Dinners

March 24, 2007

Thursday Evening I traveled down PCH to Newport Beach where I met with friends for a "Flavors of Catalan" dinner at Abbondanza . It was nice to meet up again with Kevin Butler of the Henry Wine Group. He recently got married and honeymooned in Spain - hence the theme for this nights dinner. Kevin and I did a lot of wine dinners at Delius when he had the Long Beach territory. He is a "wine geek" in the truest sense. Extremely knowledgeable on wine and food. Always a pleasure to sit at his table ( he pours well )

The appetizer was "Bacalla Fritters and Greens" - a potato and salt cod fritter with fried Valencian salad (greens, tomatoes and big green olives.) This dish was paired with a Gramona "Gessami" Vina Blanco, 2005 Penedes - a blend of 40% Sau Blanc, 60% Muscat of Alexandria and Muscat Ontonell. Slightly sweet, fruity on the mid palate and a dry finish,

First course was a Duck & Olive Coca - a Spanish style calzone with roasted duck and green olives. I loved the duck and olive combination but I found the "calzone" a little tough. Myabe its supposed to be that way but I had to use a knife to cut it, so I just ate the filling. The wine with this dish was Can Blau Montsant 2005 - a blend of 45% old vine Carignane, 35% old vine Grenacha and 20% Syrah. A good blend, not overly big but it still how a "wow" factor to it.

The main course was one of my favorites - lamb chops with a Romesco sauce (slight spicy but the lamb cut the spice and it was a great taste). Served with veggies and potatoes. The paired wine was Anima Negra "AN2" 2004 Mallorca - a blend of Callet, Sryah and Montenegro. A big wine, dry, full bodied and paired exceptionally well with the food.

Dessert consisted of "Apples Stuffed with Crema Catalan" - baked apples with custard and topped with caramelized sugar. We drank LaFage Muscat De Rivesaltes 2003. I normally do not care for a sweet wine with dessert, I prefer dessert wines with savory, but this wine was not overly sweet and again went well with the dish.

The only fault I found with this dinner was the tough dough on the Calzone and the noise level inside the restaurant. The place is small and it was packed with people. A birthday party in progress didn't help. The more wine they drank, the louder they became. I have eaten at "Abbondanza " before and while the acoustics are not the best you could still talk without yelling. Thursday night as a different ballgame.

Again all the wines, which are very affordable, paired beautifully with the food. The food was not complicated but had such good flavor. Such a pleasure to have a "sensual" experience. It takes a little of the sting out of the "disaster dinner" two weeks ago.

Abbondanza is owned by Patrick & April Derkacz. Chef and "Maid of Everything". Nice young couple who have some talent. They have a"French" wine dinner coming up on April 11. Again Kevin will be pouring that night, so I am thinking about it.