Thirty Three

Birthday round-up in full. On the night of my birthday, I had dinner at Yu-u with the missus. It was really nice; a Japanese restaurant hidden from the world, seemingly drawing customers by word-of-mouth, as there is no signage ourside its factory-like door other than an A5-sized plaque. The food was beautiful, particularly the scallops and mushrooms cooked in butter, and the gyoza, and calamari, and the chicken yakitori. Two big glasses of Asahi to wash it all down. Nice. Next we went to Madame Brussels for a drink on their fantastic balcony, overlooking the sparkly city.

On Friday evening I had dinner with friends at Woodstock Cafe on Nicholson Street. The word is spreading that this place is overtaking I Carusi as home of Melbourne's best pizza. I'm not much of a pizza connoisseur, but my gorgonzola and double-smoked prosciutto pizza was certainly delicious. Unfortunately, we only managed to coax one friend out of the 11 in attendance to come back to ours for a wine.

Last night I had dinner at Mecca with my family. I went to Mecca last year for my birthday, with just the missus. The menu was totally different this time; gone was the za'atar encrusted lamb, African olives, and Turkish delight. I had spatchcock with bulgar and pistachio - very nice, and a Dalwhinnie for dessert, because I ain't really got a sweet-tooth.

Oh, and presents; from the missus I got a Japanese teacup which is intended as a pen-holder (to replace the jam-jar I've been using for years), a summer dressing-gown, and Peter Watson's From Fire To Freud: A History of Ideas. From friends; wine, records, and an issue of the New York Review of Books. From my parents; a new desk, which I must write about soon, and from my brother; a bottle of Chivas Regal. All up, a nice way to turn 33.