Caution: Mouth Watering Reading. One of the BEST meals I've eaten in a long time!

I stopped into try some new dishes upstairs at Bar Pilar and was blown away.  Chef Justin out did himself with the most amazing menu.  Jonathan Fain walked us through his "Periodic Table of Cocktails."  

 

OMG:  best meal I've had in a LONG time.  We started with squash blossom tempura with ricotta and herbs.  My mouth is watering just rehashing the meal.  

We were then treated to Foie gras with brioche bread and cherries.  Dusty called it, "orgasmic," and she was absolutely right.  

Onto something lighter with a citrusy halibut ceviche with hominey corn nuts.  

Then one of my favs:  Grilled langoustines!  I had my first taste of them in Iceland and coined the phrase "baby lobster."  The buttery meat melts in your mouth.  

Next, we ate super fresh scallops.  Are you hungry yet?  

Ah, then maybe the best dish... The beet and ricotta salad with peas.  Such simple flavors can be so delicious.

More oohs and aahs with the gnocchi topped with caviar.  I'm not kidding you, every dish was spectacular!

Of course the meal couldn't be complete without Justin's famous suckling pig.  Crunch on the outside and tender on the inside, my stomach was packed full of food, but somehow I made room.

Okay, seriously, my stomach was about to explode, but he wasn't finished cooking for us.  He brought out this beef that was graded off the charts, I'm talking tender.  This stuff was da bomb! 

Now, I'm already telling you how full I was, but he still had dessert coming.  I can't ever pass up sweets.  Yes he made a shortbread cookie with caramel, chocolate truffles and some type of sweet fried risotto ball.  Why wouldn't he?  Hats off to Justin.  This guy can cook!!!!!

Did I mention Jonathan's cocktails along the way?  

Oh yes, we tried the Ruffled Shirt, Cubanito with house-made pickled green beans (his mother's secret recipe), Fashion de Cuba, and the most wonderful Coke rum float at the end.  

He is the real deal.  He even makes his own bitters.  I was in HEAVEN!

Chef Justin ended the meal with parting gifts filled with homemade chocolate chip cookies.  He must have known the key to my heart.  

If you haven't been already, get in there!  It is seriously good and you deserve it.