My Birthday took me through a series of eating pleasures. Since it was on pancake day I started the day with yes you guesssed it pancakes. Sorry no photos of the pancakes. Using my new paula deen frying pan some plain or all purpose flour eggs and a little olive oil I have to say some fine looking pancakes were created. I then took sugar and clementines on one and treacle on the other. Good start to the day but when you see what I had next, it did have competition.
My wife and daughter joined me for lunch at Aab indian restaurant on sawmill road in Columbus. See I didn't just eat all day I paused to take this photo!
I didn't do a close up of my plate instead since I tried everything on the buffet I took a picture of it.
Did I make you hungry I did me. It was all very tasty though the pakora did not live up to several I have had including a wonderful one my daughter brought back from a skilled lady in san francisco.
These items are the winner of best tasting at Aab india that day. Chicken Masala. Mushroom Mater and the Saag Paneer. Of course for dessert Kheer. Fine flavours prepared by people that know how to properly use spices to make food exciting.
So it was back home to get the rest of the gang. My other daughter and my son and his girlfriend.
Then back to Columbus where we had reservations at J.Alexanders.
To begin at a restaurant you are asked what you would like to drink for me other than the standard water (which our waitress did a fantastic job in keeping full) I decided to have a two hearted ale a very full flavoured beer for a day full of flavour. with my meal I requested the sweetest white wine they had. Yes I know red wine with red meat. Truth is i do not care for convention i care about taste, and i like the taste of sweet white the wine i had was not majorly sweet but close enough to be very palatable.
According to the menu this is "shrimp Louie Salad
Georgia white shrimp, avocado and diced tomatoes finished with Kiawah Island dressing" To me it was a tasty pile of shrimp with lettuce avocado and dressing with a hint of tomatoes that to be honest I hardly noticed. The plume of radicchio lettuce on top was my least favourite bit. Still it looked pretty and was really jut a garnish.
The next and most important or main part of the meal was of course the Prime rib cooked a very nice medium rare, the way steak should be. Served with au jus and mashed potatoes. At my request Bearnaise was added to the mix. The au jus was ok though I have had better. Bearnaise was good and the Prime rib itself delicious Tender flavourful with areas of fat as it should be. The mashed potatoes however had a problem so often the case in restaurants it was over peppered. Why with perfectly good grinders and or shakers do restaurants insist on over peppering or over salting food especially mashed potatoes? We can add more if needed. It definitely was not .
The majority of our party was of course vegetarian. I am usually the odd one out being the only meat eater. On my birthday my family endulge me by saying I can go anywhere. I still prefer to go somewhere with something they can eat Tonight was tough though. I wanted prime rib on a tuesday most places that do prime rib do it on a friday and saturday The selection for my vegetarian family was extremely limited salad which they passed on vegetarian burgers as you can see to the right came with
ridiculously thin fries (give me a plate of chips anyday). The burger was from what I could tell from the piece my wife gave me not bad (though no prime rib).
We made enquires about some items such as Mexico City Spinach con Queso - Served with warm tortilla chips (it was made with chicken broth).
All the Sushi was made with one form of meat or another. We asked if it could be made without meat our waitress started to give away the fact that it was pre-made and covered by saying that it was designed a certain way. People of the world wake up most chains use pre-made and frozen items. It is what makes it possible for McDonald's or upscale restaurants to offer the same experience to you in Alabama as you got in Texas. Pay the price accept you are getting frozen and pre-made or eat at those hard to find family owned restaurants that still make most items fresh and on the premises (they are very hard to find these days but if you find one share it with the world and help keep it in business.
The other meateater with us tried after being pushed into it by me a prime rib sandwich we ordered it med but it showed up looking medium rare we had it recooked but it was still fatty which appealed to me but not to the person that was suppose to eat it. So this great looking piece of meat that was by the way not much smaller than mine was sent back to be replaced by the Cheeseburger you see to the left. Apparently it was pretty good.
Time to try the dessert aka Crème brûlée - Finished with mascarpone cheese and fresh fruit we all had a taste and a fine taste it was. Still not enough dessert for this birthday boy. Fortunately my wife loves me enough to have made me a chocolate cake with orange flavoured icing. See below. People seem to rarely realise some great combinations of tastes orange and chocolate or cheese and onion. I did have a goodtime and my tastebuds were celebrating all day with great taste sensations.
I don't know what you like to do to celebrate a birthday but to me the above was a great way to celebrate. So until I eat again I bid you peace!
The spanikopita was very good nice flakey pastry with a hot delicouse filling. The eggplant al italian had good tomato flavour with well cooked eggplant and cheese so another winner now lets try for ithe trifecta. The beer was everything that was promised flavourful and smooth. We have a winner. 
