Saturday Night Dinner at Jackie's

Some good friends were visiting me this weekend and wanted to take me out for a nice dinner to celebrate a certain milestone birthday that I just had.  After considering a number of factors (a celebration-worthy venue, quality food to impress my friends visiting from Philly, etc.), we decided to go to Jackie's in Silver Spring.  After a number of recent chef changes, I wasn't sure how the experience would be, but the new chef at Jackie's didn't disappoint.


We started dinner with a complimentary breadbasket and truffled cheese fries that were cheesy, but classy (fitting in perfectly with the vibe at the restaurant).  Between the three of us, we got the hot pot tuna sashimi, seared lamb rack, and a chargrilled mexican shrimp dish (not listed in the online menu).  Each dish was very different, but they were all very flavorful and satisfying.  The mix of different ethnic cuisines seemed a little scattered to me.  In the end, though, all the dishes were modern interpretations of the international dishes, so I think they all worked.

We were planning to skip dessert because we were stuffed, but the chef herself stopped by our table and talked up the desserts, so we shared the cheesecake with shortcake crust and the banana split.  Both were simple dishes, but that was welcome after some of the more complex flavors of the entrees we had.

Jackie's is not a cheap restaurant option, but the festive atmosphere and good food make it one of the best choices in the area for a special occassion meal.  What's your pick for a special occasion dinner?