Carson Goes to His Favorite Restaurant!

Ah, happy day!  We ended up at Piatti for lunch with my parents.

 Carson, of course, had no objection.  After being ignored and passed over for a table at the host stand (I'll admit, this NEVER happens, usually very good service), we are seated and Carson notes the fire blazing, "How comfy this feels!"  He peruses the kid's menu and decides to try something new, "Umm," he drags his finger up and down the choices, "I'll have this."  The chicken fingers.  We are all surprised!  We ask him if he's decided not to have the calamari.  "Oh!  Of course!  I'll have the calamari!"

The server comes to take our drink order and kneels down to Carson for him to give his order.  "Cranberry juice, please.  With two straws."  The server conceals a grin and asks Carson if he would like a lemon or a lime in his cranberry juice and said he preferred lemon in his.  "Oh, me too!" says Carson.  When the juice comes, Mimi teaches Carson the art of taking the seeds out before squeezing the lemon.  Carson is entranced.  "I have much more flavor in my juice with this lemon!"

The bread and dipping sauce is brought and Carson advises us to "break the bread in half before you dip, you see."  Mimi acknowledges this is the polite thing to do.
The server comes back to take our food order and Carson says, "Calamari, please."  The server notes "that's not even on the kid's menu!"  After a few more bread bites, the calamari arrives.  Need I say more?

Now, we are all waiting for our food so we are treated to a dialog about calamari and its properties.

"Do you know what calamari is?"
""This octopus is dead.  Squid?  Then this SQUID is dead."
"An octopus has chemicals under it's skin to shoot it's ink."
"This circle means I'm eating it's body."
"These are the little itty bitty legs!" (said in a high, squeaky voice)

Then. . . . .disappointment!
"This calamari is chewy!"  I take a sample bite.  The thing is, he's right!  Over-cooked.  I don't blame him for not eating the whole thing.  "Mommy, may I still have dessert?"  Luckily, his palate was soothed with some cupcake gelato.