A couple of weeks ago, on a Friday evening, my wife and I finally had the chance to stop by the new Acacia location in the spot formally occupied by Sur Real.  Chef owner Albert Hall certainly has his hands full these days serving the Botanical Gardens and the Tohono Chul Tea Room as well.  It was very heartening to see that the restaurant was nearly full, with lots of laughter and energy radiating from every direction.  We were pretty casual, so we grabbed a small table by the bar where the NBA playoffs were displayed on their large format televisions. As we arrived just under the deadline for happy hour, we decided to take advantage of the great pricing and high quality of cuisine demanded by Albert.  After ordering drinks, we went with a medley of steamed chicken-havarti dumplings in a thai cashew sauce, churrasco stix-grilled skewers of beef, chicken, pork and sausage served with chimichurri, and the grass fed Arizona burger with green chilis, mushrooms, apple smoked bacon, caramelized onion, avocado and cheddar cheese.  All three were simply delicious and filling, rendering us unable to even think about a dessert.  Next time around, I intend to try some of Albert’s entrees off the main menu. On the heels of Acacia, we hit Blue Fin last weekend in one of those sudden urges for seafood.  We called some close friends last minute who love the place and presto, we had secured a table.  As with Acacia, the place was jammed, perhaps even more so than usual as it was college graduation weekend.   If you’ve not enjoyed dining there and you love seafood, this is one of the best locally. From the oyster bar, one of us ordered fresh Pacific northwest oysters on the half shell while another went with the baked oysters Rockefeller with shallots, spinach, Pernod, butter and Parmesan.  My wife ordered the hearts of Romaine Caesar salad while I delighted in savoring the white bean-tomato-shitake mushroom soup with roasted vegetables.  All the first courses were outstanding as evidenced by an abrupt cessation of conversation, replaced by mmmm’s. Dinner entrée choices simply teased the palate and nose with what was to come.   My wife had been yearning for a traditional New England lobster roll and here was her opportunity.  With a generous portion of fresh lobster mixed with a caper mayonnaise, red pepper, celery, scallions and shoestring fries (which she ever so generously dedicated to my plate), the look on her face said it all.  Our friends order the cashew crusted Hawaiian fish with ginger butter, Texmati rice, sautéed spinach and sweet potato chip and the grilled ruby trout almondine with lemon butter, green beans, toasted almonds and roasted new potatoes.  As for me, I went for one of the newer dishes on their menu, homemade sea bass ravioli, garnish with black pepper, spinach, garlic, parmesan cream, and summer squash.  Creamy and flavorful, the pasta cooked to perfection, this was a dish to savor, not one to rush through.  The only disappointment for me taking the last bite. As for drinks, this was kind of a mix and match evening, with all of us starting out with hard spirits and then transitioning over to wine by the glass ( I ordered a Pinot Grigio by the glass which worked splendidly).  By the way, their wine menu offers a nice variety of reds, whites, sparkling and dessert wines.  While I was far too satiated for any dessert, the other three ventured into the Kingfisher coffee with Bailey’s Irish cream, Crème de Cacao liqueur and whipped cream that was, for all intent and purposes, a rich and creamy disguised dessert. As we departed and headed for the car, I thought to myself what a stellar evening it had been with delicious food and a renewal of friendship.