When you have children the term “dinner party” usually means burgers and hot dogs on a grill served around 5:30pm.  So when my husband informed me on Sunday that we would be attending a “dinner party” with two other couples and their children I just assumed this would be the scenario.  Turns out I was quite wrong.

Our Chef for the evening was one of my husband’s close friends who is recently divorced.  He has two children of his own but this was his ex-wife’s night with the kids leaving him solo.  I have to believe that the initial purpose of this dinner was to be a boy’s night, and that this idea had been overruled by one of the female attendees, which you better believe was not me.  I'm all for boys night, it just means a return girls night coming my way soon!

The other reason I am under the belief this was to be a boy’s night would be the menu.  In addition to our Chef, my husband, myself and our two boys, also in attendance were another married couple with a nine-year old daughter and six-year old son, along with my husband’s best friend, his current girlfriend and his 6 year old son.  You got it, five kids!

When we arrived it was already 6:30pm and the food was just being prepped.  Our son eats at 6:30 almost every night and he’s on the late end for most kids his age.  After running around acting crazy, jumping off of bunk beds, and screaming their cute little heads off for the first fifteen minutes, every kid in that house was STARVING.  One by one they popped into the kitchen asking “when are we going to eat?” After hearing that question at least 296 times, at last our Chef announces its time for the “first course.”  I’m sorry, did he say “first course?”  Kids don’t do “courses”!!  Especially kids who are already an hour past supper time!  But at least it was something.  Well, at least we thought it was something until the course hit the table and all four kids went running in the opposite direction near tears.  A caprese salad.   As an adult, I thought it was possibly one of the best caprese salad’s I have ever eaten, but I can understand why my 3-year old was a little turned off.  At least the baby stayed at the table and watched.

Twenty minutes later the “second course” was ready.  The kids returned to the table only to take one bite out of a crab cake and immediately start screaming.  The crab cake itself was fantastic, but our Chef didn’t consider the fact that the aioli he was serving with it was spicy enough to bring tears to the eye.  

At this point the dads are pretty much telling Chef Genius, “the kids have to eat, is there anything the kids can eat?”  

Another half hour into this nightmare the “third course” was served: lobster ravioli.  If there is one thing that almost all kids can agree on its pasta.  All four dug in like they hadn’t eaten in days, cheering for our Chef with mouths full.  He had finally, at 8:30pm, twenty minutes after my son’s bedtime, knocked it out of the park.  He was toasted, his name was chanted, he was for those five glorious minutes, a hero.

When the “fourth” and final course was served, the kids were already sated and therefore unable to complain about the delicious Ahi tuna steaks they had turned their noses up at.  They went back to playing like maniacs in this world of “after bedtime” while the adults enjoyed the last of a delicious dinner and tasty wine that was truly a treat for each of us.  It’s just a shame that this treat couldn’t have been enjoyed the entire night, as opposed to only at the end.  Next time I'd suggest chicken nuggets for the first course!