Well, I have decided to write about my birthday experience for 2017. On my Birthday this year I spent the day doing what I normally do. Not being a huge fan of making a big deal out of my birthdays I carried on with my regular routine on the 28th. Routine and i get along fairly well and have for as long as I can remember … and those go back to when I was two years old. Yes, I do have memories of when I was two. But those would be for another story.
So, Denise, my wife of 47 years, says to me Wednesday evening just before retiring for the day, “Roger, wouldn’t you like to do something special for your birthday this year Perhaps go out to eat at a nice restaurant … or a show … something that you would like to do for yourself.” This made me stop and think … and I realized that I would like to do something special for my birthday! So we discussed our option of when and determined that Friday, tonight the 30th, would be the date but what to do was still a bit fuzzy. Earlier this afternoon I decided to go out for a steak. Birthday 67 celebration was on like Donkey Kong!
Now mind you, I am talking not just an ordinary steak. But a real nice, mouth watering, thick, juicy rib eye, seasoned and cooked to perfection! Done so in not your ordinary eatery offering steaks but a real nice place with servers dressed in black and white, serving you from a cart kind of place. A place that has soft music playing in the back ground in a setting that says CLASS A DIGS HERE!
A place that does not have peanut hulls and Lord only knows what else scattered about on the floor. And Music that has you wanting to linger at the table and enjoy the dinner’s fare; not jump up and Boot Scoot your partner across that peanut hull ladened floor.
Before you get the wrong idea let me quickly say I do my share to keep those places in business and please do not take me wrong I am not slamming those places as to quality of food, or property. I have my favorite among them that I frequent and I enjoy the food at a reasonable price in an atmosphere that is exciting … well it sets a rhythm to chew by for sure even if it is not all that healthy for the normal digestive system or safe from choking hazards! And yes I do my part as to adding peanut hulls to that floor! But still I go there for good food and servers friendly and motivated to do a good job.
But tonight, For my 67th birthday I wanted nice restaurant, awesome steak, with casual dress. And it happened!
As I discussed the possibilities with Denise we began to name places that we might visit. Several are good but not pushing the right button in the Birthday Boy until Denise said there Is George’s in Sheffield. Did you hear that ring??? I did!!
So off to Georges Steak Pit we went. First of all let me warn you that if you wish to try this for yourself be sure to not do what we did and go to George’s downtown Sheffield. You will be disappointed unless you have called ahead and have a private party / sitting arranged. Thank God there was no such party there when we walked up to the door cause if there had been one we would not have been properly dressed, not on the list, but would have been totally embarrassed. NOT how I would have wanted this adventure to end.
So walking back to our parked car just up the block Denise and I began to research where the Steak I so desperately longed for was actually located.
Finding the address and getting the app opened to direct us we ventured out of our parking space onto the main road for just a short drive to the actual location of George’s Steak Pit.
Now here I have to confess that I and Siri, Goggle Maps Gal in this case, do not always see eye to eye. You see, Siri and her Google counter part are AI and I … well I am a man. Ladies, you know how we men are we just will not ask directions! AND, if offered we will adapt those directions to how it works out within the male thinking process.
That said, I made not just one but at least three wrong turns! Once we arrived, that is according to Google Map Gal, I parked the car in the first available parking space, and getting out went several yards up an alley way on foot to confirm what I was being told!
Once I had visual confirmation we were indeed at the restaurant and not a doctors office or admin office for the hospital that was all around the restaurant, I motion to Denise to exit the car and join me.
Now we had heard how good the steaks are at our chosen destination. We know up front that this is suppose to be a nice place. It lived up to what we heard.
The hostess greeted us then lead us back through narrow halls passing rooms for private parties, then into a well decorated and charming dinning room. Our table was perfect.
Our server, dressed in black and white, greeted us with menus, took our drink orders, and gave us ample time but not too long to look over the menu to make our decisions. Several steak choices were offered. I finally stuck to my original idea and formulated the rest of the plan for my meal … a glass of Merlot (not the kind from a box or the bottle with a kangaroo), French Onion soup (not from a mix), the Rib Eye Special, 12oz of perfection according to the menu, and a desert ( we would later choose Strawberry Cake), and also an after dinner coffee for me, not just any coffee, an Irish Coffee! My plan complete I then patiently waited for the server to return cause I was ready to execute. Not the server, the plan.
The soup came out and it was totally delicious! Now I usually will not leave any cheese on the side of the bowl … you know ... when the the cheese topping melts and sitting top of the soup and kind of drapes over the edges of the bowl and down the sides … Cheese is cheese! However, Being on my best behavior in this fine restaurant and wishing not to embarrass Denise or myself I refrained from scraping the cheese of the sides of the bowl.
Now when the steak came out … I honestly wanted to applaud! It looked and smelled marvelous! Now, when I ordered I explained to server when she asked how I would like my steak cooked that I like my steak somewhere between medium rare and medium. I knew I was in a real fine restaurant by her response … “We can handle that.” and they did. This was hands down the best steak I have ever eaten. I do not lie. I do not jest! THE. BEST. STEAK. EVER! I told Denise, “Honey, get your phone out and take a picture of me and this steak together cause I want to frame it and hang it up on my office wall to remember it by!” It was that good!
The merlot was perfectly paired to the steak! It reminded me of why I like wine with a meal.
Then desert. As to having desert or not Denise mentioned it was my birthday so I should choose as to having desert or not … I was not leaving with out desert! And that after dinner Irish Coffee … must stick to the plan!
As I said earlier, strawberry cake was our choice out of at least five different choices. My mom always made me a strawberry cake for my birthday cause it was my favorite. When I took that first bite I admit I teared up a bit. It was very much like mom’s. Oh, and the server had placed a candle and lit it up when she served the cake to us. I got to make a wish and blow out the candle. Later we learned the server’s mom would bake a strawberry cake for the server’s birthday as it was her favorite. Did I mention that our server was a delightful person and fantastic at serving!
I just had to write about how I celebrated my 67th birthday! Thanks for reading.
