A Final Birthday Celebration- AMP 150

I'm sure that you're sick of hearing about my birthday, but I had one last celebration to do...a fabulous dinner party with my Cleveland friends. I've had it in my head for months that this is how I wanted to ring in the new decade. Good friends and good food, that's the best way that I know how to celebrate any occasion.

The location was AMP 150. I selected the restaurant because I knew that they had a private room large enough to host my group of 26 friends (many of which I met through this blog/Twitter), and one of my favorite chefs in Cleveland just happens to be the Executive Chef there--- Jeff Jarrett.

I love his approach to food, and I knew that he'd put together a killer custom menu for our dinner. Of course, he did not disappoint!

First course: Pork Belly with vanilla parsnip puree and apple kimchee.

This was probably my favorite course of the evening, but that's not saying much because all four were simply wonderful.

Second course: Butternut Squash Ravioli with duck confit, mustard greens, and port bubbles.

The port bubbles gave such a great pop of sweetness to this earthy dish.

Third course: Beet and Goat Cheese Salad with watercress.

Isn't the presentation just gorgeous? It almost looked too pretty to eat. The unexpected fried balls of goat cheese were awesome! A beet and goat cheese salad is one of my favorite types of salad.

Fourth course: Braised Short Rib with a potato and onion hash.

The meat was so tender that it just fell right apart when you cut into it with your fork. This dish inspired many of us to try cooking short ribs at home! The chef's tip---Get a good sear in the pan, and then braise them low and slow at 325 degrees for 2.5-3 hours.

As you know, I'm not a sweets kinda gal. So, I wanted four savory courses from Chef Jarrett. But, "R" has the biggest sweet tooth that I know, so he surprised me with a cake from Heinen's for the party.

Don't be fooled by the pretty candles. They were the re-lighting kind, oh joy. Once I finally extinguished them all, we enjoyed a piece of deliciously moist chocolate cake. They have a great frosting that is nice and light. A great end to the meal, and I'm sure that everyone appreciated "R's" decision.

I can't thank AMP 150 and Chef Jeff enough for the memorable experience on Saturday night. The food was outstanding, the service was exceptional, and I had such a great time celebrating with the people that help make Cleveland  "home." Thank you to everyone that was able to attend!

I promise that this is the last birthday post. Hello, 30! You look kinda good on me.