My Belated Birthday...Foodie Style

My parents just happened to be in France or Spain ( I can't keep track) during my birthday, so our traditional jaunt to a chosen restaurant had to be put on hold.  Since the last two months were quite crazy, we haven't been able to get together until now.  Waiting two months for good food and great company is fine by me!

I was treated to dinner at Andina which is a fine dining Peruvian restaurant in downtown Portland.  They have an extensive gluten free menu to choose from.  We had octopus appetizers with crab and prawn stuffed avocados, with a side of purple potato puree.  Then for our entrees Patrick and I both got scallops in a potato-parsnip puree with a beet reduction that was fabulous.  It's amazing how good seafood tastes when it's prepared correctly.  My dad had duck and my step-mom had the lamb chop.  It was amazing!  Then we ordered dessert.  Patrick got the trio of creme' brulee that included cinnamon, pear and mocha flavors.  My dad got a hazelnut ice cream and my step mom got a goat cheese flan.  I opted for the traditional gluten free torta chocolata.  Very yummy and it even came with a lit candle and a remarkable "felis cumpleanos" drizzled in chocolate.  I am a very lucky girl indeed to have such wonderful parents that have given me the opportunity to learn how to be a foodie from the best teachers.