Birthday Lunch

Where to go on my birthday? Better yet, where to bring my mom since she's the one who went through intense labor to bring me into this world. Yes, trying to be altruistic here. I wanted to bring her to someplace special, but not too pricey. Somewhere not traditional, yet not too fusion-ish. Somewhere unique, but not too difficult to travel to. Hey, how about that new restaurant invested by this famous actor? So, I made a reservation at Locanda Verde, a recently opened restaurant in Tribeca, NY.

With an Italian-influenced menu, I was surprised there aren't much vegetarian options and the chef declined to make substitutions. Why no love for vegetarians? :( So I had a salad that only had two ingredients (arugla and fresh black figs), but the figs were really fresh and sweet, which paired well with the bitter rocket greens. Unfortunately, my camera's memory card was corrupted, so I couldn't take any picture, but I found this photo of my salad taken by another eater, but just minus the asiago and specks.

But sometimes, dining out is more than the food because it's always nice to be served and cared for. The staff was attentive (perhaps a bit over-attentive) and the atomsphere was rustic yet inviting. What do you look for when you're dining out (besides the good food)?