Last week I had my 35th birthday. With most of our birthday celebrations we call our friends together to poke fun at the birthday recipient and enjoy good food and wine. Every year we go back and forth on where we will dine. This year I picked JR's Steakhouse in Colleyville.
JR's Steakhouse is one of the newer (within the last 2 years) restaurants in the area specializing in steaks. It's located off Highway 121 in Colleyville. The bar and dining room have two different atmospheres. The bar is festive and energetic with a higher percentage of single dinners than most steakhouses in the metroplex. Of all the restaurant bars in the city this is one of my favorites. The dining room has a plain decor and lacks your typical boardroom and dark mahogany feeling. Certainly something different from your run-of-the-mill higher end steakhouse.

We sat down after an hour or so at the bar to a semi-private room. Our waiter Chris was prompt to get refills on any bar drinks and deliver the wine menu. The wine list is extensive but lacks unique bottles that jump off the page. There is a modest selection of California varietals to French Bordeaux. Many of the selections are reasonable in price for a high-end steakhouse. One selection was a bottle of 2004 Ridge Lytton Springs Zinfandel. This is a good wine that shows itself as the evening passes. This wine has a nice separation of sweet fruit and oak and is a good selection when you’re unsure of everyone's palate.

After the wine was settled we ordered a sampler of appetizers that included poached shrimp, calamari, filet of beef over polenta, crab cakes and bacon-wrapped lobster. The shrimp were large and perfectly cooked however the accoutrement of shrimp cocktail is less than desirable. The calamari was a table favorite but misses my mark. The skewered beef over polenta has a touch of blue cheese that adds a great balance to the sweet polenta. The crab cakes and bacon-wrapped lobster are musts for every visit.

After a round of lobster bisque that is pretty hard to beat and the Avocado Caesar we headed for the main action. STEAKS, STEAKS and more STEAKS.

9 out of the 12 in our party ordered beef (it's what's for dinner). The others ordered salmon with herbed mashed potatoes with an outstanding butter sauce with a hint of horseradish. If you're not in the mood for steak try the salmon.

The thing that is very unique about JR's steaks is the Jalapeno Hollandaise and mashed potatoes. Every steak coming from the kitchen receives a moderate portion of mashed potatoes topped with Jalapeno Hollandaise. It's a sweet and spicy rendition to your typical steak with a 1/2 lb of butter. Don't get me wrong I love a good steak with a ton of hot butter just like the next guy but JR's breaks that taste with a Texas kick. JR's has everything from the ever lean and tender filet to the full-of-flavor ribeye. I prefer the bone-in cowboy ribeye over the standard cut. Like the waiter always sells, it usually has a better flavor having the bone intact. I encourage you to give JR's a try maybe for your next birthday celebration.

At the end of the day it was a great birthday with dear friends! What more can a drop-out chef ask?

Remember to submit your birthday dinner recommendations for our upcoming February celebration. I look forward in responding to your recommendation.