Thanks to Michael’s sister, Lawson Forester, we sat in Yankee Stadium’s best, cushiest, and priciest seats in the house last night. (The wide angle lens on the iPhone isn’t exactly flattering, but I took the selfie anyway.)
Positioned perfectly just to the third base side of home plate, we could see every aspect of the finale (reader Darren just reminded me it wasn’t the finale – there’s another game tonight) against the Royals as if we were on the field. Unfortunately, what we saw on that field wasn’t so hot. Pineda got into the trouble in the first inning and things went downhill from there. I’ve been calling him Piñata lately, reminiscent of my nickname for Eduardo Scissorhands. He’s capable of pitching really well, but sure hasn’t shown it so far this season.
But let me back up to the fun before the game. We arrived early, so we could have dinner in one of the fabled Legends Suites dining rooms. First impression? Sheer gluttony. The concept of “all you can eat” has never appealed to me. Neither has buffet-style dining. I much prefer being served at a restaurant, so call me a food snob if you must but there it is.
Our server, Marcos, was a doll. So thoughtful, so accommodating. We loved him and he ended up telling us his whole life story. (This happens to me wherever I go. Michael calls me The Interrogator.) He brought me a glass of terrific Malbec and explained the food setup. And then off we went to get some grub.
The raw bar was top on the list of Must-Try items. We loaded up with shrimp, primarily. They were big but limp and not cold enough. (I warned you. I’m a food snob, and I care about quality more than quantity.)
Next, Michael headed straight for the carving station as he’d been salivating at the very thought of sliced rare beef. He wasn’t disappointed, although he was hoping for tenderloin, not flank steak. He gave the mashed potatoes a thumbs-up.
Not seeing a fish entree, I ordered up the roast chicken “au jus” that came without any “jus.” It was tender but absolutely flavorless. No salt and pepper. No seasoning whatsoever. I might as well have been eating hospital food. The featured side dish was – I kid you not – peas and corn. I could have opened a bag of Bird’s Eye frozen stuff and it would have tasted the same. Disappointing. Our buddy Marcos told us they were experimenting with different chefs and had gotten numerous complaints about the food, so I wasn’t the only whiner. But the salads were winners. (I know. How does someone get excited about salads? I did.) I had a delicious arugula salad with grilled peaches and feta cheese and a fantastic quinoa salad with black beans and scallions.
In the dessert category, we shared a slice of carrot cake (Michael loved it), an Oreo cake (meh) and, once at our seats, a banana sundae (satisfying).
But as much fun as the dining room was watching Yankee fans loading up their plates and then going back for more, what we enjoyed the most was being at the game. The Legends seats are swell – super comfortable and right there for all the action. It was a terrific night. Thanks again, Lawsie. xo