Proverbs 12:10

"Whoever is righteous has regard for the life of his beast, but the mercy of the wicked is cruel."

This week at the Village Chapel we got into actual Bible study,  which I found rather interesting.  Having never done the homework,  I did feel a bit behind but it was a lesson learned just the same.  After the service we headed to dinner at Fido in Hillsboro Village.  In an effort to keep with the weeks theme (and to attempt to come up with a clever title) I wanted to see how dogs are portrayed in the Bible.   Seems the precious pooch has come a long way since its somewhat vile beginnings as a scavenger, savage beast,  and otherwise nefarious character.  Most every passage I came across used the dog as a key player on the road to damnation.  Perhaps it was the above passage from Proverbs that ultimately brought mankind to a place where said beast is held in a regard that in some homes is higher then every human in it.

I had never been to Fido before,  and was always a little perplexed by the name.  What exactly was it?  is it a pet friendly joint where it would be difficult to blame a stray hair in your soup on any one being.  Could   it be one of those places that has gourmet food prepared specifically for your dog.  Would it be filled with yipping chihuahuas,  and puppies that may not quite have the training to handle themselves in such an establishment.  Without doing the proper research,  I let my imagination get the best of me and have avoided it until now.  To my delight,  Fido is none of those things.  It's tag line "Blurring the line between upscale coffeehouse,  and casual restaurant"  pretty much says it all.  A sister restaurant to Bongo Java,  it ups the anty on the food end and makes for a delightful hang any time of day or night.   The name Fido comes from (and it's a stretch) Kaldi,  the Ethiopian goat herder who was said to have discovered coffee in the 6th Century.  Obviously goat herders (like sheep herders) need a dog to help them with the herding,  so Fido represents Kaldi's partner in crime without whom humankind would be without their daily buzz.  This is all far more plausible than using fido as a name for an establishment that was once a pet store and already had a neon sign of a dog atop it.

We entered Fido through the back parking lot,  and immediately came upon the counter where you place your order.  Menus are provided along with a chalkboard menu of the daily specials.  There is a glass case filled with delicious looking cakes and other sweet treats.  I am currently trying to avoid such things,  but I was told that I need to return at some point and try the Strawberry Balsamic Cake (ok twist my arm).  The menu is a nice mix of soups, salads, sandwiches, and composed plates.  There was a bit of a chill in the air so soup was definitely going to be a must.  Their sausage, red bean, and habanero ($4) seemed right up my alley.  I was also intrigued with the pulled smoked turkey and corn cakes ($8.99) so I went with that as well.  Little did I know that this was one of Carolyn's favorite places.  She had already made up her mind that she was going to have the Mediterranean Salad with Caramel Champagne Vinaigrette topped with grilled salmon ($6.99/$2).  The guy that had turned her on to this dish happened to be behind the counter,  and she reminded him that he told her "it would change her life"  pretty strong recommendation,  but I had a hunch it wouldn't be that far off.

We paid for our meals,  and were give an adorable picture of Ellie Mae,  a sweet 15 year old chocolate lab that would keep us company at our table until our order came out,  at which time she would be ripped from our hearts and replaced by some really great looking food.  We would miss Ellie,  but we did after all come for the food.

The Decor is hip and cozy with exposed brick, and nicely appointed walls.  A mixture of booths,  high cocktail tables,  and lower tables filled a series of rooms.  The atmosphere is lively,  but not loud.  We headed to the back room which was a slightly quieter so we could chat.  Carolyn mentioned that there are not a lot of outlets in any of the rooms in an effort to keep the day long "study groups" from hogging up the tables during prime time which I think is brilliant.  The crowd was pretty mixed.  Several tables of Vandy Sorority Girls fresh from Bid Day celebrations (not judging,  been there)  Some study bugs,  date nighters,  etc.  and so on.  A place where anyone would feel comfortable.

The counter guy was right,  Carolyn's salad did seem life changing.  Basically a traditional Greek Salad with hummus and pita,  but its the dressing that puts it over the top.  Champagne Caramel Vinaigrette (yes please!)  a nice sized portion of grilled salmon rounded out the plate.  I noticed that the salmon was cooked thru but still seemed quite (I'm not going to use the m word cause I don't like it,  instead I will say) juicy.  Not an easy feat for sure.  I started with the soup which missed the mark just a smidge.  I loved the consistency,  and nice deep color,  but it needed salt and the thyme was a bit on the heavy side.  Billed as Sausage and Habanero neither of those flavors were prevalent.  Not bad by any stretch,  but had they called it Red Bean and Thyme it would have been spot on.  Moving on to the Pulled Turkey it was exactly what I was hoping for.  The turkey had been seared which gave it a bit of a crunch.  Served over 2 corn cakes (johnny cakes,  hoe cakes) whatever you wish to call them was the right call.  The cakes were slightly sweet (which i love) and had a nice corn and butter flavor.  On top of the turkey was a BBQ sauce that I would assume was  home made.  The Sauce was perfect Smoky, chunky,  with another little hint of sweetness.  Sour Cream and a slice of avocado topped the dish and all was right with the world.  Great dish that I would definitely have again,  but something tells me there are many more things on that menu that I'm going to have to hit first.

I'm  happy to have bounced back after last week,  and found a place that was not at all what I thought it was,  but in a good way.  Between Fido and Bongo they have pretty much owned the Best Coffee House category in the Scene for the last several years.  In 2009 they added "Best Place to Have breakfast,  lunch, and dinner" to their trophy case.  If you have never been,  go.  If you have, go back it's worth it.  Here are the particulars:

Located at 1812 21st Ave in the center of Hillsboro Village.  It is open 7 days a week from 7am- 11pm.
Breakfast is served all day everyday,  Brunch on Saturday and Sunday until 2 pm.  oh and Ps they have beer.

(615) 777-FIDO
www.bongojava.com/fido.php