Falling for Fred's Again

My wife and I enjoyed a sensational meal at one of our fave spots in town last night. Fred's at the Vinoy Hotel in St. Pete has recently re-invented itself to become a much more traditional Steak House, what with the a la carte menu, the raw bar, etc. We've found ourselves there for many a celebratory night out, and this one didn't disappoint...
Opened up a nice Napa Cab (Castle Rock); We shared the French onion soup, which was rich with sherry and well-balanced with the onions and melted Gruyere. Always a good starter!
The wife got rainbow trout, which was light but flavorful and abundant! There were 2 huge filets on the plate (good news for me, considering I am a huge fan of leftovers, and my wife almost never cleans her plate!). I couldn't resist ordering the Kobe burger. Served on a toasted challah bun, with a sweet, caramelized tomato jam, and melted, shredded cheese that all worked so well together. If you've never tried kobe beef, it's worth a shot. It's richer, a bit gamier, approaching bison (which I love, too). The sides we ordered were awesome: creamed spinach that had a bit of a crunch to it with panko bread crumbs toasted on top, cheese and just the right balance of cream so it was rich but not overly goopy and/or watery. Almost a misnomer to even call it creamed. Recalled to mind a favorite chef friend of mine, Tim Love, making "fried" spinach for me once; the crispiness of the outer edges of the spinach take on a fried onion consistency. Just terrific. But the surprise of the meal had to the spaetzle. The chef prepares hers with peas, prosciutto, and mushrooms folded in to the potato/pasta mixture. If you like gnocchi, then you will LOVE spaetzle! Not dumplings per se, but the flavor profile is a close cousin. Forks were flying in an effort for both of us to get our fair share of every plate!
The attentive staff topped off our meal with a complimentary Anniversary dessert of Hazelnut Chocolate mousse, which was, it goes withut saying, decadent.
Great way to top a memorable meal...