When I finally uploaded my photos from my recent trip to San Francisco, I didn’t quite know where to begin. So, I’m starting with my favourite memory from the entire trip!
A dinner celebration at no other than the famous, Millennium restaurant. This restaurant has been on my “must-visit” list for years so when my mom asked me to choose a restaurant to celebrate my 30th, it was an easy decision. The reservation was made months in advance.
Millennium restaurant calls itself a vegetarian restaurant, but they don’t use any animal products so everything on the menu is vegan. It’s easily one of the most gourmet vegan restaurants I’ve dined at, offering unique and inspiring flavour combinations throughout the menu. Other similar gourmet vegan restaurants that come to mind are Candle 79 in NYC and Karyn’s on Green in Chicago, but I have to say, Millennium’s creative menu offerings are like nothing I’ve seen.
[Please don’t mind the iffy photo quality – I was snapping pics with my phone and point & shoot all weekend and was really just happy to to take a break from lugging a big camera around all day.]
First things first, we ordered a bottle of wine – Quinta Cruz “Graciano” – a bold and spicy Spanish variety.
Next, I ordered the Roasted Beet Salad to start. It was one of my favourite salads in a long time! I would’ve licked the plate clean if I could.
In the name of variety, all three of us ordered the Grilled Spring Onion & Radicchio Risotto for our main dish. Who can turn down a vegan risotto? Not us, apparently!
This dish is made with Arborio, kamut, and farro with cashew cream, balsamic-rosemary glazed Portobello mushroom, runner cannellini beans, kale & Cara Cara orange salad, pistachio-herb charmoula and Arborio crusted fried artichokes. See what I mean about the unique flavour combinations? It’s a lovely risotto without a hint of dairy. What can’t cashew cream do?
For dessert, I ordered the Chocolate Almond Midnight torte made with almond cashew crust, mocha chocolate filling, raspberry sauce, and white chocolate mousse. Dear me! Oh, and some house-made truffles on the side. I wish I got a close-up of this dish, but I was clearly distracted by sparkly things…
A lovely server brought this out and sang happy birthday to me. My own birthday serenade! I was touched and turning a lovely shade of beet salad.
Don’t mind my hair about to burst into flames via birthday candle…minor detail.
If chocolate and a song wasn’t enough excitement, there was another surprise in store. Moments later, executive chef, Eric Tucker, came out to wish me happy birthday and he presented me with a signed copy of one of Millennium’s cookbooks, The Artful Vegan. It was so great to meet the person behind all of this inspiring food! I had a major fan girl moment. My mom arranged all of these surprises beforehand – what a gem she is!
More blushing ensued. I was now sweating. Is it hot in here?
Inside the cover Eric wrote, “Cook Inspired”. I’d like to create a small frame with these words and hang it near my kitchen! It reminds me to always use my life experiences as inspiration for the food I create in my kitchen. When I try to force a recipe, it doesn’t tend to work anyway. When it comes from the heart, it’s usually a success.
After all this, my mom and sis gave me their card and gift. Inside my mom’s card, I found a letter that she wrote to me looking back on the past 30 years. It was beautiful. The tears flowed like the wine!
“The future holds so much for you. Remember to enjoy your 30’s – I can tell you that the years go by far too quickly – fill it with purpose so that you don’t look back with regret.”
It was a night that I won’t soon forget. The best part was that I got to share it with two of my favourite women while being surrounded in a place that fits so perfectly with my own aspirations and goals. I am counting my blessings. A big thanks to my mom, sis, and Millennium restaurant for making it such a special occasion. You really know how to treat a girl.
What a lucky birthday girl! Here’s to many more!
So many nice birthday surprises! Did the chef know OSG? So sweet of your mom to set it all up in advance – and that risotto sounds amaaaazing!
hah I doubt it ;) He was super busy so we didnt get a chance to chat
Such a beautiful birthday! Speaking of beautiful, your family sure is made up of some lovely ladies!
The Grass Skirt
Oh goodness, everything looks absolutely divine! That dessert, whoa, need to try that now!
I adore Millenium! I had completely different dishes, but honeslty I wanted them all! My husband and I shared the stuffed dates to start, toasted pappadum for the salad, and then I had the tamale for my entree… every single bite was incredible! I did share the same dessert as you, and oh my word was that delicious!! If we hadn’t havegotten the pappadum salad, we would have gotten the beet salad for sure, what a gorgeous looking dish!
Happy Birthday darling, what a wonderful way to celebrate, in one of my most favorite cities in the world! You deserve every bit of it. And welcome to your 30’s! I’ve been here for a while, they’re the best years of my life so far :)
What an evening! The food looks incredible, and it sounds like you have just about the coolest mom in the world, too, to arrange with that with the chef. Happy 30th!
Oh my goodness…what your mom wrote, seriously brings tears to MY eyes. That is so thoughtful, kind, sweet, and amazing of your mom. Sounds like an amazing night – definitely want to go to Cali again and check this place out!! (Candle 79 is still on my list too!)
What a lovely post :) So nice to see that you had such a great birthday dinner with your mom and sister!
The food looks good but your mom’s letter sounds better. What a wonderful birthday for you!
That’s a really touching post :-) You have a lovely family! Xxx
Happy Birthday! Love, love, love Millenium! I don’t even remember what I ate when I was there, but all of it was beyond delicious! Mmmm…can’t wait to go back some day! (I’m a little jealous of you for meeting the chef, too!)
Happy belated B-day! Your commentary after the photos was cracking me up:)
Wow, what a night…You have a very special mom! Happy Bday!
Happy belated birthday Angela!! I have to ask, what are you wearing on your lips? I love it!
Hey Ryan,
Thank you! :) It’s by Clinique and I think it’s called Berry Cherry or Cherry Berry? The tube was actually a sample size that my mom gave me years & years ago – it’s very small but for some reason it’s lasted me years. Ok, now that I typed that out it’s pretty gross I’m still using it! lol. Anyway, I don’t buy Clinique products because I read they test on animals so I’m on the hunt for a similar shade by an animal-friendly company…
Something I do at home is just rub beet juice on my lips and coat it with vitamin E oil..the effect isn’t the exact same obviously, but it’s a natural alternative. I’ve heard from other readers you can also buy beet powder and mix that into your own blend.
This sounds like such a special birthday! That was so sweet of your mom to arrange to have the chef come out to visit you. And I’m glad the restaurant was everything you’d hoped it would be – all the food looks amazing!
Oh wow, what a fabulous night! The torte sounds amazing (whenever chocolate and almonds combine, awesomeness ensues), and it’s incredibly cool that your mom arranged an evening of such wonderful surprises. Hooray for a wonderful trip! :)
Happy b-day, you! What an incredible birthday dinner this looks to have been. :)
Aww! this is a sweet post! Happy B’day!
A very belated birthday to you Angela!
Thanks for being such an awesome and creative writer and for inspiring us all! You were a huge help to me when I first became vegan and ultimately convinced me to start my own blog so a million kudos to you. :)
Hey Matthew,
I just checked out your blog – nice work! Funny story about how your blog name came to be. hah. Can’t wait to read more.
Happy birthday again, my fellow early-summer-baby! I just celebrated on Friday (with a giant spoonful of the maple butter you so generously gave me for my 31st, and which has decidedly changed my life), and I thought to myself that we were sort of celebrating in tandem.
Millenium is one of my top 5 meals of my life. SO glad you enjoyed it–and I love these happy photos. Sending you big hugs.