Addie's again

What made our latest trip to Addie's particularly pleasant was that most everything -- from the very small things to the big things -- was pretty near perfect. The wine was chilled, the butter was soft, the bread was fresh, the weather was ideal, and the food was terrific.

And it was all spontaneous. We happened to be coming home on Rockville Pike a little on the early side for dinner and thought to stop at Addie's just for a drink and appetizer. They were booked inside but the patio was first come, first served because, as they warned us, if it rained, they had no room for us inside. It had sprinkled on and off during the day, but there seemed little danger really of getting drenched.

I'm always game for an early dinner after growing up eating the evening meal at 5, so we decided to just stay and order a full meal. I had the soup of the day, which was a cold zucchini soup that seemed to have some cucumber, dill and cream in it, along with some radish shavings floating on top. It was fresh, nicely chilled, and tasting of vegetables rather than cream and seasonings. For the main course, I had sauteed trout fillet with "ivory lentils," spring pea purree, and sorrel chimichurri. The trout was creamy white and moist and set off perfectly by the sides. My Loire Valley sauvignon blanc went so well with it, I ordered a second glass. Andrea was very happy with her Caesar salad (I ate the fresh anchovies), beautifully fried softshell crabs and Cotes du Rhone rose.

But for the roar of traffic on the Pike and the view in the other direction of a parking lot, Addie's sheltered patio could have been an Italian piazza, and we pretended it was during a perfectly delightful meal.