Birthday Beefy Goodness

NEWS FLASH: Ruth's Chris Steak House no longer has the Chocolate Explosion cake on its menu. Apparently, it came off six months ago (and may become a seasonal item). After a pretty excellent birthday meal Saturday night, this had the makings of a disaster. Thankfully, my beloved dessert has been replaced by a chocolate mousse cheesecake that, let me tell you, is so so so so sooooo good. Sooooo, Birthday Meal 2008 was saved. Hooray!

Not that it was ever really about to go down the tubes. My first trip to the Boston location of my favorite restaurant was an unqualified success. Farry, Barrah, and I went to (belatedly for them) celebrate our birthdays, and man, if this wasn't another stellar experience. (Have I mentioned yet how much I love this place?) I ordered all my standards: the simple and yet quite tasty lettuce wedge salad with lemon basil dressing; a thick, juicy, flavorful filet, medium rare; and the big basket of shoestring potatoes. We also ordered the ziti and cheese (which I ate, despite the carmelized onions). And, of course, the chocolate mousse cheesecake. Good friends, good meal, great birthday. And now my arteries are good and clogged, but I'm happy. A Ruth's Chris birthday meal is becoming something of a tradition for me; I can definitely live with that.