Deleted Member
Deleted
Registered On: May 1, 2024 20:59:01 GMT -5 ~
Posts: 0
|
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 27, 2013 3:34:40 GMT -5
Though Iris can't be sure whether or not Daryl was intending to give them the croquettes or not from the beginning, she smiles her delight that she'll be able to try some along with the quail. "Oh, yes!" she says with a smile, "Nathaniel sold me on the idea of quail on the way here. I probably shouldn't say yes to an extra order of croquettes though until I see how much the rest fills me up." Especially since there's an item or two on the dessert menu she may want to get acquainted with a little later...
Her head tilts curiously when Nathaniel says that he wants to try something else as well, attempting to see which part of his menu he's looking at, and her eyebrows raise at his selection. "Calamari? Isn't that squid?" she asks and, based on her tone, she finds it to be a questionable food - much more foreign to her than quail. Though at least she doesn't sound completely disgusted by the idea.
In fact, if anything, she sounds amused to find out that he's ordering it. Though she supposes, since he'd lived in California for awhile that shouldn't be so surprising. But as for herself, Arizona isn't exactly known for its seafood and she's not been as adventurous in that area as she has in other types of food as a result. Since moving to Gotham she's made a dent in the list of seafood she hasn't tried, but she's never gone as far as squid before. Shellfish, yes. Crabs and lobster, yes. But something with tentacles? No...
|
|
Deleted Member
Deleted
Registered On: May 1, 2024 20:59:01 GMT -5 ~
Posts: 0
|
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 27, 2013 4:07:19 GMT -5
Daryl had promised an appetizer on the house and his special appetizer and the one that had gotten the most compliments during his time was the croquettes. Daryl stows the pen back in his dark apron and offers Iris a smile, “You got it. You just let me know if you need or want anything. I’ll get started on your orders then. My wife will probably be bringing your drinks out.” He leaves them with the one menu, just in case they are thinking on trying dessert and turns away to head back into the kitchen. He’s more than aware the two are on a date and doesn’t want to interrupt any more than necessary.
Meanwhile after Nathaniel offers his friend a short wave, he turns to Iris and laughs softly at the tone she asks it in. “That’s exactly what it is, fried squid. It's really good, but I’m going to assume you’ve never had it.” It’s rhetorical. It’s obvious she’s never had it and is uncertain on whether she’d want to fathom trying it, but her tone’s not shut to it. “I used to eat it a lot in California, it was my favorite study food,” he picks up one of the croquettes and takes a bite. Instantly it’s obvious how he feels about it. It’s delicious as it smells. He swallows a bit awkwardly and laughs. “And if Daryl’s is as good as these,” he indicates the croquette, “I think I know what I can eat while working on my thesis.”
He pops the rest of it in his mouth and chews it much more delicately this time before finishing it, “I’m a food lover. My housing was close to a food strip. There were Chinese, Japanese, Italian…a lot of different varieties from a lot of different places, but Calamari…it was my comfort food.” He rest his elbows against the edge of the table. “Do you have one?”
|
|
Deleted Member
Deleted
Registered On: May 1, 2024 20:59:01 GMT -5 ~
Posts: 0
|
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 28, 2013 1:57:24 GMT -5
"No!" Iris confirms as she picks up one of the croquettes. Squid is not something she's likely to ever try on her own, but if it's Nathaniel trying to talk her into it... well, that's different. As she takes a small, exploratory bite of the croquette, her thoughtful expression is rapidly replaced by a grin as she quickly deems it to be delicious and takes a larger mouthful. Though she's quickly laughing at Nathaniel's reaction, and comments, "Just so long as you don't overdo it - you don't want to celebrate getting your degree by having me whip you back into shape, do you?" Though she somewhat doubts that will make for an effective threat.
Chewing on another bite of her croquette, she smiles as talks about the food he'd had in California. It seems that he has had more of an opportunity to try exotic things than she has, though she's not exactly intimidated by the idea of trying to play catch-up. And when he asks if she has a comfort food, she doesn't even have to think about the question before she says, "Baby back ribs, especially if hot sauce is involved." She smiles as she adds, "Where I grew up it was all about the barbecue and/or the Mexican food. I only really started to branch out when I moved to Gotham, but that's been a fun adventure. My study food for my doctorate was mostly pasta."
Having said that, she pops the last piece of her croquette in her mouth and savors it for a moment - so many delicious flavors mixed together in these things! Unless the rest of the menu is very disappointing, she'll have to drag Nathaniel back to this place repeatedly or go without him.
|
|
Deleted Member
Deleted
Registered On: May 1, 2024 20:59:01 GMT -5 ~
Posts: 0
|
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 28, 2013 2:24:51 GMT -5
Nathaniel watches her eat the croquette and when she too is reacting in admiration, he’s smiling, though that smile quickly becomes a laugh at her threat. He gives her a mock frown, “You mean if I get fat you won’t like me anymore?” But then he shakes his head. “I won’t. I like to keep in shape. Not only do I feel good being in good physical condition, it makes dealing with Gotham life a lot easier. I can handle my patients and exercise is a way to release endorphins and get me focused or relaxed. Besides…I can’t get out of shape. I’m still looking forward to doing yoga with you.” He winks at her.
He picks up another croquette as she explains her own comfort food, and he’s already plotting to get her to try more exotic things. He’s already looking forward to the research that will go into finding the best foreign cuisine restaurants in the city. It’d been eight years since he’d been here last, after all. And a lot had changed. “I love ribs,” he tells her, “I have a sweet chili seasoning I picked up from a dorm mate my third year into my undergraduate. I’ll need to let you try it sometime. And you can have all the hot sauce you want.”
They’re only interrupted briefly by Daryl’s wife who gives Nathaniel a pat on the shoulder and smiles at Iris as she sets down their drinks before she’s off. She’s just as dedicated a cook as her husband. Nathaniel takes a sip. “Growing up my favorite meal was my dad’s spaghetti. I still intrude on their dinner when I find out he’s making it.”
He leans his chin on his hand, “You know I’m going to make you try the calamari now, don’t you,” he teases.
|
|
Deleted Member
Deleted
Registered On: May 1, 2024 20:59:01 GMT -5 ~
Posts: 0
|
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 29, 2013 1:55:39 GMT -5
"I will like you, but I will also force you to work out with me," Iris replies immediately, trying but probably failing to make that sound like a bad thing, "And actually, Ashtanga Yoga is very good for getting into shape if you're not already. Of course, it's very grueling if you're not..." Then again, so is most exercise when you're not in shape.
Once she's finished chewing the last piece of her croquette, Iris picks up another. She really does think that she could get somewhat addicted to these things - eating them mindlessly until they're all gone. Perhaps it's a good thing that she didn't ask for that extra order. Before she bites into it, she remarks, "At some point we're going to have to have a hot pepper eating contest." When she takes a bite of the croquette, the superior smile on her face hints at what she believes the results of that would be.
But now the drinks are here, and she smiles and thanks the woman who brings them before she tries hers. It's hard to ruin an Arnold Palmer, but it can be a bit bland if the iced tea and lemonade in it aren't that great. This one proves to be the opposite, and she smiles at that as Nathaniel mentions his father's spaghetti. "For me it was my mother's chili - she gave me the recipe, but it's just not the same for some reason when I make it," she comments with a smile and a shake of her head. She suspects the placebo effect - it probably does taste just the same, but in her mind she knows who made it.
What he says next pulls her out of her childhood memories of family dinners, and a slow smile spreads across her face. "Yes - but you know it will take more than your usual trick of sitting there and looking cute to talk me into it," she counters with a smirk.
|
|
Deleted Member
Deleted
Registered On: May 1, 2024 20:59:01 GMT -5 ~
Posts: 0
|
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 29, 2013 3:15:22 GMT -5
She’d force him to work out with him, oh how intimidating he had thought and made that clear with the way he’d smiled at her. And at this moment how could being forced to work out with her sound bad? Having a buddy around for exercise was always fun. It was a way to take your mind off the physical and focus on something less static and boring. And as he listens to her speak of Ashtanga Yoga, he’s even more serious about doing yoga with her. He’d been serious—playful as his tone was—before and now he was even more so.
She ruins his innocent observation of her eating the next croquette she chooses and he finds himself laughing. “A pepper eating contest?” And seeing the smile on her face, he believes she would win. After all, where she came from in Arizona, but he can’t help but match that smile. “Oh think you’d beat me, hm? We’ll just have to see about that. I’ll have to take you up on that sometime. Consider it set in stone.” Though he’s sure his competiveness is playful and not the boast of a man who sees a woman challenging. No, he sees his girlfriend challenging him and he takes it as a game, not caring about the results.
Of course their banter is interrupted by the drinks, but they lose none of their momentum because of the distraction. He nods as he takes a sip of his lemonade and sighs as it cools his mouth and has just a enough tang to be memorable. “Yeah, I have the spaghetti recipe and it doesn’t matter how closely I follow the directions, it just never comes out to taste the same. I mean it’s good, but it’s not my dad’s.” And he knows why, his mind following along with Iris’s own assumptions, but he quickly forgets that casual part of the conversation.
Nathaniel raises his eyebrow and leans over the table. His own lips curl into a smirk as he tilts his head. “You sure about that? I can look really cute when I want to,” he says.
|
|
Deleted Member
Deleted
Registered On: May 1, 2024 20:59:01 GMT -5 ~
Posts: 0
|
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 29, 2013 21:23:13 GMT -5
As Nathaniel agrees to the contest, Iris simply smiles and says, "Well, tell me when and I'll get the supplies." Her own competitiveness is showing, though she really does think that it wouldn't be an even enough match to make it a real challenge. She's actually more curious to see just how long he can last. You never can tell just by looking at a person whether they're the type who can take the heat - she's seen little girls beat the toughest looking men. Then again, those little girls are the type that were raised on peppers, and those tough men are usually greenies.
She can't help but smile as Nathaniel agrees on the impossibility of replicating a favorite meal. It's always surprising to her how, in spite of how different their respective pasts are, they've still ended up being so similar in so many little ways - it makes being with him very comfortable because there's so very little for them to be at odds about. And yet they're also just different enough to keep it interesting.
Like their difference of opinion on just how edible squid is, for example. She can't help but laugh at his smile - it really is that cute. But she says, "Yes, but we're talking about a something with tentacles. I'm afraid that cute just isn't going to cut it." She gives him a challenging grin, more interested in seeing what he'll come up with than she is in actually trying to avoid a bite of calamari - if Nathaniel likes it that much, it must not be that bad.
|
|
Deleted Member
Deleted
Registered On: May 1, 2024 20:59:01 GMT -5 ~
Posts: 0
|
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 29, 2013 22:26:18 GMT -5
“Oh, I will,” Nathaniel says as they continue to speak about the contest, “and you'll probably beat me, but I’ll do it.” He pops another croquette in his mouth and finishes it before tacking on, “Would you just do me a favor though, and buy a gallon of milk for me to drown in afterwards?” He knows he didn’t grow up on the peppers she’s talking about and he’d seen roommates, fraternities, and others do the challenge. It was hilarious to see such confident men yell and whimper in pain. But he’s totally up to the challenge, won’t back down, and he’s actually interested in seeing her be able to do it and merely test himself. He wants to know how long he’ll last too.
As he speaks about his Dad’s spaghetti and mulls over his life compared to hers, he finds himself at ease even more. They are different. He considers her much more at peace than him. He thinks he can be a bit manic at times, and he’s not denying that when he looks at himself, he knows he’s inherited his father’s charm. He can be quite arrogant, but he does it quietly and maybe more politely. She’s unique to him, but enough of a compliment that he feels comfortable as well.
He snorts teasingly at her, “That’s what you’re worried about? Tentacles?” He sees Daryl bringing the appetizer for him. “Let me show you something.” As his friend sets the plate down he picks up one of the calamari rings and holds it up. He waits until Daryl gives them the expected that their main courses are almost ready before he speaks. “There’s no tentacles it’s just the meat. Now it does taste interesting, but…” He dips it in the sauce and brings it up to her. “Come on, you know you’re interested. If you don’t like it, I’ll…” He thinks for a moment. “I’ll be at your beck and call for an entire day. I’ll clean your house, your dishes…whatever you demand of me.” He grinned. "Hmmm? What do you say,” he sang, “come on…”
|
|
Deleted Member
Deleted
Registered On: May 1, 2024 20:59:01 GMT -5 ~
Posts: 0
|
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 30, 2013 1:09:53 GMT -5
"Milk?" Iris asks, quickly shaking her head, "I'll do better - yogurt, limes, and rice. In that order - I swear by it!" She's not going to inflict such pain on her boyfriend without having an excellent plan of attack on how to fix it, after all. And naturally she's bitten into her fair share of peppers that were too hot for her to handle - she's had a chance to compare the various methods of handling that problem, and knows what works best for her.
As she finishes off her second croquette, she notices that Daryl is headed toward them. Well, at least it looks promising - almost like onion rings, actually, though she imagines that the flavor is completely different. She grins as Nathaniel tries to talk her into it, laughing at what he offers if she should not like it. She seems to hesitate under that pressure, before her face twists into a teasing grin as she asks, "Will you wear a french maid's costume while you do it?" Well, just how much does he want her to try it?
|
|
Deleted Member
Deleted
Registered On: May 1, 2024 20:59:01 GMT -5 ~
Posts: 0
|
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 30, 2013 1:51:15 GMT -5
Nathaniel had never tried any of the remedies she offered in the place of yogurt, but only nod. If she swore by it, what was the harm in trying them? Besides he trusted her. He’d had Thai food, though and that stuff had a tendency to be extremely hot. Maybe he’d be alright. Only the challenge would tell, but he wasn’t worried that his girlfriend would let him suffer.
He smirks at her and leans over the table, “Oh,” he purrs, “you’re into that kink are you?” He seems to look around in thought before he chuckles, “I’ll even wear high heels,” he says challengingly. “And I won’t complain a bit. I’ll thrown in a French accent too, mademoiselle.” He held the piece of squid out. “So, are you going to try it? Please, pretty please.”
|
|
Deleted Member
Deleted
Registered On: May 1, 2024 20:59:01 GMT -5 ~
Posts: 0
|
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 30, 2013 21:29:30 GMT -5
Laughing at Nathaniel's accusation, Iris immediately counters with, "You don't seem to be protesting the idea even slightly - what is that supposed to mean, monsieur?" She actually doesn't think that she's 'into' that, really. Then again, if it's Nathaniel... well, the whole issue becomes hazy at that point.
When he again asks her to try it, with the knowledge that he'll be adequately punished (if he indeed considers it a punishment), she hesitates only a moment longer before she leans forward and takes a bite of the piece that he's holding out. Her face contorts oddly for a moment as she tries to decide what she makes of the flavor. She first notices that it's not completely horrible. Fishy... somewhat like clams, but definitely it's own flavor. Whether or not she likes it is a different question and not one she's sure if she can answer. When she finishes chewing the bite, she looks thoughtful as she comments, "Well, it seems edible enough."
|
|
Deleted Member
Deleted
Registered On: May 1, 2024 20:59:01 GMT -5 ~
Posts: 0
|
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 30, 2013 23:55:51 GMT -5
It wasn’t accusation as much as teasing and really, Nathaniel isn’t into cross-dressing and as for other ways in which that costume could be used? Well…but that was something to discuss later in a relationship. For now he simply joins in with her laughter, “It means,” he says, “that I’m very, very interested to see if you like this and willing to bet my masculinity on it.” Yet he’s not all that concerned and is really having too much fun to care.
Nate takes the rest of the piece and pops it in his mouth, chewing as he watches her. He smiles around his bite and picks up another to eat while she’s deciding whether or not she likes it and just observing her face shift in that process makes him hold back laughter. He swallows just as she finally comments. “Well, at least you didn’t think it was disgusting. I’d actually have felt bad for jabbing you to try it then,” he says honestly. “I do think it’s an acquired taste and I definitely have it.”
|
|
Deleted Member
Deleted
Registered On: May 1, 2024 20:59:01 GMT -5 ~
Posts: 0
|
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 1, 2013 19:33:15 GMT -5
Smiling at Nathaniel's words, Iris tries again to articulate her thoughts on the calamari. "Hmm, most of my taste buds are going, 'What in the world is this?!?' While the rest are saying, 'Whatever it is, it's fried and therefore good.'" she explains, laughing again. She supposes it might grow on her if she got more used to the flavor. For now, though, she's more interested in eating something she knows that she likes, so she picks up another croquette to keep her company while Nathaniel enjoys his calamari and they await the main course.
"Do you have any other acquired tastes I should know about?" she asks with a smile, "Other than torturing myself with peppers, mine include finding my way in the dark when I don't need to and standing on my head." Both of which she'll admit are a bit odd to a lot of people, but then again, everyone has those things they like in spite of how strange they may seem to others.
|
|
Deleted Member
Deleted
Registered On: May 1, 2024 20:59:01 GMT -5 ~
Posts: 0
|
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 15, 2013 23:30:55 GMT -5
Nathaniel finds himself chuckling with her and gesturing to his calamari as he picks up one of his own appetizers as well, “Well feel free to help yourself if you want. Like I said it’s something that grows on you. I actually had the same reaction when I first tried it.” He chews on his helping, glancing at the kitchen before he brings his gaze back to Iris.
He brings his body closer, smiling, “I enjoy hiking until nightfall and camping out in the night before traveling back to civilization the next day. Very refreshing and it sure helps you get restful sleep. I also enjoy swing dancing and skating down hallways in my socks.” He knows the last two are quirky, but that’s him. Everyone, indeed, has their own quirks. So as he lifts his glass to his lips he adds a last one, “I listen to classic rock music while I cook and sometimes sing along.”
|
|
Deleted Member
Deleted
Registered On: May 1, 2024 20:59:01 GMT -5 ~
Posts: 0
|
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 16, 2013 3:59:52 GMT -5
Though Iris smiles a silent 'thank you' to Nathaniel's offer to share the rest of his calamari, she seems notably content with the croquettes and doesn't seem prepared to venture for a second bite. Though it was deemed better than she thought it would be, she's still not sold enough to want more. Then again, that's partly because she figures that one bite is enough for now - perhaps she'll eat more the next time she gets a chance to try more calamari. She's still getting used to the idea that she just ate something that had tentacles at one point, after all.
Of course, as he begins to talk about some of his more quirky habits, he has her full attention. And she can't help but laugh as she pictures him skating down a hallway - now she wants to see that! "I've not tried swing dancing, but it seems like it would be a lot of fun!" she comments, betting anything he'll make a mental note to teach her, "And I can't say that I've listened to a lot of classic rock, but I don't hate it."
Grinning, she can't help but add another of her own, "Every morning, at sunrise, I wake up and do a series of sun salutations followed by meditation. I don't need an alarm clock - my body is too used to it. Even in the summer when sunrise is at 5:30 - I hop back in bed for more sleep when I'm done. Even in winter when I barely make it to work on time. Also, I'm an agnostic Buddhist." Okay, so that was two. And she can't help but note to herself that the last one, so casually brought up, is something that... well, it's a core part of her that she doesn't tell everyone. And she'd felt totally comfortable saying it too. She's quite thoughtful as she sips her own drink.
|
|