October 2020 – Freehold Country Pub (dt)
dp8 #215, covid #7 – Hiatus
6.16 – 7, 6.75, 6.5 6.5 6.5 6, 5, 5

The Pub is always there, some of us visiting more often than others. However, as a group, we were last there September, 2011. My notes reminded me that the Teators had just brought home Jackson and Monet while the Karnes had just brought home Kalli. Time can zip.

OK, back to the Pub. The menu is a classic pub menu with lots of choices that should keep most people happy. The one thing different on this visit was…. LUNCH, which might have spurred some people to try lighter than the usual fried entrées. Given Covid times, and the early onset of evening darkness, and the likely coolness, we had suggested lunch, something we have done a couple times before in 18 years.

So, choices for lunch:

Karnes:
shared chicken quesadilla (little chicken), fries

Teator:
Deb: turkey deli sandwich
Don: pastrami Reuben

Notarnicola
Joyce: turkey Reuben
Mark: cheese quesadilla

Monteverd
Kriss: grilled cheese, sweet potato fries
Ken: wings, steak fries

Libations: lots of water and soda, some bottles of beer, and Ken’s Coffee. Even Don had two cups of Ken’s brewing. Thanks, Ken.

Prices for three couples were about $35, and almost $25 for the other. We kinda grumbled about prices, with extra being charged for lettuce and for tomato and for onion and for… a few more things that we thought should be included, especially when the original sandwich is already a higher price than we usually pay elsewhere. Do not care if it was a big sandwich.
            And at least one quesadilla was…. terrible, I think I heard. Sorry.

Dessert: Deb K once again supplied dessert: a six inch chocolate chip cookie with dozens of chocolate mini-chips. And we appreciated. And have appreciated these eight covid months of desserts.

Ambiance: Kriss had specially ordered warm weather, so we luxuriated in the sunny, 70 degree weather. Actually, most of us eventually found shade. We hate to complain about being too warm in October but Kriss ordered a little too much. ha. Still, sitting on the back deck, chatting, enjoying good company is always good.

A week’s lag in writing has led to some forgetting of topics but….
            … the big topic, in addition to or reflective of covid, is the probably break of the consecutive months string of DP8 dinners. The covid comfort zone means no restaurants, inside or out, and no houses. And November is the start of the likelihood of weather too cold to enjoy outside in our yards. So, after some agonizing, DP8 has decided, after 215 consecutive dinner dates, to commence a hiatus, with a return to take-out meals when warm weather can be depended upon, tentatively in May when the Monteverds will be back.
            Unless November pops a warm spell and a last minute availability of all Eight allows a November date in the Karneses’ yard.
            Unless a working and safe covid vaccine can be distributed before then. (yeah, right).
            Unless we decide to wait until a safe return to restaurant dining can be done, which could be even longer.
            So, with regret, we enjoyed a last food event for a while. We shall see.