Scott's Bougie Birthday-Part I

My main squeeze was surprised for his birthday weekend festivities, by not a party bus, but a fancy dinner at The Hobbit in Orange.

Pretty much the best dinner of my life, from the nearly four hour experience to the actual food courses. Delicious.

Our menu for the evening.

Inside the wine cellar for Champagne and appetizers.

The hors d'oeuvres-steak tar tar, artichoke spread, pate, other delicious bites. AMAZING. 

Almost took the plate home.

Honey glazed duck breast with marinated forest mushrooms over frisee and madeira cherry sauce.

No photos of the scallop due to its fast departure from my plate. Oops.

Chervil and goat cheese filled golden ravioli with mache and a peach balsamic vinegar. AND the crispiest pancetta ever. OMG. 

My main course, the halibut with garlic ginger rice and spring onion beurre blanc. 

Scott's entree, filet mignon with fois gras (mixed feelings on that) with potatoes, Brussels sprouts, and cherry tomatoes.

Grand finale-molten chocolate cake with  rum creme anglais, berries, and a birthday truffles on the side. Only thing missing was hearing and seeing the Disneyland fireworks.

 Happy birthday Scott! The weekend is only just beginning!

Three Cheers for Three Years

In honor of the third anniversary we dined at the Anaheim White House, a restaurant neither of us has ever been to, despite calling that city home for over 20 years. If you are a local, you're likely familiar with the restaurant's story. If you care to learn, go here. Like many who've dined before us, Bruno was there and did greet our table, though I secretly wished he would have spoken a little more Italian, specifically "mozzarella," Giada-style. A little marital humor for Scott.


Now we're not snooty (or snotty) but we have been fortunate enough to also dine at similar spots like Mr. Stox and The Cellar, so it was easy to compare. I actually won the dinner for two in July at a baby photo event I went to with my sister-in-law and nephew. I never win anything, so to win dinner at a rather nice restaurant was pretty great.

We dined on tuna tartar, brasato piemontese (braised short ribs) and costata di manzo (New York steak) with a side of broccoli and cheese. The wine was Pinot Noir and for dessert they gifted us this:


We had a thoroughly enjoyable time with good conversation and great people watching. Seriously, do people roll out of bed and think "I want to eat at a four star restaurant tonight"? Actually I think they spend the entire day at Disneyland in 100 degree heat and then have that thought.


Earlier in the day I had gifted my groom his third anniversary gift, leather:

So stylish, practically Don Draper.

Rock Lobster

OMG it's been 20 years since I've gone to Red Lobster. Holy cow. I begged my parents to take me there after we went and saw Curly Sue in 1991. (There are now activities I can say it's been 20 years since I've done. Ugh. Skip Its can also be added to that list.)

Well today, the unknown leave of absence ended.

Scott was gifted a gift card for his birthday from his grandma and today we went for lunch.

We started with Ceasar salads and their complimentary cheese biscuits.

Eh to the biscuits. If I'm going to indulge in carbs, regular rolls do it for me.

His order: linguine with shrimp, lobster, and asparagus.

Unknowingly thematically dressed.

My order: lobster pizza.

Super tasty. I just finished it for dinner.

We both enjoyed our meals, and the place was hopping. I will say the median age was probably 65. The lobster tank took me back to my youth when I'd go grocery shopping with my grandparents and I distinctly remember the seafood counter always used to have lobsters. Can't say I've seen them in a long time.

We'll probably go back in another 20 years.