Yay for you, boo for me.

Happy Birthday Honey!...ok.. maybe i'm a little bit late. Just about a month?

But hey- this was all Shaman's fault- it took him like a year to get me these pictures!

Oh yes, the dear boy is finally 21! I now no longer have an excuse to stay in when my friends all ask me to go out with them- Eric can now come too! woot!

We all know we've been waiting a while for this time to come, I think the only people more excited than me and Eric that he is finally 21 are... the casino managers all over the country. Yes, Eric can now legally come to your establishment and gamble away his inheritance... yay for you. Boo for me.

So how did we celebrate his birthday you ask? At Atlantic City of course!!! (Did you even have to ask?)

From lots of gambling to good food, the whole gang (and by gang I mean Shaman, BJ, Eric and I) had a great time! Risky bets (Shaman), rudeness to the dealers (Shaman), lots of money loss (Bruner) and high limit tables basically sums it up! After it was all over we decided to retire to Bobby Flay Steak.. a steakhouse.. by Bobby Flay (surprise surprise!)

We got a ton of food. The menu had interesting dishes and we all got different entrees and were able to sample each other's steaks.. yum! Included in our assortment of dishes were: New England Clam Chowder, Surf and Turf Skewers, Philadelphia Style Strip Steak, American Kobe Strip, Spicy SouthWest Ribeye, Filet Mignon Lousiana, Cauliflower Goat Cheese Gratin and Wild Mushrooms Mashed Potatoes with White Truffle Oil (oh yes, truffle oil)

Wild Mushrooms Mashed Potatoes with White Truffle Oil

Cauliflower Goat Cheese Gratin




Filet Mignon Lousiana

Spicy SouthWest Ribeye

American Kobe Strip

So I obviously forgot to take a picture of my own steak (whoops)- but it was just too good that I had to dig in!!

Everything was delicious (dammit Bobby Flay! why must you always prove me wrong!) I would say that the flavors of the specialty steaks really made the dishes as I am not a steak expert and really can't decipher how good of a quality a steak is (sadface).

Shaman's Spicy SouthWest Ribeye held most true to Bobby Flay's traditional flavors. The blend of spices give it a kick, the ribeye was juicy and tender and was delcious. BJ's Filet Mignon Louisiana was also delicious. I prefer the flavor of the crawfish sauce in the dish more than the spicy southwest dish (boo, big lips) but I definitely prefer the ribeye over the filet mignon! (I love fat, what can I say).

My entree was also great (and very large). A large strip steak smothered with a creamy, smooth cheese sauce- the classy philly cheesesteak, I would say, had the best sauce out of all three! Eric of course had to get the Kobe Strip Steak (since, I was paying, of course). Never having tried kobe beef, i didn't know what to expect. When Eric was kind enough to give me a bite, I was surprised by how tender the meat was and how the steak didn't even need any sauce- it was perfect on it's own!- and that's how it's served!

The side dishes were also delicious. BJ and Shaman, having been there before, were raving about the cauliflower gratin. They placed two orders. I, however, was more excited about the mashed potatoes with the truffle oil!.. good thing both ended up being delcious! The thick, creamy goat cheese binding the softly broiled cauliflower was amazing and provided a burst of cheesy flavor while the mashed potatoes were a bit more subtle with chunks of wild mushrooms in every bite, blended with the earthy truffle oil... mMmmm. I'm hungry.

We also got some clam chowder and surf and turf skewers to start- just so we could get some more food in! The Clam Chowder was amazing. With abundant amounts of thick bacon, the chowder was thick and creamy filled with the aroma of bacon (and who doesn't love bacon!). The skewers were also good- although I would have to say they were not the star for the night..

Well I have to say, Bobby Flay Steak was a great birthday dinner. The service was wonderful and the portions were huge!

If you're not a steak eater, don't you worry- they also have huge ass lobsters. Seriously bigger than my head...

If you're looking for some good steaks with some interesting twists, try out one of Bobby's specialty steaks- you won't go wrong with whatever you choose!

Comparing to SeaBlue (the seafood restaurant by Michael Mina) next door, I would have to say I would return to Bobby Flay Steak in a heart beat. And to think about it- I'm definitely returning for Father's Day!

At the end of the day, we had a great time with our great food and.. of course, great company.

Food: A

Service: A

Ambiance: A

Price: $$$$