Turning 60 is a milestone for anyone and such an occasion merits a restaurant of high quality, great food and plenty of drinks.
And that is exactly what my family and I got when we ventured out to Prego in Lanark for my dad's birthday dinner.
The Italian restaurant has been a success in the royal burgh since 2002 so much so that a booking is very much advised to ensure your hunger is properly dealt with on a Saturday night.
Upon entering the eatery you could tell everyone was enjoying themselves. Every table was boiling over with laughter which created a warm and friendly atmosphere. The perfect place to celebrate the auld man getting older.
Our waiter arrived and soon our table was drowned by a sea of drinks including beer, wine, water and cocktails. It was a celebration after all.
Looking through the menu there was plenty for everyone, even for my overly fussy family. After butchering the Italian language trying to order our food instead of just pointing at the menu while saying 'that one', our waiter brought out our first course.
For starters I had meatballs that were swimming in a tangy tomato sauce hidden under a layer of cheese that tasted fantastic. Also ordered was goats cheese and marmalade served with bread, mussels and bruschetta with tomato.
Everyone around the table gave the starter a thumbs up which was not needed as I was blinded by the shine off the empty plates that looked as if they had been licked clean.
Another round of drink came and went before our main course arrived. Which was perfect as it gave our sublime starters enough time to go down before the magnificent mains came.
I went for the sirloin steak drenched in peppercorn sauce and to end the argument, the only way to eat a steak is well-done none of this barely cooked nonsense.
My dad went for the more expensive fillet steak, it was his birthday after all, while my mum went for the seafood special. My brother opted for the lasagne and my girlfriend, the chicken in pepper sauce.
The waiter had the difficult task of finding space on the table, cluttered with drinks, jugs and plates, for the sides that accompanied our meals.
Chips, vegetables, potatoes and salad were placed and the mixture of smells floating around the table was enough to make your stomach howl for more food.
The two steaks were cooked to perfection and the sauce, which was enough to dip chips and potatoes into, was creamy and just a little bit spicy.
The lasagne and chicken were also brilliant. I may have 'helped' my brother and girlfriend finish their course and my mum was raving about her fish dish.
The waiter came and tempted us to indulge in a pudding, however, everyone was well and truly stuffed. Prego portion sizes are certainly not stingy.
I have previously been to the restaurant and will always recommend the Prego Sticks for dessert. The (what should be) world famous dough sticks with a choice of sauce, is the best way to end your meal at the Italian.
Prego is no more expensive than most restaurants but the food, atmosphere and staff make it worth every penny.