JFK's Fishing License and a 2-Headed Calf

That's what was hanging on the wall next to our table at dinner last night. There were also autographed photos of Bill Clinton, Restless Heart, and a lot of other people we didn't recognize. And let's not forget the dozens and dozens of animal heads and stuffed animals displayed on all the walls. There's hardly an inch of space that isn't decorated with a buffalo head, a mounted fish, a stuffed duck, an entire antelope... the list goes on and on. Aaron and I commented that a vegetarian couldn't even walk in the door at the Buckhorn Exchange. They would take one look at the decor and curl up in a little ball on the floor and sob. I have to admit, it's pretty odd having all those animals hanging on all the walls.

We went to the Buckhorn Exchange for our anniversary dinner. Every year, we like to choose someplace that we could never go with the kids (in this case, because it's WAY too expensive) and go out for a nice evening instead of buying each other gifts. It's something we really look forward to. We chose the Buckhorn Exchange because it was featured in a show we watched on the Travel Channel. We'd actually been there once before a long time ago, but we wanted to try it again.

It was very nice. We got a table for two over against the wall... the aforementioned wall holding JFK's fishing license and the heads of a two-headed calf. The table had two armchairs instead of the usual wooden chairs... it felt very luxurious.

We had smoked salmon and onion & caper cream cheese on toast for an appetizer. MMMM. For dinner, I had a buffalo steak. It was delicious! It mostly just tasted like a really good beef steak, though.

Aaron was more adventurous and he chose a combo plate with duck, yak, and ostrich. Aaron liked it all very much. We traded some bites and I got to taste his yak and ostrich. The ostrich was very good... oddly, it didn't taste like poultry at all. I can't say what it did taste like; it's hard to describe. But not at all like chicken or turkey as you might expect. The yak was incredible! If we ever go back, I'm having yak for my entree. It's SO good. Like the best, most tender steak you've ever had. A little gamey, like elk or venison, but not a strong gamey taste. It's just incredibly good. If you ever get the chance to try yak, go for it!

It was such a nice evening. We rarely get out for an evening without the kids, so it was nice to just be able to eat and talk and not have to chase the kids as they escape or cajole them into eating dinner or convince them to sit still while we try to finish our own dinners. The kids went to Melissa's house for the night so her daughter Sarah could babysit. Sarah did such a great job that the kids didn't want to go home when we came to pick them up! So a good time was had by all!