However, this billboard, outside Vovomeena, the place where my son and I had breakfast in central Phoenix Friday morning, caught my fancy. Not an especially profound sentiment, perhaps. But true, and useful. Something to bear in mind, or try to, particularly as politics keep fracturing and the fate of our democracy teeters in the balance. I don't recall ever seeing it stated so plainly. You tend to want to feed stupid, mean, toxic people back their own stupidity, meanness and toxicity— that seems like justice. But it really only brings you down to their level. Besides, they're better at it. They've had more practice. Believe me, as a newspaper columnist, I've often had the experience of responding instinctively to some base abuse, wait for the reaction, and realize that, duh, once again I've been out-stupided by an idiot.
Maybe having just tucked into an excellent breakfast made me in a more receptive mood. The service was first rate, the setting, relaxed and lovely. Being on vacation, I indulged in a $19.95 smoked pork chop, sitting on a homemade waffle topped with apple-maple syrup and a layer of scrambled eggs and accompanied by a Portuguese donut. (The unusual name of the restaurant, Vovomeena, is a tribute to owner D.J. Fernandes' grandmother; "vovó" is Portuguese for "grandmother" and his is named "Meena.").
Maybe having just tucked into an excellent breakfast made me in a more receptive mood. The service was first rate, the setting, relaxed and lovely. Being on vacation, I indulged in a $19.95 smoked pork chop, sitting on a homemade waffle topped with apple-maple syrup and a layer of scrambled eggs and accompanied by a Portuguese donut. (The unusual name of the restaurant, Vovomeena, is a tribute to owner D.J. Fernandes' grandmother; "vovó" is Portuguese for "grandmother" and his is named "Meena.").
A lot of food, and I left behind a good deal of the eggs and waffle. But ate every bit of that pork chop, which was juicy and delicious. Breakfast held me all day — lunch was a whole grapefruit supplemented by a package of dried fruit and nuts from Starbucks, plus a cranberry juice cocktail on the plane. I'll admit, Phoenix as a city did not immediately impart its charms to me — maybe my second visit this winter will unbox those. But Phoenicians, as they are indeed called, sure know how to serve food. Every single meal was a treat.
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| There's a really good smoked pork chop hiding under all that. |
Sigh, last time we passed through Phoenix I thought for sure I would convince my wife to have breakfast as vovomeena. Alas, it was not so. Thanks for sharing Neil!
ReplyDelete“Besides, they are better at it”. One again, you nailed it.
ReplyDeleteAs they say, “never wrestle with a pig. You’ll both get dirty but the pig enjoys it.”
DeleteThe Portuguese donut looks interesting. Off to look up the recipe...
ReplyDeletethat donut looks like what I would refer to as a "fritter"... and because Neil likes word origins .... the word comes from Old French, “friture” which has its roots in the Latin word for “fry”.
DeleteJill A
I hope you had a great visit with your son . never stop being a good person.
ReplyDeleteLove that restaurant name! And their slogan. Obvious as it may be, if we could all do that, many problems would be meaningfully improved.
ReplyDeleteNever got the eggs on the waffle/pancakes, but that plate looks appetizing. A wise man never argues with a fool, observers not always able to determine which is which.
ReplyDelete