Unchained Eating

Erica decided at some point during her 5 years in Madison that she isn't going to eat at chain restaurants anymore. She says, "I just like to support local businesses rather than great big chain restaurants, especially when I am taking someone out to eat--why take someone to a place here that they can eat at when they're in their own hometown? I also find that the food is generally better--fresher, more interesting, and more customizable, since there's usually a chef/cook on-site." Some of the ethnic places she favors are Kabul (Afghan); Lombardinos (Italian); The Cabana Room (Brazilian) Her favorite place serves Indian food, and she's even thinking about having her wedding rehearsal dinner there. She goes online to peruse menus and read reviews of the restaurants so she knows what to expect when she eats there. She has taken me to several of her hang-outs, including an Irish pub, a Peruvian restaurant for her post-graduation dinner, and last night to Husnu's, purveyor of authentic Turkish cuisine.
I was a little leery at first, worried that my only entree options would contain goat, llama, or some other creature I didn't care to consume. (I'm a boring American-food eater, stereotyping everything new to my palate as weird before even trying it. ) Fortunately, my open-minded daughter enjoys sharing her discoveries with her family and friends, including reports of spending the rest of her evening in the bathroom after certain food forays! Anyway, she first recommended that I have a blueberry beer. I figured alcohol wasn't allowed on my stupid diet, but Erica is a marathon runner, in excellent physical shape--and if she tells me I can have a beer, who am I to argue? It smelled just like blueberries, but looked and tasted like beer--and it was yummy. Looking at the menu, I decided to go with an entree whose description sounded tasty and whose name I could pronounce: "Spicy Orange Beef." I also had some excellent bread with olive oil and a salad. The beef came with rice and veggies--it was all wonderful and very filling. Erica had something with a Turkish name, Craig (her fiance) and Molly (my niece) had Turkish dumplings, and Kelly (her roommate) had shish-ke-babs. Everyone was happy with their food, and the service was great, too. I didn't know what was the proper Turkish way to express my satisfaction, so I kept my burp to myself.
I really enjoy being taught to appreciate new things by my kids. Erica has passed on many tips for healthy eating, and I'm hoping they will help in my quest for weight loss before shopping for the dreaded mother-of-the-bride dress. In the meantime, Erica, if you find a place that makes an acceptable low-cal margarita, let me know!