A pair of family birthdays in October means fun celebrations
In our family the birthday celebrant picks the place to eat. I’ve sighed over a few selections from teenage kids (and younger), who favored fast food rather than anything more adventuresome. With each birthday, they’ve become more discerning. This year my 11-year-old granddaughter, Harper, selected Vietnamese fare at Mai-Lee. Good choice!
Kwee Tran, old friend and owner of the Richmond Heights restaurant, said he’d hold the large corner table for us on a recent Sunday. I’m glad he did, because the place was packed that afternoon.
Even when crowded, Mai Lee’s kitchen knows how to deliver orders promptly. In no time at all, we were enjoying such delicacies as pho, chicken noodle bun, meatball banh mi, Vietnamese-style green beans and the must-have spring rolls.
A delightful pair of spring rolls, the perfect starter
Banh mi meatball sandwich at Mai Lee, one of my favorites
Designing a bowl of pho with just the right ingredients for your taste.
Fortunately, Vietnamese food sits lightly upon the innards, so there was room for birthday cake, which Lisa had brought along for the occasion.
Another October Birthday
Later in the week, my grandson, Andrew, celebrated his 25th birthday. He chose French cuisine. No argument there, especially when it’s Brasserie in the Central West End.
Andrew (center left) and family gathering for his birthday dinner at Brasserie in the Central West End.
Profiteroles—-the little cream puffs stuffed with ice cream—-are a splendid substitute for birthday cake.
What’s Next?
I’m the next one up to bat in the family birthday roster, but that’s not until late December. I once requested to eat in a restaurants that necessitated a trans-Atlantic trip. No more. Now a meal within a ten-mile radius of St. Louis works fine for me. Happily, there are a number of great restaurants in the area from which to welcome a new year no matter what your age.
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