The Birthday Dinners

By Billa

Both my husband Martin’s and my birthdays happen a few days apart in December. We usually celebrate by inviting each other out for dinner. Here’s where we went this year:

I thought Martin would enjoy seeing a Broadway play for his birthday. So, I bought tickets for The Book of Mormon and made early dinner reservations at Oceana, a restaurant in the theater district.

The place was cavernous and mostly empty as it was only 5:00 PM and they had just opened for dinner. As soon as we approached the hostess, she asked for the name of the show we were seeing and the time of the curtain going up. It was comforting to know that they would make sure that we were not late for the show.

I ordered the mushroom risotto. It was so good! I think what made it special were the pickled beech mushrooms that gave it a wonderful and unusual vinegary tang. There was also robiola - a creamy, Brie-like cheese instead of parmesan. The robiola also gave the dish a distinctive tangy flavor. All in all, I think it was the best tasting risotto I ever had!

Martin’s entree was a seared skate atop creamy mashed potatoes with mushrooms and bits of Swiss chard throughout. He liked the fish’s subtle taste, the beautiful presentation, and the flavor combinations of the dish.

My dessert was an espresso semifreddo. I chose it because I wanted some caffeine for the long evening ahead. It was almost like a gelato with coffee and chocolate flavors that were not too sweet, and cocoa nibs providing a textural element. Pretty much a perfect dessert.

Martin chose a Meyer lemon parfait. It was composed of layers of olive oil cake, lemon curd, a tarragon-infused foam, an olive oil gelato, and a citrusy crumble. Also a terrific dessert.

On my birthday, the following week, we went to Perry Street, a Manhattan restaurant that is one of my favorites. They always have good non-alcoholic drinks made in-house. We chose lemon thyme soda and passion chili soda. Both were very good.

For an appetizer, we shared a roll of sea trout crispy sushi. Instead of rice, the raw fish slices were placed atop small squares of fried bread. I thought it was an odd choice and would have much preferred it to be the traditional sushi rice. Although Martin said he liked the bread part.

My entree was a grilled ahi tuna burger with yuzu pickles, bonito mayonnaise, and french fries with ketchup. I expected that “ahi” tuna would result in a burger with a superior taste, but that wasn’t the case. It was okay, but, in my opinion, the tuna burger I make at home with canned tuna tastes better. On the plus side, I loved the cucumbers that were pickled with yuzu juice, as well as the crispy French fries.

Martin’s entree was a seared wild black sea bass with a bunch of roasted maitake mushrooms, all atop a basil broth. He liked the fish’s mild, slightly sweet taste and flaky texture. The maitake mushrooms, with their earthy/woodsy taste are a rare treat that he found to be very satisfying.

Dessert for me was a molten chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream. It was exactly what I expected: chocolatey and delicious.

Martin’s dessert was a poached pear with a pastry bottom, bathed in raspberry coulis. He loved the juxtaposition of flavors and textures.

On the whole, a wonderful way to celebrate our birthdays.