Every year I celebrate my birthday with my friend who has a birthday the day after mine. We have been doing this for many years, probably more years than most of my readers have been alive! It is a fun tradition and this special birthday year we are celebrating at the Chef’s Table at Lucia, the restaurant at Bernardus Lodge in Carmel Valley, CA.

For this dinner we sit in an alcove right in the kitchen and get to watch the chefs prepare our meal. Many famous people have dined here. Their names are inscribed in the graffiti on the walls behind our heads.

Jacques Pepin, “Happy Cooking!”

Julia Child, “Bon Appétit!”

My view of the kitchen

So we are in good company to enjoy a multi-course meal! There are so many courses that we literally cannot eat them all. Towards the end we pull the plug on the venison and the cheese courses. Although the individual portions are small, it is just too much! Here are some of the things we were served.

Bread course – Most delicious? The little dollop of butternut squash butter!

Potato latke with crime fraiche and caviar (this latke was not nearly as good as John’s)

Crab with citrus, avocado, and pomegranate

Pumpkin mezzaluna in a duck/Parmesan broth with black truffle, Amazing!

Ricotta gnudi, Parmesan Cretan and white truffle Intense!

At this point I am starting to flag and pass one of my gnudi to John. We are not even half way through!

Creepy Squab

Waygu beef

Pumpkin cake, marscapone mousse, butternut squash, caramelized feuille de brick, maple caramel

There was also a fish course, duck course, chocolate course, and the venison and cheese courses which I mentioned we skipped. Everything was paired with the appropriate wine. This tsunami of food was wonderful and the service was impeccable! What an evening! Happy a birthday to me!!