Happy Birthday Kate!!
The car ride home from the beach went by pretty quickly, especially because I got to snack on a new Banana Bread Clif Bar! I liked it a lot, and it had lots of chew.
We got home with exactly enough time to unpack and get dressed for a night out with my girlfriends. We told Kate to be ready at 6pm and picked her up for dinner and drinks at D’Vine Wine Cafe, a new wine bar + restaurant in Ballantyne. It turned out to be the perfect choice!!
The girls all got white flights that came in these cool chandelier holders, and I decided on a half glass of red. I didn’t have much red all weekend because I always drink wine too fast when I am standing up, so I stuck to more slowly sipped cocktails, but I LOVE RED WINE, so tonight I got a delicious Petit Syrah and sipped it throughout dinner. I wanted another, but after a weekend of partying, I half a glass was plenty.
The Earthquake from Lodi –
We decided to choose a bunch of small plates to share for the table, starting with a spinach salad split 5 ways -
And a cheese plate!
- Cotswald Cheddar – England
- Manchego – Spain
- Ivernia – Ireland
Which came with pitas + toast
Followed by a hummus plate with a Red Bean, Edamame and Traditional hummus -
My Round I plates –
Next we had Apple and Fig, Toasted bread and melted brie – d’vine!
Lobster, Crab, and Corn Fritters with warm apple chutney –
Split 5 ways we each got a half. These were so delicious!
Seared Scallops in a Thai coconut sauce
Servings – Kate gave me the lobster claw!
Last but not least, three sliders: Kobe beef, lobster and crab cake, and seared tuna with a bean salad
Which also came with some kettle chips! I had the beef plus a bite of the lobster one, a second scallop half and some beans
What’s a birthday without dessert!? Luckily they had some sharable options – a selection of 3 cheesecakes, which we cut into 4 pieces
And some Kilwin’s chocolates, also portioned for 5
Just a taste of each!
The owner of D’Vine was so nice to us and put the dessert on the house. They have lots of wine tastings and dinners coming up, so we will definitely be back. We were all impressed by the food!
After dinner some were still craving chocolate, so we went to Kilwin’s across the way to oogle at the fudge -
I tried a sample of a butterscotch kind, but was pretty full, so I brought it home for Matt as a surprise on the kitchen table when he comes home at 4a.
I am so fooded out!!! All I want are salads and smoothies. Time for the pendulum (and the pit!?) to swing the other way.
Here’s to the end of a fantastically fun yet very tiring weekend
{ 53 comments… read them below or add one }
“fooded out”—great term! this is yet another example of the squiggly line effect-it all evens out! You have been really getting a lot out of life and you seem to be really enjoying yourself. no reason for that joy to stop-life is short
!
<3 Lee
That wine bar looks fantastic! I love great eating weekends but tend to only want fresh simple foods afterwards. Thank you for all your beautiful, inspiring posts. You truly express my favorite way of enjoying food-everything in moderation.
All the food looks incredible! Sharing is the best way to go. It’s always hard for me decide on one thing, so if people want to share then I don’t feel like I’m missing out on something that could possibly be delicious!
How was the red bean hummus? and the edamame one too? They sound interesting.
Wow! That’s my idea of a great birthday! Hope Kate had a great time!
Dessert looks amazing. Sharing is always so much fun.
Talk about decadent! I’m swooning over every single dish you guys enjoyed! I totally wish I lived in the area so I could visit this place; it sounds fabulous.
And I bet Matt’s going to love the early-morning surprise!
What a fun celebration!
I have made edamame hummus, but red bean hummus??!?! I have red beans in my pantry… I will have to try this one day!!
What a fun night! The food looked great, the wine selections- awesome…I have to agree with you, I’m a red wine girl all the way. Happy birthday to Kate!
I just had that Clif bar the other day too- it was VERY good!! =)
Wow, what awesome eats…I need to try edamame or red bean hummus, they both look amazing.
Whew – what a great weekend for you! That melted brie toast looks soooo good! Have a great night!
That is my kind of restaurant!
I love the banana cliff bar!
Fudge! I adore fudge.
What a fabulous wine bar and mini plates of food you had.
everything looks great, I’m sure your friend had a blast celebrating with you girls!
Wow. That lobster/crab cake slider looks amazing. I’m a sucker for anything crab so I know it would hit the spot. Gibsons in Chicago (where the Gibson cocktail was created for Matt!) makes some great Tilapia sliders. Mmm mmm.
mmm, manchego. such a good cheese. sounds like a great glad you could enjoy it! and happy birthday to kate!
That hummus + those desserts + that chocolate = serious food porn.
OMG! Your entry today made my mouth water like crazy! That restaurant seems like it certainly delivered!
Oh wow, what a blast!
Fun times! Great recap!
Such a fun way to celebrate with the girls! I love how you got to try just a bit of everything. That hummus looks so intriguing! Is it just made of red beans and edamame instead of the chickpeas?
A bit off topic
…
I’d like your opinion on Stonyfield yogurt. Do you buy the plain yogurt in fat free or low fat? Do you have a taste preference? Is either really better than the other nutrition-wise, taste-wise, or cooking-wise? Also, how long do those big containers stay good for?
Hope you have a lovely, relaxing week after such an exhausting (but exciting) weekend!
That looks like such a fun evening!
I feel as though I would have runined it with my gluten intollerance…
Anybody else feel this way when it comes to eating out at fun places with friends? I feel like such a pain in the ass sometimes! haha
those sliders are too cute!
What a classy place! Looks like you guys had a great time – lots of tasty tidbits!
I almost feel sorry for you
If Matt doesn’t want that fudge, you can send it to me…
All those little plates look very good, but the red bean hummus – truly different. Was it sweet or savory? Red bean is very common in Asian desserts in all shapes and forms from soups to spreads to popsicles…but I’ve never seen it in hummus.
hahahaha “fooded-out”! I
OMG, I am totally coveting your hummus trio–it’s so appealing to the eye and the stomach;)
What a great end to a weekend!! It looks like you’ve been having so much fun with friends lately, Kath. Nice to see the good balance!
what a fun night! Love that you had the opportunity to try all those dishes! yumyumyum
How fun!!!
Wow, that place looks “d’vine”!! What were the hummouses (did I spell that right?!) like? The ice-cream scoop presentation was very cool!
Those small plates looked like they filled you guys up! Whenever I go to those types, I’m usually left wanting more…
Wow! Lots of fun!!!
Wow! Looks like you had a really amazing weekend!!
I love all your selections, looks delcious! Diana emailed that you (plus friend) might be joining us this Saturday too, I hope so and can’t wait for a similar tasting night!
Ah, I love Kilwin’s! I have to drive 4 hours to get to the closest one, so when I do, its always a major treat
Love the girls night out, those are the best!
What a fun and food-filled last few days you’ve had! I bet you are ready for some fruits and veggies at this point, but it’s nice to indulge sometimes, too!
That wine bar looks amazing! I love wine bars! I LOVE the way they presented the food!
The cheeses must have been so good with the wine. Great photos! And you can never go wrong with wine. Nothing beats a Girls Night! You have inspired me to start planning one! 
what a fun place! looks like you guys had a great weekend overall.
are you wearing headphones while driving?
i second that question..headphones while driving? not safe!
Thank you so much Kath for giving such a great picture of how to enjoy going out, celebrations with friends, and special events. Your positive and healthy attitude towards food and eating is such an inspiration to me. You really are helping me develop a more healthy attitude towards food and eating.
What a great evening out and such a fabulous idea to share small plates. Everything looks delicious!
Thanks again Kath!
d’vine looks incredible!!
Your whole weekend looks incredible 
Happy Tuesday!
Looks like a great time, Kath!
looks like an amazing meal!
i love manchego cheese… when I studied abroad in Spain, that would be my splurge food, its not cheap but is delish!
That food looks so good! Inspires me to try making different kinds of hummus.
looks like a great birthday!
Heather,
I wrote you back here:
http://www.katheats.com/beachy-air/#comment-73230
Red Bean Hummus,
I have no idea how they made it, but I imagine it was just pureed red/kidney beans with seasonings. It was savory and delicious.
brandi + DC ,
That would be a hands-free phone headset – no music.
RK,
Thanks!
Kath
I love Petit Syrah (or Syrah / Shiraz in general!) because they have such a lovely, jammy, desert-y flavor… Plus, they’re perfect for slowly sipping… looks like a great selection!
Man you have been living the party/foodie life lately! Looks like a fantastic restaurant.
Ooops, I totally wear headphones while driving to listen to podcasts. I always fear people telling me it’s “unsafe,” but gosh, I get so bored otherwise.
ha – I was wondering!
I guess I’ve never seen a head set like that – cool