1-3-5 turns 25: Dinner at REDS Wine Tavern

1-3-5 (Left to Right): Holly, Joyce (that's me!), and Karen!

Late September/early October has come to signify one thing for Holly, Karen, and I: 1-3-5. This year's celebration was an extra special one in that it was the first time that Holly, Karen, and I had been able to celebrate our birthdays together since Holly left for South Korea in 2011. Moreover, we had hit a new milestone this year: we each turned the young age of twenty-five years old (imagine Edvard Munch's "The Scream" here).

In previous years, we had done pub food, Japanese food, Korean food, and dessert (of course). This year, we decided to kick it up one notch and celebrate in true foodie style at REDS Wine Tavern. We invited approximately thirty of our friends to the upscale restaurant and were overjoyed that the majority of our guests could join us for dinner at the restaurant's neatly decorated private room.

Unbeknowst to me, Holly, Karen, and I all chose to start our meal in the form of Caramelized Tomato and Goat Cheese Gratin, pictured below:

Although this was not my favourite dish of the night, the combination of caramelized tomatoes, crostini, and my favourite cheese, goat cheese, is still a great concept. With more moist crostini and with smaller and/or crushed tomatoes, this appetizer could easily turn into a popular item in the restaurant's menu.

In spite of my apprehensions towards the appetizer, the meal was instantly redeemed by a generous helping of Crispy Roasted Chicken - my main for the evening. It tasted exactly like its namesake: the balat was crispy, the meat was moist, and the vegetables were adequately seasoned. I have a silent rule that you can never go wrong by ordering chicken and I am glad that I had stuck to it that night. It was delicious.

Lastly, I would not be a foodie in the truest sense of the word if I did not cap the night off with a serving of Flourless Chocolate Cake. Interestingly again, all three birthday celebrants ordered dessert and the same one at that! We are clearly friends. :) We all ooh-ed and ah-ed when the small cake arrived in front of each of us. However, do not let the size of the cake fool any of you - a sliver alone could have easily satisfied an already satiated birthday celebrant such as 1, 3, or 5. Thankfully, Simon C. and I decided to share the dessert so I was not alone in the torture by chocolate. :) 

Love <3

By the end of the evening, I was undoubtedly stuffed to the brim, a few pounds heavier, and a few dollars lighter than the earlier version of my twenty-five year old self. However, these were small prices to pay for an enjoyable evening with great company, conversation, and food. Heart you all!

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Read about Holly's review here: "1-3-5 Birthday Dinner at REDS Wine Tavern"
Read about Karen's review here: "REDS Wine Tavern & Nuit Blanche"