Cookman Avenue energy, AP, Paul Goldfinger photo 9/7/20. 6 pm ©  Click on photos to enlarge.

Cookman Avenue Labor Day restaurant scene. 9/7/20

Bonney Read seafood restaurant. Interior.   9/7/20. Paul Goldfinger ©  Click to enlarge

By Paul and Eileen Goldfinger, Blogfinger.net.

Cookman Avenue was cordoned off to permit restaurants to serve outdoors.  It was Labor Day, so we put on long pants and went there, walking over the bridge from the Grove.   All the eateries seemed busy. The atmosphere was festive–fitting the holiday.

It was our first time out to dinner since before March, so it was quite special. It was a mood elevator and was therapeutic.

Hardly any patrons seated for dinner along the Avenue were wearing masks, although most were wearing them who were walking around on the avenue.

Bonney Read is a fine restaurant, and although there was some indoor seating, spaced wide  (see above,) most of the patrons were outside and distancing.  We were sitting outside on the Bangs Avenue side where hardly any seats were taken, so we felt quite safe.

The food, as expected, was excellent, but it is expensive.  I had 6 oysters for $20.00 and a fish platter with a 10 oz. swordfish steak that was superb.  It was $32.00.    I also had a gin and tonic made with gin distilled in A. Park. Eileen had a white wine, peel and eat shrimp with spices and a Cesar salad.

The bill was $120.00 and we left a generous tip.   But the occasion was so special, that we didn’t fret too much about the cost.  And the atmosphere, the show on Cookman, the beautiful evening, the fine service, the delicious cuisine,  and the psychotherapy made it all worthwhile.

BENNY GOODMAN:   “Rose Room” from the soundtrack of The War.