South Park (901 SW Salmon St.)

Birthday celebration on Friday the 20th. South Park. Friends, free dessert and one big fat bill. It was a fun night.

The almond-stuffed dates wrapped in jamon serrano were just as good this time as the time before. Rich ordered oysters and I almost had one, then decided I didn't want to remember my birthday as one where I was fighting my super strong gag reflex at the dinner table and losing to a soft stomach. No oysters for me.

The waitress with an exotic accent (French?) was patient with us as our group trickled in one by one. Twelve all together. My friend Tina's daughter Juniper brought me a homemade paper vase with freshly picked flowers. That doesn't happen very often! Thanks, Juni!

My dinner of pork loin with gnocchietti was slowly enjoyed. The pork was perfectly cooked, moist and with juices still flowing. The sweet fruit compote that topped it was the perfect complement to savory pork and the crispy gnocchietti. For dessert I had Rich Chocolate Brandy Mousse Semi-Sweet Chocolate Served with Pistachio Vacherin with Cherry Yogurt Gelato . It looked amazing and shocker, it tasted amazing. And the waitress overheard that it was my birthday, so my dessert was complimentary. Very nice.

South Park has good atmosphere and amazing food. It's maybe a little expensive for a large group. Some of us left early, and we didn't realize until later when we paid the bill that someone didn't put their money in. Not sure who, but it was probably just an oversight. Awkward! Several of my friends pitched in to cover the diff. Thanks, guys!

The dinner was a great end to a great day. I turned 34! I couldn't drag anyone dancing with me and I was secretly relieved because I was tired. I hope it's not a sign of old age.

**Note: There is a cool article about the chef of South Park, Broc Willis, in the current issue (volume 12) of Portrait of Portland magazine. The article even includes a few recipes from the gourmet restaurant.