Swirl: Perfect for a birthday-girl!

Lunch date #58: June 13, 2013

What better way to spend a birthday celebration, than with Mom, some dear friends and a lovely outdoor setting for lunch? We chose this "excursion from Pleasanton" to try Swirl on the Square, 21 South Livermore Ave (in the Blacksmith Square): www.swirlonthesq.com. This wine-bar-by night now serves lunch on Fridays, and is a cool-new fun place to go. After all, we're so trendy!

Location 4 points: Although not P-town, we love downtown Livermore also, and while a bit off the hub/bub of First Street, it is still a good location with plenty of nearby parking.

Ambiance 4 points: It was a lovely day and we sat outside in the courtyard, after pushing together a few tables. The outdoor seating is very casual/no-frills, with  metal tables and chairs, but the shade trees together with the blooming roses, made for a lovely setting. One negative: to use the restroom, you have to fetch a key from a neighboring business.

Menu 3.5 points: A rather short list of sandwiches offered for lunch: 5 sandwiches, 2 of which are grilled-cheese variations, and two salads. We were happy with the choices, however, and all found something interesting to try. Mom ordered "The T-25", a Havarti grilled cheese with prosciutto and grilled onions. I had the "Classic": brie with prosciutto, fig jam and arugula on a baguette. All sandwiches also come with a side salad.

Service 3 points: It's an order-inside-and-they-bring-it-to-you, sort of a deal. Serve yourself water also. That was all fine, but the food delivery was rather slow and not delivered at the same time. It wasn't very crowded, so no reason for the delay that we could see.

Food 4.5 points: Everyone enjoyed their selections. My sandwich was perfect and the salad was crisp and flavorful. Mom liked her choice also-and was happy to take home half for another meal. Around the table, everyone was pleased with a variety of the sandwiches and salads. We had a yummy birthday dessert treat also: the chocolate chip brownie and "Famous Secret Cake" were both worth the calories!

Value 4.5 points: The $8 price for the sandwiches, including the side salad is an excellent value. The bottle of BoaVentura White wine we shared was not very economically priced, I'm afraid.

Overall score for Swirl 3.9 points: I'm thankful for my dear friends, and Mom, to help me celebrate.  The lovely setting, good food, and of course, wonderful company, made for a perfect birthday luncheon!