Awesome.

Whenever you ask our dog, Kuma, this question, she perks her ears up, starts wagging her tail so hard that her whole body wiggles and rushes to the door, ready to investigate the neighborhood.

Whenever you ask Katie’s cat, Cooper, this same exact question, this is what he does:

He goes “cat”-atonic.

We barely made it off of the front porch. From this experience, I just don’t understand why they call it a “cat-walk,” there was no such walking going on.

This past week’s Supper Club was plagued by some sort of illness that only the Sherron siblings contracted so Katie so graciously hosted (I mean, really, we didn’t want their cooties).

Appetizer: Sweet and Savory Strawberry Bruschetta. The strawberries have been fantastic lately so Kim took advantage and whipped up some amazing bruschetta. I couldn’t stop eating them, I just do enjoy goat cheese with strawberries.

Entree: Roast Chicken with Balsamic Bell Peppers. This was a quick recipe that ended up with a moist chicken and delicious bell peppers. I do have say, the chicken was a bit bland so you had to eat the bell peppers with it to get some flavor. I think next time I will put some more rub on the chicken before cooking it.

Side Dish: Parmesan-Crumb Broccoli. A fancy way to serve broccoli. Solid recipe.

Dessert: Apple, Goat Cheese and Honey Tartlets. Here is another recipe that combines goat cheese, fruit and honey. I must have missed the theme this week. Another successful combination. The tartness of the goat cheese is cut by the sweetness of the apples and slight drizzle of honey. And they are adorable to look at as well.

Exercise is good, but fine dining is better, especially when local restaurants pledge a percentage of their profits to support breast cancer research. Last year, we ventured down south to Iron Barley, and while that was excellent, we always like to branch out and try new things. Downtown’s Bridge Tap House & Wine Bar is the latest venture from David Bailey, proprietor of the excellent Rooster and the always enjoyable Bailey’s Chocolate Bar. With such pedigreed siblings, we had very high expectations and those expectations were met, for the most part.

For starters, we got the pretzel bites. They were warm and soft and the dipping sauces were fine, if a little bland, but probably not necessary.

The main courses were all really good. Jen had the Roasted Chicken and Crimini Mushroom Wild Rice while I had the Coffee-Braised Beef and Sweet Potato Orzo. These dishes are described on the menu as “pots,” and basically, they are one-dish meals. Simple food, but with complex flavors. Highly recommended. Kim had the Cuba, Missouri Smoky Strip Club sandwich — a locally-raised twist on a classic, while Kate ordered the Smoked Duck sandwich. Both were delicious, and the bread used was memorable. Additionally, the sandwiches came with the locally-produced Billy Goat Chips. If you have never had these chips, shame on you because they are awesome.

We also ordered a couple sides to share: the Warm Salt & Vinegar Potato Salad was undercooked and bland. The only disappointment of the night, I wouldn’t recommend this unless you like your potatoes al dente. On the other hand, was the Gorgonzola and Bread Pudding.

Now, before you go rolling your eyes and wondering what else these frigging hipster chefs can cram bacon into, let me just take a moment of your time. Is this dish overly precious? Yes. Do I feel like a bit of a glutton consuming two of the great culinary guilty pleasures in one bite? Sure. Would I want to eat it every day? No. But this is a taste I haven’t had elsewhere in St. Louis, and any plate that affords the opportunity to write those words is a winner in my book. To describe the taste of Gorgonzola and Bacon Bread Pudding would be an insult to both the dish and to the reader. I’m sure you’ve had bacon before. You probably know that Gorgonzola is (generally) one of the stinkier cheeses. Use your imagination, or better yet, go to Bridge and try it yourself. It’s four bucks for four bites and unless it’s the straw that breaks the back of your chronic heart condition, you won’t regret it.

In addition, the beer and wine list is extensive. I tried a microbrew, Avery White Rascal, and it hit the spot: a great summer beer. To recap: a great cause + a great meal = a great evening. Maybe the only disappointment (besides those potatoes) was the fact that it was so dim in the dining area that none of my pictures turned out. No matter, food like this is much better experienced in person, with good friends.

Appetizer: Coconut Fluff Dip. Loved this dip! It was so simple and tasted great! Katie had brought out pretzels, strawberries, Kit-Kats, bananas and graham crackers to use as dippers. My personal favorite was the pretzels, I’m all about mixing the sweet and savory.

Entree: Pizza Bar. We all had a lot of fun assembling our own little pizzas. Kate gave us so many choices as toppings, it was crazy. Everyone enjoyed creating their pizzas as well as consuming them. Such a fun idea.

Side Dish: Spinach-Strawberry Salad with Goat Cheese Bruschetta. Just a simple, straightforward spinach salad. Kim opted out of making the dressing and instead used Newman’s Own Raspberry and Walnut Dressing.

Dessert: Homemade Peppermint Patties. If you love York Peppermint Patties, then this recipe is for you. It was so easy and they just melt in your mouth. Now, of course, it doesn’t taste exactly like a York Peppermint Patty (this recipe is sweeter), but I think it’ll satisfy that craving. New cookie for the Christmas tin!