Spain & The Factory

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

The Factory Gastropub in the Bixby Knolls area of Long Beach, www.thefactorylb.com, had their monthy BYOB dinner tonight. Everyone brought a bottle of Spanish wine to pair with an eight course tapa dinner Approximately 28 people were in attendance with 12 at our table.

We were served hunks a of freshly made focaccia style bread which was very good. Then a plate of thinly sliced Manchego cheese with an olive tapenade. I will have to remember this as easy to make and take when I need a dish for an event.

A plate of extremely fresh mussell's appeared. They without a doubt the best mussell's I have ever tasted. Very tender and full of flavor.

Next up was sliced cucumber with some sort of soft cheese topped with a wedge of boiled egg with smoked pimento.

A smoked salmon mousse on a thinly sliced bread made its appearance. Very tasty.

Coming next was a glass of cold mint & cantaloupe gazpacho. Very refreshing and a good palate cleanser.

A Manchego cheese & basil souffle appeared. This had great flavor also.

Then flank steak rolled around a spinach mixture was served along with a cold lentil salad. Steak was very good. I am not big on lentils but the dish had nice flavor.

Dessert was fresh baked cookies with fruit and a chocolate/cream sauce.

For $25 how can you beat this deal. Good, fresh, tasty food.

I brought a 2009 Muga Tempranillo Rosato which pared very well with most of the dishes. I also brought a 1997 Puelles Gran Reserva Rioja. Interestingly another person at our table brought the same Rioja. We tasted them side by side but my bottle an an aerator plugged into it and his did not. Quite a difference in the same wine when it was opened up by the aerator.

A fun time was had by all. A lot of food consumed and a lot of wine bottles were empty. I wonder how that happened.

Anticipating next months dinner. The theme has not been announced but they are leaning toward Central Coast Rhones.