I need to say it again: I love birthdays!! 
Mal’s birthday weekend kicked-off with dinner at Piattini and drinks out on the town with friends.
Piattini is one of my favorite restaurants in Boston, and I always have a great experience when I dine there– delicious food, good wine list, solid service– so, of course, I was psyched when Mal picked it for his birthday dinner last night. š
Piattini offers a nice selection of “small plates,” so Mal and I picked a bunch and shared them. Everything was wonderful, but my absolute favorite dish was the layered eggplant with smoked mozzarella, sundried tomatoes, and truffle cream sauce. Can you say holy yum?! The eggplant is thinly sliced, breaded, perhaps fried, and layered with mozzarella and then baked all together. The sundried tomatoes and creamy truffle sauce are out of this world. It’s always the first thing I recommend to people who go there.
Dinner
Prosciutto e Mozzarella
Mozzarella, prosciutto, fresh basil
Cozze alla Pescatora
Mussels, onions, red pepper, tomato sauce
Melanzane Affumicate
Layered eggplant, smoked mozzarella, sundried tomatoes, truffle cream sauce
Gnocchi
Spinach gnocchi, tomatoes, pesto cream sauce
Yuuuuummmm!
After dinner, we headed to Solas for drinks with friends.
Solas is a wonderful Irish pub in the Lenox Hotel. It has a laid-back vibe and a great selection of beers. It the perfect place to meet up with friends and hang out.
When we arrived, my buddy bought me a Cape Codder to drink. I forgot how much I like these!
We ended up getting a table, so we hung out and chatted while munching on appetizers and drinking some more cocktails.
Jon + Michelle.
Mike + Erin.
M + T.
Jim + Andy.
A few hours later, we headed to the Cactus Club to meet up with some more friends.
I drank a margarita on the rock with salt.
Time to make Mal his birthday pancakes for breakfast!
36 Comments
All that food looks ace!! Good food + a birthday celebration = LOVE!!
Happy birthday to Mal anyway, I’m glad you had fun. Have a great day!
Holy YUM on that dinner. I just had mussels for the first time 2 weeks ago and they are FABULOUS!! Have a great day & Happy Birthday to Mal!! I hope Murphy got him something nice š
Major yum on all those dishes!
I love small plates. Sometimes I get so bored eating just one dish so it’s fun to choose from a few different options. You’re more adventurous that way, too.
I love birthday weekends too! So fun! š
Happy Birthday to Mal! š
Looks like a really fun night! I’ve never been to that restaurant, but Newbury Street very rarely lets me down, so I’ll definitely have to check it out. Happy Birthday to Mal!
That gnocchi looks heavenly! Hope the rest of your weekend is a blast!
What a way to start the Birthday weekend! Piattini looks amazing, I’ll have to keep it in mind. Happy Birthday Mal!
What a fun night! I love pesto cream sauce, my favorite thing to eat ever. YUM
Woohoo..birthday weekend with friends! Happy Birthday to Mal! I hope it is a great one!!! Have fun!
Ohmagaaahhhh the food looks AMAZING. Happy birthday to Mal! He’s so lucky to have you. I hope you all have lots and lots of fun in Mohegan! š
Wei-Wei
Yum, those dishes, and the mussels in particular, look amazing! Happy birthday to Mal!
Those gnocchi seem like a thing of beauty. WOW. What a meal! Hope you guys have an amazing birthday weekend, full of great food and great company of course! š
Those 2 dishes look so good – the eggplant and gnocchi! Amazing!
I’m pretty sure you chose all of my favorite foods… im SOOOO jealous. Im going to need to make that my last meal before i die. Also, does michelle look kind of like Scarlet Johanson? (I have a total girl crush on SJ haha) and those boys look like they brought along a good time to mals bday, haha or at least a few laughs. But the real gem of the night… holy gnocchi, mussels, “prochute”, truffle anything-im in awe.
MA
What a fun night! Birthday weekends are the BEST!
And wow, that eggplant dish sounds amaaaazing!
I used to like cream sauces a lot but now they sort of turn me off. That eggplant dish sorta looks like a creamy version of moussaka
Happy Birthday Mal!!! I love Piattini and will have to get that amazing looking Pesto Gnocchi the next time I am in. Have fun at Mohegan Sun!!!
Happy Birthday to Mal! It looks like you had a great evening. I hope he likes his birthday pancakes!
After reading your review of Piattini awhile back Hunni and I tried it out when we were in the city. It was fabulous!
Solas was my go to bar for YEARS! Typhoon for sushi across the street and then Magners at Solas!
Looks like a great way to start off a birthday weekend!
Happy Birthday to Mal! I’d be all over that gnocci! Yummy!
fun night – look at that bison! happy bday mal!
Small plates are my favorite – you get to try many different items without being overly stuffed! Looks like a fun night, Happy Birthday Mal!!
Hi Tina! Wow–what a great time. I love those food photos.
I am normally a lurker, but I wanted to come out of hiding to say that Mal looks like such a happy and kind person. You can see it in his eyes and smile. You make a great couple.
That eggplant dish look so unbelievable! That place just went to the top of my list of places to try in Boston!
Happy birthday to Mal!!! Hope y’all have a grreat weekend!
Mmmm.. prosciutto. I love it- sometimes I am shocked that I was ever a vegetarian. Happy bday, Mal!
everything look sooo creamy…which means delish. You and your friends are so good looking!
Amazing dinner shots – I found myself almost drooling. And without a doubt, Cactus Club has some of my favorite margaritas in Boston.
God I wish I lived in a big city with such awesome dinner/drink selections! So jealous!!
Glad you had fun. Sorry we missed it – next year š
Happy (early) birthday, Mal!
Awww, looks like such a fun night! š
So I missed you at Piatinni by a day! My friend who I was visiting and I went there on Friday night and ordered two of those same dishes. Totally yum and thanks for the recommendation!
That gnocchi was my birthday lunch. It is the bombbbbbbb! I wish I’d gone to Piattini more while I was still in Boston!
That’s funny, Piattini and the Cactus Club were the two places I ate last time I was in Boston. Both great!