Last night, we celebrated Eric’s upcoming milestone birthday in style. When I asked him to pick a restaurant, he selflessly chose Rose’s Luxury, knowing it would check “eat at a Michelin-starred restaurant” off my personal bucket list.

Securing a reservation only a week out is no small feat, but I managed to score an 8:30 PM slot for Saturday night. While we aren’t usually “late-night dinner people,” we knew this would be worth the detour from our routine (and nothing a little Pepcid couldn’t handle!).

The “Champagne Problem”

The restaurant was buzzing when we arrived. Though we checked in just before 8:30, we weren’t seated until 9:00 PM. Just as we were bracing for a very late night, a manager came over to apologize. Knowing we were celebrating a big birthday, he offered us champagne while we waited. Eric immediately recalled an episode of The Bear where a character dismissed overbooking as a “champagne problem.” It certainly made the wait feel like part of the celebration.

Choose Your Own Adventure

Once seated, our server walked us through the “choose your own adventure” menu. Eric ordered a custom, less-sweet cocktail, while I stuck with my champagne.

We started with the Pull-Apart Milk Bread served with miso honey butter and roasted garlic. It was incredible. As someone who is usually a picky eater with a few “food-mixing” aversions, I decided to throw caution to the wind and try everything.

The Highlights

• The Small Bites: We shared the Bloomin’ Green Tomato (a clever twist on an Outback classic) and the Pork and Lychee Salad. As a “fruit purist” who usually thinks fruit should stay in its own lane, I was shocked—the salad was amazing, with just the right hint of spice.
• The Pasta: Eric chose the Tteokbokki Pomodoro, a brilliant fusion of Korean street food and Italian flair. I went with the Pasta en Papillote, a white lasagna with butternut squash and brie that was savory and rich.
• The Main Event: For our shared main, we had the Miso Glazed Sea Bass (A La Chefs Nobu and Robuchon). Served on a bed of potato with bok choy and wasabi, we both agreed it was the best sea bass we’ve ever had.
• The “Adult Happy Meal”: We couldn’t resist. It featured a Wagyu beef smash burger in béchamel with truffle fries. It was decadent and delicious, though we definitely had to box up half!

A Sweet Finish

We ended the night with Cornbread Fried Ice Cream featuring buttermilk pie bits. The staff also brought out a special “Chess Pecan Pie” with a candle for Eric’s birthday—which he was lucky enough to enjoy again for breakfast this morning! To top it off, they sent us home with two mini Orange Blossom Bundt Cakes made by the chef’s mom.

The Final Verdict

By the time we finally pulled into the driveway at 11:45 PM, we were exhausted but completely satisfied. We may not be the late-night diners we used to be, but for a meal this spectacular, we’d stay up past our bedtime any day.

It was the perfect way to kick off a milestone year for Eric. Michelin star: checked. Best sea bass ever: consumed. Happy birthday to my favorite selfless guy—thanks for letting me “choose my own adventure” for your big day!