Cellar Room at Delius

Thursday, December 11, 2014
Once a year I have the opportunity to dine in the Cellar Room at Delius Restaurant, www.deliusrestaurant.com, for dinner at half price. This is a 10 course dinner that runs $95. I always ask 5 other people to join me, and try to do it around the holidays because of the festive mood.

We started off the a Charcuterie plate that and numerous cheeses, salamis, sausage,  olives,  hummus and olive tapenade. Along with  toasts. A nice start to the meal. All the ingredients were explained by the waiter but who can remember them all. We selected a 2012 Phillipe Rainbault Sancerre. Wine opened up nicely after it warmed up a little bit. Way to cold when first served. We originally ordered a Muscadat but it was not available,

Next was a seared Diver Scallop sitting in a pool of corn pudding. Sweet dish Scallop cooked perfectly.

Third was a salad with roasted beets, watercress, burrata and heirloom tomatoes. Good flavor but I personally can do without watercress - to bitter for me.

After quite a bit of "hassle" we ended up with a 2012 Sharecropper. Willamette Valley, Pinot Noir. recommended by Matt. Frankly it turned out to be the best wine of the evening. Took awhile to open up but it was quite nice. Only 2 Oregon Pinots on the wine list and they were out of both of them. Paul and Margie are big into Oregon Pinot Noir and they were a bit disappointed in the selection.

A farro, mushroom risotto with zucchini and duck confit was served. This was a very good dish but I have had this dish several times recently.

Biggest "bomb" of the evening was next. Calamari in Arribatta sauce. Way too spicy. 3 of is have acid reflux so it just did not sit well. Also it really did not flow with the rest of the meal. Too spicy for the wine and I feel it really screwed up a good meal. It had no place on this menu.

Terry ordered a bottle of 2011 Boucard, Pere and Fils, Gervey Chambertin. I was slightly disappointed in this wine. Most expensive of the evening but it was way to young.

Next dish was a red wine braised beef cheek with Salsify puree and quince . Tender and good flavor. The quince added the right touch.

A palate cleanser of Orange sorbet was served. The oranges are sourced from a tree at the back door of the restaurant. This was excellent. Had a very clean taste.

Main course was Hanger Steak with Gnocchi and broccolini. Good flavor, tender.

A cheese plate was served, again with various cheeses, dried fruits, nuts and grapes.

Dessert was Russian Cream with double ginger cookies. Their Russian cream is similar to Panacotta but much richer. They do not serve this as often as they used to. Which is too bad, Its rich, but light and I would rather have a small dish of this instead of a heavy dessert at the end of a heavy meal.

 I always let my "guests" choose the wine. I stay out of it but next year I may just go in several days early, pick out 3 to 4 bottles and make sure the restaurant has them in stock. That way everything is ready and we are not hassling back and forth over the wine list. Delius had gone to a "pad" instead of a book. It might be easier for them but I find it a real big pain. You can't remember where you were, what you saw or where the hell you saw it. Guess next best thing is to write things down as you see them so you don't forget. It also does not help when the restaurant is out of the wine you selected. Why can't they put a notation on the pad that the item is temporarily unavailable. Sure would save a lot of running back and forth and lot of frustration.

I have been sick most of this week so maybe some of my tastebuds are screwed and I am not in the best of moods. But I was disappointed in the wine and several of the food dishes. Nothing was on the level it should be. I also had a big problem with the table and chairs Way to big for the space . Chairs are huge with high backs. Hard to move, uncomfortable to sit in unless you are tall. So being uncomfortable all evening did not help my mood. I still have a screwed back several days later.

But we did have a good time And a pleasant evening out for the holidays. Maybe next year I will have the dinner a little earlier when the restaurant is not in such a flux of holiuday activity.