A Birthday Celebration

So how do you celebrate a birthday? Especially when:

• There are two birthdays to celebrate and
• One is a "big" birthday.

I'll tell you how - you gather up your best friends and go to a "big" landmark in Dallas, Reunion Tower: 

Once you're there, take a ride up 560 feet to the top of the ball to enjoy a meal at Wolfgang Puck's 560.

 Make sure you take your best friends. Dinner is always better with friends. And your sweetheart.

560 offers a fantastic view. It's a revolving restaurant, so the skyline definitely steals the show. I was glad we went early, allowing us to savor our meal without eating super late at night, but I wish we could have been there after dark. Part of the reason I moved to Dallas was because I loved the skyline at night. Yes, I am that shallow (and romantic).

But the view wasn't the only showstopper. We decided to order the five-course tasting menu. Oh the food....oh.my.

First course: Family Style Dim Sum. The plate came loaded with crispy lobster and shrimp spring rolls with ten spiced-honey dipping sauce; stir-fried organic chicken in lettuce cups with pine nuts, crisp rice sticks and wasabi mustard; and pork belly potstickers with black vinegar dipping sauce and chili oil.

Second Course: “Salt and Pepper” calamari salad with jalapeños and pickled ginger vinaigrette.

Third Course: “Hong Kong Style” King Salmon with bok choy, ginger and soy.

Fourth Course: Honey-glazed pork chop with brussel sprouts, shiitake mushrooms, and apple-fennel puree.

Fifth Course: Served Family Style. We'd noted that one of our party couldn't eat dairy, so the chef put together a great trio of dairy-free sorbet for her. (Right to left) Raspberry, Pear and Strawberry-Basil.

For the rest of us, we were given peach cobbler with vanilla bean ice cream:

And a special birthday-themed presentation of Fresh-baked miniature cookies and hazelnut chocolate decadence cake with 10-year chocolate sauce and chocolate sorbet. Holy yum.

Just so you know, the 10-year chocolate sauce was pretty special.

I double checked.

 And also, just so you know, there are some 41-year-olds that you can't take anywhere:

And they are totally unrepentant. That's why we love them.

The Hayleys had a fantastic birthday celebration, plus this was a really great way to also achieve some 101 List goals!

Happy Birthday, Hayleys!