We have a family tradition of taking my mom out for an adults only birthday dinner prior to her big day. This works well for us because my daughter and she share the same birthday. It's nice to know I can focus fully on my daughter on their birthday, since my mom was already celebrated. I save the special restaurants for occasions like these, and this year we chose Wild Olive.

Opened in 2009 in the heart of Johns Island's farming community, Wild Olive is led by Executive Chef Brad Grozis and General Manager Jason Parrish. The restaurant captures the cultural magic of true Italian dining with simple, seasonal cuisine, house made pasta, and food friendly wines. They source locally whenever possible, transforming Lowcountry ingredients into regional Italian classics. Their commitment to sustainability is just as impressive, composting 1,000 pounds of raw material each week and recycling or composting 85 percent of their waste.

We made a late reservation and were seated at a family style high top table with a foot rest, which made it easy to relax into the evening. My family tends to order enough appetizers to forget what we chose for dinner, and this night was no exception. The fried calamari, served with two distinct sauces, was the best my mom has ever had. We also shared bruschetta before diving into our entrees.

Standouts included the Zozzonna with guanciale and sweet sausage, delicate duck agnolotti with sage and lemon, and a classic chicken parm featuring the largest cutlet I have ever seen. We ended with Peanut Butter Butterscotch Pie and a special Dubai chocolate cake with pistachio ice cream, the perfect sweet finish.

Wild Olive is equally suited for a milestone celebration or a casual date night. It is the kind of place that invites you to linger, laugh loudly, and stay awhile, which is exactly how our family loves to celebrate.