The end of October marks the start of birthday time for me, with many of my friends and family celebrating birthdays between October and December. Two of my close friends have birthdays within two days of each other, and that meant delicious dinners and fun times. One of my friends held a birthday dinner at one of Jacksonville’s top restaurants, Cowford Chophouse.

This restaurant lies in the heart of downtown Jacksonville, and when approaching the restaurant, the exterior looks more like a building out of the early 20th century than it does a restaurant, with three floors and grand arched windows. Our group met downstairs and were led to our table on the second floor. The first floor features a bar and waiting area, while the second floor includes the main dining space. Cowford Chophouse also boasts a rooftop bar for sunset views overlooking St. Johns River.

We all ordered drinks first before tucking into an assortment of bread. For a cocktail, I had the Misty Dawn, a gin-based concoction with elderflower liqueur, lime juice and thyme simple syrup, topped with Prosecco and Fleur Charmante liqueur. The cheese bread balls were to die for, and I had to stop myself from filling up on them before my main course.

For dinner I enjoyed the wood-fired salmon. For sides we decided to share a variety and rotate the plates around the table, allowing us to try as much as possible. From whipped potatoes to creamed corn to onion strings to potatoes au gratin, each plate was delicious, hearty and left me feeling stuffed. Of course, a birthday dinner isn’t complete without dessert, so we all then ordered dessert, myself opting for the chocolate ganache cake. I knew from the start I would be taking most of the cake home with me, as I could barely eat any more.

Photo credit for image: © Calvin L. Leake | Dreamstime.com

After an amazing time, just two days later, my other friend had her birthday celebration at another restaurant. She reserved a table at The Refinery, a restaurant and bar at Jacksonville Beach. We sat at a high-top table and decided to select an array of appetizers to share. I split some crispy rice salmon and a pair of Nashville hot fried-chicken sliders with a friend. The crispy rice salmon was all right, but I found there was too much rice and the salmon had little flavor. As someone who loves salmon, I couldn’t really taste the fish at all. The sliders were tasty, but the sauce was too hot for me. I like spicy foods, but this was exceptionally spicy, and I was chugging water nonstop for relief.

After a busy week of birthday dinners, I prepare for more birthday celebrations and dinners in the coming months … .

— Aoife O’Riordan, associate editor