Birthday Dinner at Chianina

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

My friend Joe, whom I have known for over 30 years and I always treat each other for our birthdays. Used to be lunch but out favorite sushi restaurant closed. It was close to my work and convenient. Since Joe is retired we started doing dinner. This year I picked out Chianina in the Naples area of Long Beach. www.chianina.com .  I was there a few months ago for a wine dinner and was anxious to get back. This is not the cheapest restaurant around but the quality is superb. Did not make reservations because it was a Tuesday but I was surprised at how busy it was. Bar was packed for happy hour and quite a few diners in the main area. Everything on the menu is al la carte. So expect a big bill. Valet parking for $4 which is acceptable.

We were served a selection of two rolls. Salted Honey and Rye. Both were excellent. This was accompanied by a dish with regular butter, olive oil and marscapone butter. Then a very small container, almost like a shot glass with a cream cauliflower soup. Again very good.

I ordered the 8 oz petite fillet, ($38 for the steak alone)  cooked medium are. Cooked perfect and the flavor and tenderness were the best I have ever had. Blew 555 East out of the water. I also ordered the russet potato Gnocchi along with cayenne dusted cauliflower. Took home a "doggie bag". Joe ordered the butter poached lobster tail ($47 for the lobster alone) along with the mixed mushrooms and gnocchi.  We split a chocolate lava cake for dessert.

We both had the international red wine flight ($14) Three glasses about 2 oz each maybe a half ounce more, a syrah, a tempranillo and a malbec. I was happy with the selection and the wines were good but I did favor the tempranillo. Better buy than just getting one glass. You do get a bit more ordering this way. They have 5 flights available. 

This place has a beef that comes in at the beginning of the month. Called Chianina. An Italian bee.  It is far more expensive than the Angus prime I had. Would like to try it sometime. But you have to come into the restaurant soon after it arrives otherwise it is gone until the next month. Maybe I will pop in and have dinner alone . It is hard to get people to open their wallets for expensive food. Everyone seems to want high quality, a lot and they want it cheap. That  just doesn't happen. I know Chianina  and Michaels are higher in price but the quality is there and to me that is what counts. If I want to be frugal I will pick out an ethnic restaurant. You usually get more bang for your buck at those places. But for steak I will pay for it. I don't want to waste my palate on mediocre.

So a very nice birthday dinner for my "Diamond Jubilee". Joe's birthday is in May so maybe we will come back to Chianina.