Silent Graves

As soon as he was seated, the critic pulled his notebook out of his purse and slipped it under the table cloth, where it was well-hidden. Before long, a waiter was with him.

"Good afternoon, Madame. Can I offer you something to drink?"

"Yes, I think I would prefer a Bloody Mare-y, but It's a little early for alcohol, so can I have that as a virgin?" he replied in his falsetto.

"Of course, Madame. Anything for the stallion joining you?"

The critic tapped his chin. "I think I should wait for him to arrive, and let him pick then."

"Of course, Madame. I will be right back with your drink."

As the waiter walked off, the critic turned his attention to the menu. He had to find some way of tasting most things without drawing a lot of attention. Thankfully, there was a sampler platter, which he could easily use as long as he had a good excuse, and he suddenly thought of one.

When the waiter came back with his drink, he asked, "Do you cater?"

The waiter puffed out his chest and nodded. "Indeed we do, Madame. Were you planning an event that needs catering?"

"I certainly was. My coltfriend's brother is in the process of applying for a boat loan, and he's going in tomorrow to take the exam for his boating license. We were looking for a place that caters that we like. I know it's for two, but can we have the sampler platter? I'll explain to my coltfriend when he arrives."

"Of course, Madame. We have a great many things for you and your coltfriend to try. Is that what you want?"

"And some pierogi as an appetizer. We both like those."

"Right away, Madame."

With the waiter taking his order back into the kitchen, the critic took a sip of his virgin Bloody Mare-y. It was ice-cold, so that was good. The spice mixture left a bit to be desired, but the effort they put in was clear. This wasn't a premixed drink that they would just add vodka to, this was its own unique mix. They were a little heavy on the Worcestershire sauce. Still, it was hoof-mixed, and it wasn't all that bad. He quickly scrawled that down and looked around.

This was an outdoor dining area, so the tablecloths were weighted to keep them from blowing away. They were also pinned down under foldable umbrellas, likely to either deter the rain or overly powerful sun. On the side opposite the main building was a short wrought iron fence, beyond which sat the river. The gentle splashing as the water trickled over the rocks set forth a gentle, relaxing atmosphere, very quiet and pleasant. He also took note of the brick structures on the other two sides that deterred any wind that wanted to come in and blow things around. In short, the location was well-selected.

The other patrons seemed to be quite happy, too. A young couple two tables over were discussing the needs of their child while the mare was leaving on a business trip. At another table, a family of four was gushing over the matinee they'd just returned from. Most noticeable was a pair of stallions going over a business deal, seemingly a toy that they were developing for children.

"Excuse me, Madame," came the voice of the waiter. "Would your name happen to be Dance Fusion?"

The critic looked up at him. "Yes, that's me." This was one of five names he'd given himself this week, names only he knew. "Why do you ask?"

"A messenger just delivered a note for a tall mare with a black mane named Dance Fusion."

The critic held out his hoof. He didn't need to see the note to know what it said. He'd written it himself, among others, and had given them to a courier who was supposed to deliver them at different times to different places. This one was his imaginary coltfriend saying that he would be unable to make it. If it weren't for the sampler platter, he would have ordered two meals, opting to take the second home for trial. Still, he took the time to go through it anyway, to make it seem as if it was new information.

"It seems my coltfriend isn't able to make it today. Says he's working through lunch, and he'll see me for dinner tonight. I guess I'll be sampling half here, and he'll sample the other half later. I'm sorry for the inconvenience."

"Does he work here in town?" asked the waiter. "If he is close by, I can have one of our staff members make a delivery to him."

"You would do that?" asked the critic, honestly shocked by this. "I mean, he works in the next town over, and I wouldn't want to be a burden, so I must decline, but it's really nice to know that you would do such a sweet thing for us. No, I'll just sample your wares myself and save the rest for him at home. Thank you anyway."

With a nod, the waiter disappeared back into the kitchen. The critic was frantically scrawling under the table, ready to give this place a glowing recommendation just for their impeccable service.

A few minutes more passed before his pierogi came out. With a smile and a "Thank you," he picked one up and took a bite. It was soft and savoury, with just a hint of sour. For his second bite, he dipped it in the sour cream and chive sauce, and it was delicious. This was a mushroom and spinach filling, with sauerkraut mixed in. Simply fantastic.

He had two more before the waiter came back with the sampler platter, except that it was only half filled. "I've taken the liberty of boxing up the other half for you to take home with you. It is very much safe for your coltfriend."

"How thoughtful," smiled the critic. "The service here is magnificent. I'm telling all of my friends."

"Thank you, Madame. Please, enjoy your meal."

There were over two dozen tiny sandwiches, six small cups of different soups, five appetizers, and three desserts. A sandwich board out front said that the desserts were changed daily, so these would be the ones they were selling today. He started with the appetizers, aside from the delicious pierogi. He already knew how he felt about them. The rest were middling to good. The sandwiches were perhaps not the best. There wasn't much to them, and they were on par with what a kid could make in their own kitchen. A few were pretty good, but most of them were okay at best. The soups were not so bad, especially the corn chowder. That one was actually very good. The desserts were spectacular, though. The lemon cream pie was absolutely wonderful, and the chocolate chiffon was silky smooth. The coconut pecan cookie was strange, but the flavour was spot-on. All in all, the food had mixed results.