Yesterday was my big 3-0 and I was glad that I got the chance to celebrate it the whole day (I took time off work). In fact, the celebration took more than 24 hours.  It started early when Chris and I went out to dinner on Monday night, counting down to midnight (excited much? hehe).

Chris and I headed to Greens, an upscale Vegetarian restaurant I had always wanted to try but hesitant because it’s pricey. I thought it was my birthday so why the heck not go for it. Birthdays happen only once a year. Plus, Chris was more than glad to foot the bill (being the awesome boyfriend he always is).

It was such an event except I forgot to bring my camera to capture it!  My not-so-fancy smart phone takes crappy photos so pardon the quality as they don’t do justice to the beautiful ambiance, breathtaking views of the Bay, and the amazing food, not to mention the wonderful company!

For starters, we had the Mariquita Farm Heirloom Tomato and Burrata Salad. I am not exaggerating when I say this: this is THE best salad I’ve ever had in my life. The heirloom tomatoes had no hint of citrus at all, they were just juicy and sweet.  The salad also had some cherry tomatoes which tasted like the ones I’m growing in my backyard. The arugula and other spring mix greens tasted fresh. The secret weapon was probably in the dressing. I would assume they used top quality balsamic vinegar, olive oil and salt. Bliss. Like I said, the photo quality doesn’t do justice.

Chris ordered this one so I’m not really sure what it’s called. Even after studying the menu on their site, I still could not pinpoint its name. Anyway, it had generous amount of some kind of pepper that were not spicy at all. Granted, they had tons of flavor. The peppers reminded me of the juiciness and tenderness of okras minus the slime and seeds.

For main course: Mesquite Grilled Brochettes. I love that the plate was full. Usually, upscale restaurants provide only a few bites in their servings. It’s good to know Greens is both quality and quantity.

The dish had three complex components : the Brochettes, the crunchy Mexican slaw, and the multi-grain rice with pumpkin seeds. Actually, the ingredients for the brochettes were already complex on their own, I didn’t need the two side dishes to enjoy this dish. Yet, all three surprisingly complemented each other-very well. Definitely worth the money. It was heaven in every single bite.

What weren’t pictured were the complimentary champagne (that was oh so good), and the complimentary roasted almonds, Italian bread, and top quality olive oil-the oil was so good we didn’t need any balsamic vinegar, the oil tasted like butter. The servings were right on the price that we even had some leftover to go (both the pepper dish and the brochettes).

And here we are, the happily fed couple.  Outside those windows were the fantastic views of the Bay and the Golden Gate Bridge. The ambiance wasn’t white linen-dining like the Millennium but it was still cozy and romantic. The server (who had this thick Scottish accent, just sayin), was very friendly and attentive. 5 star food and service in my opinion.

I couldn’t believe I had never been to this place before but I was glad my first time here was on my birthday.

The next day, I celebrated my birthday with my family over dinner at Central Vegetarian Restaurant in Alameda, CA. I’ll post about it soon