Brother's Birthday Lunch

My brothers both have birthdays in December, then Nathaniel is a New Year's Eve baby. I get pretty tired of celebrating holidays by Christmas time. Since my brother's birthday is three days after Christmas and then three days later is Nathaniel's, so sometimes a chore to figure out where to eat for my brother. Nathaniel always picks sushi (his favorite), so my brother usually tries to pick something quite different. In the past, we have eaten anything from steaks to Swedish food to French to seafood. This year, we went to Charlie Palmer's restaurant in Bloomingdale's at South Coast Plaza. For you foodies out there, you probably already know who Charlie Palmer is (not to be confused with Charlie Trotter, another well-respected American chef). But for those who don't, Charlie has written four cookbooks and owns restaurants all over the States. I believe this is his first restaurant in Southern California and it was well worth the wait.

The adults decided to have the three course prix-fixe lunch, while Nathaniel dined on Kobe steakburgers and freshly made french fries.

First Course:

ARUGULA AND FRISEE SALAD BLUE CHEESE, WHITE BALSAMIC, GOLDEN RAISIN

I picked this one, while my hubby picked the soup. I usually don't like blue cheese, but this one was very light and palatable to my taste buds.

or the ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH BANANA SOUP HAM HOCK AND APPLE RAVIOLI

I don't like fruit in my soups, so I passed on this one. But Chris and my mom really raved about it. They brought out the soup bowls with the only apple ravioli in it, then poured the soup out from small containers at the table. Very elegant.




Main Course:

BUTTER POACHED BABY SHRIMP MEYER LEMON RISOTTO, PARSLEY ESSENCE

This is what my mom and I got. It was good, but I wished that I would have picked the steak.


CHARCOAL GRILLED HANGER STEAK ROSEMARY FINGERLING POTATOES, CARROT EMULSION

This steak was fabulous! The flavors were amazing and it was cooked to perfection. I kept stealing bites off my husband's plate.
Nathaniel's Kobe Steakburger Sliders. These came with a tuffle mayo on the side. The sliders were delicious (I took a very small nibble), but not sure that the fries were worth the $8 or whatever they cost to go along with them.

Dessert:
MOLTEN CHOCOLATE PRESERVED MEYER LEMON, ESPRESSO ICE CREAM

I am not a chocolate person, but almost everyone else ordered this dessert. They even "accidentally" made an extra one for Nathaniel, who didn't eat the prix-fixe meal. He LOVED it. He even loved it more when my mom gave him most of hers!

APPLE TARTE TATIN CRANBERRY SEMIFREDDO, CINNAMON ICE CREAM

I LOVED this one. The ice cream was very tasty and the cranberry semifreddo (a lot like a mousse) was good enough to still think about.

It was an amazing birthday lunch. Nathaniel keeps talking about the sliders and wants to go back next time we are in town. Can't say that I blame him!