Thursday, April 30, 2015

Spaghettini's and Cakebread Cellars Wine

Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Dinner tonight at Spaghettini's, www.spaghettinisb.com,  featuring Cakebread Cellars wines from Napa. 5 tables of 8 were set up and about 10 seats were empty. One table was full of wine reps. I think the price had something to do with it. $140 price tag and I feel it was a $110 to $120 dinner.

We started out with a stand up reception. The 2013 Cakebread, Napa Valley, Sauvignon Blanc was served along with passed Hors D'Oeuvres of Braised Pork Belly with Kumquat Jam which was very good and went surprisingly well with the Sau Blanc. We also had King Salmon, Faux Corn Relish with Wasabi Aioli on  crostini.  Ate my fill of both of these.  I usually find the appy's are better than the dinners.

Reception lasted about 30 minutes then we were seated for dinner.  First course was a Pink Lady and Fuji Apple Salad with Fennel, Red Endive, Pea Tendrils, Medjool Dates, Marcona Almonds and a Creamy Montgomery Cheddar Dressing. Good flavor, very light dressing, I would have like a tablespoon more. Apples were good. The pea tendrils I pushed aside. Those damm stems again.  They served this with a 2013 Cakebread, Napa Valley, Chardonnay. Took one whiff of the wine and gave it to my dining companions. Way too much oak Asked for another glass of the Sau Blanc which actually paired well with the salad.

Second course was a Saffron Campanelle, Ox Tail Ragu, Favas, and Eighteen Month White Cheddar.  This dish was full of flavor, very earthy. The pasta was perfect. We all agreed we wish we could have had a very large serving of this dish.  Wine paired was a 2012 Cakebread, Two Creeks Vineyard, Anderson Valley, Pinot Noir.  Was not impressed. Just did not knock my socks off. Thought the finish was weak from mid palate on.

Main course was served. Wagyu Beef Short Ribs, Gold Yukon Puree, Broccoli di Cicco, Spring Peas and Cabernet Veal Glaze with a side of horseradish cream. Short Ribs were outstanding. Fork tender. Veal glaze was extremely good. This was also a big hit at the table. Paired with a 2012 Cakebread, Napa Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon which turned out to have Merlot, Cab Franc and Petite Verdot in it. Why not call it a blend.

Dessert was delicious. Chocholate Ganache with a candied banana slice and a canelle of cream. They poured a 2012 Cakebread, Napa Valley, Merlot. It was a decent pairing but for the richness of the dessert the Merlot should have been bigger. Frankly I would have preferred a big Zin or Syrah with this.

The owners of Cakebread were in attendance. They sat at a different table than all the wine reps. What I found strange is the one wine rep got up and talked about the wine and the owners were never introduced or mentioned. Perhaps they did not want to but I still found it odd.  Nice wines but nothing outstanding. I have seen Cakebread wine dinners listed at numerous restaurants lately . Wonder why they are pushing so hard.

Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Franco's on Tuesday

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Have not been to Franco's in quite some time. www.francositalianrestaurant.com.  Seven of us tonight at a nice big round table. The food here is always good.  CJ arranged for us to be able to order things not on the regular menu. He preordered the calamari and the garlic shrimp along with the macaroons for dessert.

A couple of people ordered the "fish encroute" and they both were very happy. A "12 oz pork chop" on the nightly special was ordered. I did miss seeing what Bob ordered. Maybe the pork chop also. One person ordered the filet with Gorgonzola and two of us had "Steak Diane" which is not on the regular menu. You have to ask for it. My steak was cooked perfectly and the sauce perfect also. We were all very happy with our selections. Most of us ordered the Potato Leek Soup and there were a couple of house salads ordered also.

A mixed selection of wines tonight. Not a Pinot among them. For this group that is a rarity.
Two bubblies were brought. NV Pommery , A Reims-France, Champagne and a NV Domaine J. Lauren, Cremant de Limoux.

A couple of whites, 2014 Halter Ranch, Paso Robles, Grenache Blanc and a 2010 Rusack, Catalina Island, Isla, Chardonnay.

A 2013 Touraine, Val de Loire, Grolleau-Pinot Noir, Rose was excellent with the Potato Leek soup.

Reds consisted of 2008 Stolpman, Santa Ynez, Angeli Sangiovese, 2003 Chateau Maison Neuve, Montange, Saint Emilion, and a 2012 LaMontagne, Bella Collina Vineyards, Paso Robles, Tempranillo.

Also was a 2002 Inskillen, late Harvest Niagara, dessert wine which paired excellent with the macaroons.

My favorites wines of the evening with both of the bubblies, the Rose and the Sangiovese.

A nice evening out with good food, wine and friends. A pleasant break in the work week.

Sunday, April 26, 2015

Brunch at The Arte Cafe

Sunday, April 26, 2015

Wine Country in Signal Hill,  www.TheWineCountry.com, in Signal Hill hosted a brunch today at Arte Cafe, www.artecamellia.com, in Cerritos. It has been several years since this duo got together.

Got there early to secure seating and glad I did. Past years it has been open seating. This time it was assigned tables and most of them outside on the patio in the sun. There were umbrellas but it was not 100% sun free. Because of my medical condition I did get a table for 4 inside. There were several other tables inside also including the Wine Country staff. No dummies they.

They were generous with their pours. I had 3 glasses of the sparkling.

Started off with Eggs Benedict with Country Smoked Ham. Eggs were cooked perfectly and the sauce was good. But needed  seasoning.  This was paired with a 2013 Mas de Daumas Gassac Rose Frizant.

Second course was Crab Cakes with Mixed Baby Greens. Crab cakes were very good. Greens were ok. Again why should I have to cut the damm things. They weren't as big as last night but anything that needed to be cut I left on the plate.  Served with a risotto. Wine poured was a 2013 Moulin de Gassac Picpoul de Pinet. Pleasant wine, not spectacular but paired well with the crab.

Third course served was Sea Bass with Beurre Blanc Sauce. Favorite dish of the day. Sea Bass was cooked to perfection. Brussel sprout leaves that had been seasoned and fried added a nice touch. Wine poured was a 2013 Mas de Daumas, Gassac Blanc. Beautiful wine and a great pairing.

Main course was Short Ribs with Cabernet Sauce. Good flavor, moist and a potato puree rounded out the dish Only red wine of the day - a 2011 Mas de Daumas Gassac Rouge. Had two glasses of this wine. Excellent pairing.

Dessert was a Raspberry Creme Brulee. Apparently they ran out of the larger ramekins because we each got two small ramekins . I could have done with one. I was really full by this time.

A nice Sunday afternoon. Food was good, wine was good and the company was good.

Delius and Talley Wines

Saturday. April 25, 2015

Delius, www.deliusrestaurant.com, hosted a Talley Vineyards wine dinner this evening. Brian Harley from the distributor was in attendance.  Talley is in the Arroyo Grande area of the Edna Valley. They are at the far end of the valley and have a panoramic view sitting high on the hill. They have their estate wines, Talley and their second label, Bishop's Peak. One of their vineyards is the Rincon Vineyard. I like the grapes that come from there and do buy wine from several producers that source from that vineyard.

We started out with a Citrus Watercress Salad, whipped goat cheese, pickled pearl onions and pancetta. Great flavors, the whipped cheese made a really good dressing. BUT why do I have to have stems sticking out of my mouth. When the stems are left on, and I am not a fan of a salad that I have to use a knife on, they becomes like "sticks". There is no way you could eat this salad gracefully. Serve it at home when you can use your fingers to shove the food in your mouth. I cut off the stems of greens when I do a salad and I also keep the pieces of the greens small enough that I don't have to use a knife. Wine poured was a 2013 Bishop's Peak Sauvignon Blanc. A decent pairing but a little off. Salads are a real pain to pair wines with. I would say this was a 85 to 90% compliment.

Second course served was a Sauteed Monkfish, pommes puree and braised greens. Mu favorite dish of the night. I am a big fan of Monkfish, one of the ugliest fishes ever seen. Actually "gruesome" would be a good description. The greens were slightly bitter so I am assuming either, collard greens, kale or dandelion.  The wine was a 2012 Talley Chardonnay. A nice clean, crisp wine and paired nicely with the fish

Third course was a Roasted Quail, mushroom pecan risotto, white asparagus with balsamic reduction. Everything on the plate was very good. Quail is quail but the risotto was different and very good. A 2013 Talley Pinot Noir was poured. Good but  young. Bright cherry, light tannins but paired well with the food.

Main course came out, Grilled Hangar Steak with celery root puree, roasted farm carrots, cippolini onions, peppercorn demi. Steak was cooked perfectly for me, rare. All the items were good. A nice solid dish. Wine poured was a 2013 Bishop's Peak Elevation. Best wine of the evening. A blend of Cab, Cab Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot. I asked about the alcohol level. I said I thought it was between 13.8 and 14%. Turned out to be 13.9%.

Dessert was served. Strawberry Pot de Creme, Basil Ice Cream and Rosemary/Dandelion cookies. The basil ice cream was different and very good, I am not a huge fan of basil but it worked perfectly. You could get a slight taste of lemon from the Pot de Creme. A 2012 Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc was a surprise wine. Brian had some in his cellar and brought it tonight. A good pairing with the dessert. Went especially well with the cookies.

April's Wino Gathering

Sunday, April 19, 2015

Today a few die hard's gathered for our monthly meeting of the wino's. Seems just about everyone was out of town today. Maui, San Antonio, Solvang, Europe.. This was not one of the smallest groups we've had but close to it.

The theme today was Wines from Italy with a request from the host to try and bring some off the wall varietals. I would say that Vitouska, Cesanese and Turbiana are off the wall.  I did pick up another varietal to add to my list. Up to 444 varietals.

So another gathering down and looking forward to next month when everyone is back in town.

Thursday, April 16, 2015

Ritter's

Wednesday. April 16, 2015.

A friend had read about this restaurant and wanted to try it. www.rittersskc.com. Cajun style cooking. Looked it up on Yelp and the reviews were good. But it was downtown Huntington Beach which I avoid as much as possible. Parking is so bad. I did park in the parking structure in the next block but I really find it a pain to hassle parking.

Restaurant was very noisy - no acoustics at all. Mixed crowd of people. Metal chairs that really made a scrapping sound when someone moved on the hard tile floor.

Food was decent. My dish was good. House Pan Roast with Seafood. A tomato cream creole sauce with seafood and rice. Someone order a fried catfish PO'Boy sandwich. Said it was good but it was large and a mess to eat. The other dish ordered was shrimp scampi. Not enough garlic, the butter sauce tasted watery. Shrimp were slightly overcooked.

Maybe this place does better with the Jambalaya, Gumbo and Etouffe. I would try it again if I was in the area  but would not make a special trip.

They do have a very small wine and beer menu which is new to the restaurant. Wines are cheap. I bought a bottle of Riesling for $20. It was passable. Corkage was $20 which is way too high for a place like this with a very poor wine menu.

I can see why this place would become crowded towards the weekend. Younger crowd who does not mind shouting to be heard. Large portions. OK food and a big change from burgers.

Pinot and Swine at Chianina

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

Chianina, www.chianina.com, in Naples decided to start a Tuesday "special". Every Tuesday will feature a wine with a food dish that compliments it. This first week was Pinot with Swine. 25% off any bottle of Pinot and the dish was house made pork sausage with sauteed dandelion greens and mashed potatoes.

There were 3 of us tonight and I did have the "special" dish . The others ordered short ribs and scallops.  My pork sausage was excellent. very moist, not overly saturated with spices and really tasted good. The restaurant considered this dish an appetizer portion but for me it was all I needed. After all they did have those great salted honey and rye rolls. I did taste the short ribs and they also were excellent. Good flavor and extremely tender.

We ordered a bottle of Pinot. First choice was the Walt, Clos Pepe, Pinot Noir which they were out of. The manager recommended the 2013 Lando Russian River Valley, Pinot Noir, www.landowines.com, which turned out to be a good choice. This wine have good structure, complexity and just the amount of forward fruit. After decanting it really opened up.

So an enjoyable evening with friends, good food and good wine.  Looking forward to next Tuesday to see what they come up with.

Sunday, April 12, 2015

Seafood Place on Saturday Night

Saturday, April 11, 2015

16 of us tonight for Margie's April Wine Activity. Two round tables of 8. Had to have the "lazy susan" to access the food and wine. First time we have had name place cards for seating, Worked out well. Because of the singles in the group the seating had to be thought of ahead of time so as not to split the couples up.

Henry did the menu and all the ordering tonight. Best way to handle this dinner since he knows all the ins and outs of the restaurant.

Started out with traditional egg rolls and then shrimp wrapped in seaweed and fried. First time we have had the egg rolls here. Good, light and not greasy. Then a platter of Salt and Pepper Calamari - one of my favorite dishes here. The calamari is sweet and tender and the breading is perfect. I do not order this dish anyplace else because no one does it like the Seafood Palace.

Large platter of Peking Duck arrived.  Always impressive and great flavor. Found Marc chewing on the head. Sweetest meat is on the head.

Bowls of Sour and Spicy soup were next. We have had this soup numerous times and it is always good. This was followed by Walnut Shrimp. Shrimp were good size and fresh. Breading was perfect.

Beef French Style with greens. Meat was tender, very flavorful. 

Scallops with Snowpeas was next. Again the scallops were light, moist and tender. Cooked perfectly.

Fat noodles with vegetables was the last dish before dessert,

Dessert consisted of oranges, followed by Sticky Rice with Lotus Seed Paste and Sticky Rice with Minced Pork and Vegetables.

Wines were a really mixed assortment. Some wines were really not the best for this type of food. But all got drank. Some more than others. Did not taste all of them - 21  wines is  a lot

3 sparklings tonight. 

NV Louis Bouillot, Grande Reserve, Cremant de Bourgone, Brut - a nice wine for a reasonable price

2012 Paringa, Sparkling Shiraz, South Australia - I did not have any of this wine - why I don't know - maybe I just did not have enough glasses - only had 4 on the table

NV Graham Beck, South Africa,  Chardonnay/Pinot Noir Brut Rose - very good wine

2012 Tercero, Camp 4 Vineyard, Santa Ynez, Grenache Blanc - clean, crisp, not overly acidic and paired well with the seafood - others did not seem to  like it as much as I did -  brought home half of the bottle

2014 Matura, New Zealand, Sauvignon Blanc - very, very grassy

2012 Dr. Heidmanns-Bergweiler, Graacher Himmireich, Reisling, Spatlese - did not try this wine, others said it was good

2011 Dumol, Chloe Vineyard, Russian River Valley, Chardonnay - nice chardonnay - clean, nice mouth feel to it - no vanilla, or those other butter type flavors which I do not like

2012 Koehler, Santa Ynez Valley, Quartette, white wine blend - had a small pour - it was not my type of white so nothing good or bad to say

2012 Pozzuoli, Sauvignon Blanc - I did not pour this wine - I have had it before so felt no need with so many wines on the tables

2011 Hart, Temecula, Roussane - did not taste this - I am not a fan of white Rhone wines so why try something I know I don't like

2009 Road, Pisoni Vineyard, Pinot Noir - I liked this wine which is good since I brought it - well balanced, complex yet very clean - perfect age for drinking - bottle was emptied fast

2008 Clos Pepe, Sta. Rita Hills, Pinot Noir - very barn yardy on nose and taste - took awhile to blow off - 08 was not the best year in the Sta. Rita Hills

2008 McKeon Phillips, BPR, Cabernet Sauvignon - did not taste - have some in my cellar

2012 Dumol, Russian River Valley, Pinot Noir - clean, well made wine but needs a few years

2009 Delille Cellars, Red Willow Vineyard, Woodenville, WA, Merlot - very big wine, lots of tannins - would be better with heavier meats

2010 Louis Chaxy, Pinot Noir - another wine I did not taste

2009 Clos Pepe, Sta. Rita Hills, Pinot Noir - one of the better years that the Clos has produced - balanced, just the right amount of fruit showing - had this two nights ago at dinner - good

2010 Chateau Hanteillan, Haut-Medoc - poured a taste then dumped it - I found it to be a "weak" wine - I could not get much out of it - maybe it is way to young yet or maybe just not a good wine for me or maybe it just was "not a good wine"

2006 Anselmann, Trocken Beerenauelese, Ortega, Phalz  -  remembered the bottle when I spied it in my cellar but for some reason it never made my spreadsheet - this was an outstanding dessert wine - rich but not sweet

There were apparently another French red and a Schamsberg Blanc de Blanc that never got written down. Have no idea what the red was as it was kept on the other table and I never saw it and the Schamsberg never got opened.

Friday, April 10, 2015

India Grill on Thursday

Thursday April 9, 2015

Seven of us tonight at the India Grill in Cypress. www.ocindiagrill.com,  Started out with the mixed appetizer plate. Vegetable Pokoras, Somosas, Chicken and Lamb Tikka. Somosas are great. I felt the Vegetable Pokoras were over fried. Needed to pick them up by your fingers to eat. Hard to get a fork into them. Did not try the meats because they have a tendency to be over dry for me. I like meat cooked rare not well done and also we were having meat dishes at dinner. CJ likes very well done meat. He was ordering so that is what we got.

CJ had them make a dish that is not on the menu. Chile Chicken. Great flavor but too spicy for me. Should have been made mild not medium. Screwed my palate up. This dish would be better with beer not wine.

Regular Basmati rice and Vegetable Biryani rice were set down. We also had Garlic Naan and Onion Kulcha which is a Naan bread with onions in the dough. Good flavor and generous amounts.

A sizzling platter of Tibetin Lamb with onions and other vegetables was brought. Had two pieces. Too dry for me but again good flavor.

Bowls of Nirvana Chicken were next. White meat with a mild cashew curry sauce. The sauces are what really makes the dish. Flavors are excellent.

We rounded out dinner with Shrimp Masala and Saag (spinach) with carrots and cauliflower. Both flavorful and good.

A real mixed bag of wine. A couple of bubblies that really hit the spot. A Bailly-Lapiere Cremant de Borgogne, Rose of Pinot Noir. Written down as a 2014 but it was older than that - probably a 2004 because a discussion was made about it being 9 years old. Had a funky nose and taste but that blew off quickly.  We also had a NV Louis Bouillet Rose.  Both wines hit the spot when it came to the spicy food.

The rest of the lineup:

2009 Clos Pepe Estate , Sta. Rita Hills, Pinot Noir - showing very well after it opened up a bit - typical Clos Pepe - well balanced

2007 D'Alfonso-Curran, Sanford and Bendict, Sta. Rita Hills, Pinot Noir - at its optimum now

2010 Saxum,  Paso Robles, Broken Stones, blend - excellent wine but I think it still needs a few years

2012 King Estate, Oregon, Pinot Gris - did not taste this wine - I am not a Pinot Gris fan - Greg made a comment about King Estate being one of his favorites in Oregon

2012 Albrecht, Gewurztraminer -  spicy and a good wine for the Indian food

2012 Flowers, Sonoma Coast, Pinot Noir -  very good wine - showing well, lush, good mouth feel, well balanced, complex - needs a few years to bloom

2013 Orin Swift Cellars, Napa, Red Wine - blend - very big, too young - needs a few years - would be best with heavy meats like lamb shanks or short ribs - not the best choice for Indian food








Sunday, April 5, 2015

Mojito's

Saturday, April 4, 2015

A glut of Meyer lemons prompted Tim and Maria to host a Lemon Mojito party.  Since Meyer lemons are not as acidic they made a delicious Mojito. The rum was infused with mint so it added a nice touch without being overly minty.

Lots a really good food was brought by the guests. Wine flowed. Conversations were good.  Tim and Maria's backyard is so inviting with all the trees, shrubs and plants and water feature. 

It was a beautiful, relaxing day. Weather was perfect. Could not have asked for  nicer people or venue.