My Birthday Dinner

So, March 20th is my birthday and my brother picked the restaurant this year.  In attendance was my father, my mother, my brother, his girlfriend and her daughter Ashley.  We went to a Japanese Hibachi Grill where they cook your food right in front of you.  I've been to one before but never at this place located in Forked River, NJ.  I think it was called Fuji.  The experience is always great depending on the "cook".  This one was excellent and kept laughing at his own jokes LOL  But the funniest parts of the evening was when the cook referred to my mom as "momma-son" and my dad as "pappa-son".  I was just birthday boy.  But then the waitress kept referring to my dad as Grandpa.  We were all cracking up.  Most people would just say sir or ma'am but not the Japanese I guess.  

At the beginning of the dinner Ashely took the waitress its my birthday and I have to wear "the hat".  I had no idea what this meant until it was time.  So the waitress comes out with a japanese style hat (that she placed on my perfectly done hair ) and a GONG and everyone starts singing:

happy birthday to you GONG

happy birthday to you GONG...

you get the point...of course everyone around us was staring but after the GONG birthday song they play a "happy birthday" song over the loud speaker where EVERYONE could hear and stare at me.  Do I love the attention...kind of but still a little embarrassing.  Before is a picture my brother took:

overall it was a great experience and a terrific birthday dinner with my family!
Oh the birthday candle was in a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
thanks for reading!  <3