Out and About: Savor the secrets at Patrics

The ladies of Riviera Golf Club invited me to speak at their girls' day out a couple weeks back and treated me to lunch at Patrics.

What a delightful surprise! Pat Langford and Clarice Camp, the two dynamos who organized the get-together, sat with me and we talked about all sorts of things including the fact the pair are so busy, you'd think it was high season.

Pat has four grown children in various states and is making obligatory (and much cherished) trips to various states for graduations and such all summer. Clarice and her husband are involved in so many volunteer activities, they may, regrettably, have to give up some those activities.

Among the many subjects we discussed was Patrics' fascinating décor, which blends a myriad of upholstery patterns into a tapestry of muted colors — none of the self-made tablecloths are the same and none match the chair covers, but it is as comfortable and inviting as your living room.

Courtesian hand-loomed carpets dot the rust-hued terracotta tile floors while intricate wrought iron candelabras and chandeliers dress the room and gallery-quality art hangs on the walls. In the corner a grand piano sits, a classy character piece d'art.

On closer inspection, one finds Glenn Miller's name etched into his early 20th century instrument, on which Leonard Ferenz entertains weekends Located just a block from U.S. 41, in what used to be a Mexican restaurant on Davis Boulevard, Patrics is an intimate setting that embraces the senses and will please the most eclectic of interests, even if it is best described as "shabby chic."

It was perfect for a small club meeting. The 19 of us pretty much had the place to ourselves until about 1 p.m., when a fashionable lunch clientele began filling up the rest of the dining room. For $20 per person, club "members" had a choice of three entrees that came with soup, dessert and beverage. Who knew? The soup was quite hearty and filled with plenty of yummy vegetables and great chunks of white-meat chicken.

A handful of ladies had the eight-ounce Sirloin Burger made with blended herbs and topped with Cambonzola cheese and Applewood smoked bacon on a kaiser roll. The only complaint I heard as they devoured their sandwiches along with Patrics' chips and homemade cucumber slaw was that the burgers were simply too huge to consume at one sitting, though it wasn't for the lack of trying.

Clarice had the Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes on a bed of greens iced with sundried tomato tartar sauce. She raved that the cakes were solid crab meat. It was a gorgeous presentation, but you had to look fast.

Clarice wasn't about to leave one scrumptious morsel! Pat and I both had the Chicken Penne Pasta with Black Forest mushrooms, proscuitto, snow peas and garlic tossed in a vodka pink sauce and white truffle oil. Once again, I truly believe we got the winner. The heavenly dish was just too much to even think about finishing, and when the take-home boxes were returned to the table, we were impressed by yet another custom touch — they were tied with raffia! The place filled with "Ooohs!" as orange crème broulee with fruit bolognaise was served and turned to "Aahhs!" as we unabashedly munched.

Owner/chef Patric Achilles is a Vermont boy, which means he believes in doing things himself including making jams, preserves and butters as well as other goodies such as homemade ice cream, napkin sets and epicurean notecards of handmade paper. Box lunches and delivery are always available and don't forget — Patrics Expressions uses only easy-to-clean, handmade linens — if you are considering a caterer.