I'm four months late writing this.
I should have written this months ago, but with everything placed on the backbencher...… let's just say that I'm glad for the understanding of the birthday dude the same way I'm glad for the fact that this year I could finally get a gift without needing to ponder, plan and consider.
The gift of a watch was presented during the birthday dinner at the Crossroads Café in Marriott Tang Plaza. We've had a few celebrations here over the years ranging from high teas to lunches and dinners. We chose dinner this time.
Particularly because we have our favorites amongst their offerings. The birthday dude loves the freshly shucked oysters, the salmon sashimi and the slices of roast beef. Me, I have my love for their dessert range.
Between us we shared plates of oysters and thick-cut salmon sashimi. The dude had a portion of noodles (the joys of being Chinese), a bit of double boiled soup, a bit of roast duck, a bit of roast chicken, a bit of dim sum, and slices of roast beef with a leg of lamb along with sauces and oils. Why anyone would choose to attempt a slice of roast beef with avocado oil I don't know, but hey, one's palate, one's choice.
Let's just say that much of the dude's dinner was dedicated to the five plates heaped with oysters and two plates of sashimi.
I chose a more varied platter. Let's see, I had a bit of pearl barley, a bit of gnocchi, a bit of steamed fish slices, a small portion of noodles, one crystal dumpling with chives inside, a bit of char kuay teow and a bit of the roast beef which I tried with some sort of jam. There were finger sandwiches that I took for the fun of it, and then I decided on a plate of lettuce salad which I added some cheese, some olives and a liberal smattering of couscous.
Of course thereafter came dessert, which, as cliché as it sounds, with the spread that they have here at Marriott, it is really true that you just have to leave space for.
I had a couple of sponge cakes, a couple of matcha cheesecakes and two scoops of ice cream. The dude decided on chocolate everything- little cups of dark chocolate mousse, a whole plate of cute chocolate fudge cakes and a single scoop of milk chocolate ice cream.
It was a great dinner, really lovely, really fun, really delicious, but the celebrations didn't end there.
Not that the dude expected it, but a few days later, there was more ice cream- one whole block of Viennetta chocolate ice cream with clean cut swirly patterns specially chosen because it was a childhood favorite, and a boxful of cupcakes topped with some sort of sprinkles and rich buttercream.
