on the gift certificate that my friend received for making a donation to a newly-opened restaurant in her neighborhood. So first she donated money to a restaurant, and second she chose to share the "Big Board" and two pitchers of beer that she got in return as opposed to feasting on her own. There must be a special place in heaven for her.

In the end it seemed to us that the money she donated was rather comparable to what the dinner would have cost, but we're not complaining. Not when pickled fish, cured meats and cheese are involved. Here is our gargantuan board, complete with onions, cucumbers, caper berries, apple butter, chopped pistachios and a few condiment bottles with mustard, dill mustard and mayonnaise. I'm sure you won't be shocked to learn that we ate everything. Seriously everything. Except for maybe two water crackers, but we're both French, and thus destroyed their delicious grainy bread before the common bland crackers.

If you're around the East Village and nibbling on cured foie gras, chunks of parmesan, whitefish salad and smoked salmon in a dim, intimate, modern nautical bar setting is your thing, maybe stop by The Maiden Lane!