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.