Catalyst, Belly Bar, and Parker's Restaurant

My birthday fell on the same weekend as JO's surprise bar golf outing, due to a nasty winter storm a few weeks earlier.  This was especially funny since JO planned a surprise outing for my birthday.  Not too many people were able to attend since they were going to JO's party the next day but the thought was really nice.

My birthday started with some beautiful flowers!

Then it was off to Catalyst for dinner.  JO had picked out this restaurant and I was very pleased with his choice.  We've been here a few times before for drinks, but we've never eaten here and I'd heard great things about their food.  The buzz didn't disappoint.  Everything was fresh and delicious!  My favorite part of the meal was the French Onion tortellini with short ribs and vegetables.  Yes, you read that right.  Tortellini injected with French Onion soup.  The tortellini burst in your mouth and oozed the most delicious French Onion soup I have ever had.  The vegetables, especially the mushrooms, partnered perfectly with the short ribs that were cooked so perfectly they flaked apart with no effort at all.  The restaurant strikes just the right balance of softened industrial decor and the extremely open space with very tall ceilings leads to a very pleasant dining experience.  

After dinner we headed over to Belly Wine Bar for the surprise portion of the night.  I thought this was a great spot for JO to have picked for people to meet up since I was recently talking about how much I wanted to go back there.  JO had reserved a fondue pot to share and we had fun sampling the different featured wines.  This place is a great little bar with a really knowledgable staff.  I love that the wines can be bought at Central Bottle and the sample size tastings let you sample a variety of wines pretty easily.  We have to go back soon, since they have a s'more plate that you can make yourself and toast on the outside fire.

Because JO is awesome he even treated me to a second birthday outing, this time of my choosing.  I love the Omni Parker Hotel and have been wanting to eat at Parker's Restaurant for a long time now.  When JO asked me where I wanted to celebrate my birthday I couldn't help but pick this place.  It's very rare that we get all dressed up for a dinner out so it made the night even funner.  

The dining room is really grand with ornate wood carving and lots of large paintings.  The service was impeccable.  The food was delicious.  I got the chicken with mashed potatoes and vegetables and it was cooked perfectly.  The preparations aren't fancy but they are classically good.  I felt really special sitting in the dining room having dinner in such a historic building in Boston.  

After dinner we tried to find a place for a quick drink but it was pretty crowded since it was nice out.  We did walk past No 9 Park and tried to find a spot at the bar but it was way to crowded.  I would definitely like to go back and give it another shot in the future.

Both evenings were great successes and perfect ways to celebrate my birthday in the city!