Sunday. June 28, 2015
Hot, humid day. Seems the weather was similar to last years when the same people hosted last year. I do not do well in heat and humidity. It drains me and gives me a headache. So that is how my day went. This locale was 10 degrees warmer than my house. I suppose I could have stayed inside the house with the A/C running but that would have been anti-social. But in retrospect I was "anti-social" anyway.
Today's theme was South American Wine. 7 whites and 15 reds were on the table along with a cooler of beer. I tasted 4 of the whites and 2 of the reds. That is all I could muster in the heat. So I have no idea what was good and what wasn't. There were some interesting wines listed.
When dinner was served I opted for a beer. It did taste better but I doubt if it helped me cool down.
The host had a feast board set up with Chile Rellenos, Beef Enchiladas, Chicken Enchiladas, Rice, Beans etc., Three great desserts rounded out the meal.
When I left to go home the temperature was 84 degrees. It dropped to 80 about 3 miles away and when I reached my house it was down to 73 degrees. Still humid by bearable.Temperature dropped to 67 degrees later that night.
Monday, June 29, 2015
Hanging in The Harbour
Saturday, June 27, 2015
The weather was very nice tonight. Cool but no breeze to chill you. Ten of us hanging out at Donna's in the Harbour. 8 people went out on the "Duffy" (electric boat) earlier but I opted out. Sam and I spent the time drinking wine and Margaritas before the crowd came back.
Had a nice dinner of Carne Asada with chile rellenos, Had some problem eating the meat because of my still swollen mandible muscle. Managed to tear the meat in small pieces to eat. That did help.
Ended the evening with a couple of rounds of LRC (dice game) Two pots of $40 each were won by a couple of the guys.
I took a 2008 Rusack Pinot Noir and a 2012 Sinor-LaValle Chardonnay. There was another red wine brought,. tasted it but was not impressed. These are not "wine people". Almost everyone opted for Margaritas all night.
The weather was very nice tonight. Cool but no breeze to chill you. Ten of us hanging out at Donna's in the Harbour. 8 people went out on the "Duffy" (electric boat) earlier but I opted out. Sam and I spent the time drinking wine and Margaritas before the crowd came back.
Had a nice dinner of Carne Asada with chile rellenos, Had some problem eating the meat because of my still swollen mandible muscle. Managed to tear the meat in small pieces to eat. That did help.
Ended the evening with a couple of rounds of LRC (dice game) Two pots of $40 each were won by a couple of the guys.
I took a 2008 Rusack Pinot Noir and a 2012 Sinor-LaValle Chardonnay. There was another red wine brought,. tasted it but was not impressed. These are not "wine people". Almost everyone opted for Margaritas all night.
Saturday, June 27, 2015
Bubbles & Shells at Chianina
Thursday, June 25, 2015
5 of us met at Chianina , www.chianina.com, tonight for their Thursday night Bubbles and Shells. Half price for 3 different sparkings, Champagne, Rose Cava and Proseco. $1.50 each for 3 types of oysters or baked Little Neck clams. The clams are not a good buy. Very small and not worth $1.50 each. Maybe .50 cents each.
Tonight's selection was Chefs Creek from Bay Sound, Canada, Sunset Beach from Hood Canal, Washington and Malpeque from Prince Edward Island. The Chefs Creek I had not had before. They were large and had a nice salinity to them.
I followed up my 9 oysters with an order of Baked Marrow Bone. Serve with toast points to soak up the richness of the marrow.
As always we were served the Rye rolls and the Salted Honey rolls with two butters and an olive oil. Had one of each.
There are 311 species of oysters and I would think you could get all species without a problem. But apparently, no. I woke up Friday morning with a swollen mandible muscle. Could hardly eat breakfast. After being at work for an hour I noticed my tongue had swollen and was affecting my speech. I left work and went my internist who said I was having an allergic reaction and gave me a shot of cortisone. My the late afternoon some relief came but I still could not chew anything without a tremendous amount of pain. Waking up on Saturday morning there was more relief but still not 100%. Maybe 55%. We will see what the day brings.
Since the Chefs Creek oyster was the only one I had not had before I will put the blame on it. I do realize that your body changes and you can have an allergic reaction to any food you have eaten before. I am not sure if I want to experiment too much on trying the Chefs Creek again to see if it was the 100% culprit. But I will remember the name and not order it again. Which is too bad because I did like the flavor.
5 of us met at Chianina , www.chianina.com, tonight for their Thursday night Bubbles and Shells. Half price for 3 different sparkings, Champagne, Rose Cava and Proseco. $1.50 each for 3 types of oysters or baked Little Neck clams. The clams are not a good buy. Very small and not worth $1.50 each. Maybe .50 cents each.
Tonight's selection was Chefs Creek from Bay Sound, Canada, Sunset Beach from Hood Canal, Washington and Malpeque from Prince Edward Island. The Chefs Creek I had not had before. They were large and had a nice salinity to them.
I followed up my 9 oysters with an order of Baked Marrow Bone. Serve with toast points to soak up the richness of the marrow.
As always we were served the Rye rolls and the Salted Honey rolls with two butters and an olive oil. Had one of each.
There are 311 species of oysters and I would think you could get all species without a problem. But apparently, no. I woke up Friday morning with a swollen mandible muscle. Could hardly eat breakfast. After being at work for an hour I noticed my tongue had swollen and was affecting my speech. I left work and went my internist who said I was having an allergic reaction and gave me a shot of cortisone. My the late afternoon some relief came but I still could not chew anything without a tremendous amount of pain. Waking up on Saturday morning there was more relief but still not 100%. Maybe 55%. We will see what the day brings.
Since the Chefs Creek oyster was the only one I had not had before I will put the blame on it. I do realize that your body changes and you can have an allergic reaction to any food you have eaten before. I am not sure if I want to experiment too much on trying the Chefs Creek again to see if it was the 100% culprit. But I will remember the name and not order it again. Which is too bad because I did like the flavor.
Sunday, June 21, 2015
Solstice Dinner On The Savanna
Saturday, June 20, 2015
Safaried down the trail to the Savanna to partake of dinner in the wild. Surrounded by vegetation, cheetahs, lions, monkeys, gorillas and flamingos. The sounds of the savanna filtering into our outdoor dining area. Ten of us gathered for dinner. Safari hats were a must to protect us from the flocks of flamingos flying overhead
Every dinner must start with Champagne. Started out with a Graham Beck Rose Brut, then on to a 2010 Schramsberg, Blanc de Noir, Brut.
A ramekin of pureed mango with cardamon and ginger topped with raspberries and blueberries was set before us by the porters, Tasty little dish. Then onto a plate filled with delectable little bites. Wasabi Crusted Seared Ahi, Chicken Tikka Samosas with Curry, Cedar Smoked Shrimp with Chimichurri Sauce, Southwestern Scallops, Brie and Walnut Cups, Cheeses, Honey Dijon Kettle Chips and Crackers,
Two more Champagne's were poured 2008 Millesime Louis Brison Brut and a 1995 LP Grand Siecle.
A bottle of 2013 Francois Chidaine, Touraine, Savignon Blanc was next. To have something in our glass while the main course was being prepared by the trusty cooks.
Main course was grilled Copper River Salmon, flown in from the States, Honey Mustard Sauce, Terikai Sauce or a Pinot reduction. I prefer mine plain so as to take away from the delicate flavor of the fish. Served with Butternut Squash Risotto, Roasted Garlic Couscous, Roasted Potatoes and Normandy Vegetables.
We has 3 magnums of wine to start with. 2000 Williams Selyem, Wier Vineyard, Vista Verde Pinot Noir, a 2005 Clos Pepe Estate, Sta. Rita Hills, Pinot Noir and a 2002 Williams Selyem. Yorkville Highlands, Pinot Noir.
Next we had a 2013 Williams Selyem, Sonoma Coast, Pinot Noir, 2013 Burn Cottage, Central Otago, New Zealand, Pinot Noir, 2007 AP Vin, Santa Lucia Highlands, Garys Vineyard, Pinot Noir and a 2007 Clendenen Family Vineyard, Au Bon Climat, Pinot Noir.
Dessert consisted of a plate with Goose Pate, Chicken Pate, Lobster Pate and Mousse Truffle Pate, Gorgonzola, Bucheron, Epoisses Berthaut Cheese, Fresh Fig, Apple and Pear
The last wine of the evening was a 1976 Romer de Heyot Sauterne.
All the wines were excellent. A good contrast in Pinots, Sta. Rita Hills, Santa Lucia Highlands, Sonoma, Santa Maria and New Zealand. My favorite wine was the Clendenen Family Pinot along with the Sauterne.
We welcomed in the Summer Solstice with fireworks at midnight.
Safaried down the trail to the Savanna to partake of dinner in the wild. Surrounded by vegetation, cheetahs, lions, monkeys, gorillas and flamingos. The sounds of the savanna filtering into our outdoor dining area. Ten of us gathered for dinner. Safari hats were a must to protect us from the flocks of flamingos flying overhead
Every dinner must start with Champagne. Started out with a Graham Beck Rose Brut, then on to a 2010 Schramsberg, Blanc de Noir, Brut.
A ramekin of pureed mango with cardamon and ginger topped with raspberries and blueberries was set before us by the porters, Tasty little dish. Then onto a plate filled with delectable little bites. Wasabi Crusted Seared Ahi, Chicken Tikka Samosas with Curry, Cedar Smoked Shrimp with Chimichurri Sauce, Southwestern Scallops, Brie and Walnut Cups, Cheeses, Honey Dijon Kettle Chips and Crackers,
Two more Champagne's were poured 2008 Millesime Louis Brison Brut and a 1995 LP Grand Siecle.
A bottle of 2013 Francois Chidaine, Touraine, Savignon Blanc was next. To have something in our glass while the main course was being prepared by the trusty cooks.
Main course was grilled Copper River Salmon, flown in from the States, Honey Mustard Sauce, Terikai Sauce or a Pinot reduction. I prefer mine plain so as to take away from the delicate flavor of the fish. Served with Butternut Squash Risotto, Roasted Garlic Couscous, Roasted Potatoes and Normandy Vegetables.
We has 3 magnums of wine to start with. 2000 Williams Selyem, Wier Vineyard, Vista Verde Pinot Noir, a 2005 Clos Pepe Estate, Sta. Rita Hills, Pinot Noir and a 2002 Williams Selyem. Yorkville Highlands, Pinot Noir.
Next we had a 2013 Williams Selyem, Sonoma Coast, Pinot Noir, 2013 Burn Cottage, Central Otago, New Zealand, Pinot Noir, 2007 AP Vin, Santa Lucia Highlands, Garys Vineyard, Pinot Noir and a 2007 Clendenen Family Vineyard, Au Bon Climat, Pinot Noir.
Dessert consisted of a plate with Goose Pate, Chicken Pate, Lobster Pate and Mousse Truffle Pate, Gorgonzola, Bucheron, Epoisses Berthaut Cheese, Fresh Fig, Apple and Pear
The last wine of the evening was a 1976 Romer de Heyot Sauterne.
All the wines were excellent. A good contrast in Pinots, Sta. Rita Hills, Santa Lucia Highlands, Sonoma, Santa Maria and New Zealand. My favorite wine was the Clendenen Family Pinot along with the Sauterne.
We welcomed in the Summer Solstice with fireworks at midnight.
Friday, June 19, 2015
Playing at the Playground with Larry
Thursday, June 18, 2015
Bellied up to the bar tonight for dinner at the 2.0 dining area of the Playground restaurant in Santa Ana, www.playgrounddtsa.com. A long curved bar that seats 18 people and you watch all the food being cooked and plated in front of you. This is the area where the Playground does their wine dinners. The "regular" restaurant faces 4th Street. No corkage as long as you share a glass of your wine with your waiter in that area. A big selection of craft beers and good food.
Larry Shaffer from Tercero Wines, wwwtercerowines.com , was the winemaker tonight. Have bought Tercero wines for several years now and have not been disappointed.
Started out with Terecero 2014 Rose of Mouvedre. Glass were kept full of wine. No shortage of wine here. Two dishes were set as appetizers. A Charred Satsuki Rice Handroll, Dunganesse Crab, Yuzu Koshu, Strawberries, and Scallions. This was to die for. I could have ate a lot more of these handrolls. So good. Next was a "Napoleon". Thin slices of Scallop ( fresh and opened in front of us) stacked with thin slices of Mango and Jicama and topped with Cilantro Oil, Red Fresno Chile and Radish Sprouts. and very thin sliced Jalapeno's. Another outstanding dish
Larry brought down two loaves of his freshly made bread. One was made with Guinness and the other with Red Chili flakes. These were served withe freshly made (only a few hours ago) cultured butter. I really liked the bread made with the Guinness beer.
First Course: A salad made with Peaches, (three ways) grilled, pickled and diced. Argula, Bentons Ham and Cornbread Crumble. The vinaigrette was made with the pickled peach juice. I really liked the cornbread crumble. Gave a nice texture. Another very good dish. Paired with Tercero 2014 Albarino C5 Vineyard. This wine sees 2/3 stainless and 1/3 neutral oak. A perfect pairing.
Second Course: Blue Fin Tuna Larb, Apple, Ginger, Lime Juice , Shallots, Puff Rice in Shrimp Spice and Gem Lettuce Leaves. The idea was to put the mixture on the lettuce leaves and slightly roll the leaf. I just ate the ingredients with a spoon. If you got into the juice there was a real bite to it. Too much for me. Great flavors and if you are a "heat" fan this was the dish for you. A 2014 Tercero "The Outlier" was the wine served. The Outlier is a dry Geuwurztraminer. This wine cries for Thai food. Again another perfect pairing.
Third Course: Buttermilk Poached Pork Tenderloin, Pickled Cherry Polenta, Asparagus in Pork Fat, Lemon and Fresh Chopped Hazelnuts. This was my least favorite dish. I felt that the pork was slightly overcooked. The medallions were very thin so it doesn't take much to overcook them. The asparagus was very thin and I think the pork fat overwhelmed them. It also had a "smokey" flavor that did not do anything for the dish. The polenta was good but I would have preferred that the cherries were lost someplace. They added nothing to the polenta. The crushed hazelnuts added a good crunch. The wine poured was a 2011 Tercero Mouvedre. Wine was good and a decent pairing.
Main Course: Top Sirloin, Red Beet and Beef Jus, Corn and Huitlacoche ( fungus) Risotto sauteed Pea Tendrils and Slow Roasted Pearl Onions. The beet jus was really good. Had great flavor and looked nice painted on the plate. Meat was tender and cooked perfectly. The whole dish was a good combination. Paired with a 2010 Tercero, Larner Vineyard Grenache and a 2010 Tercero, Watch Hill Vineyard. Grenache. I did prefer the Watch Hill tonight, altho I had a 2009 Larner a few days ago and it was perfect.
After the main course we were served "Adult Sour Patch Kids". Cobbler de Montenegro, Trinidad Especial and Negroni. About a 1 inch square rolled in sugar.
Dessert was a Olive Oil Cake, Marinated Blueberries, , Frozen Raspberries, Lechee Sorbet and Shisho. Portions were small which was good because after all the food you had no room. Frankly I would rather had just the Sorbet. A 2012 Tercero, Late Harvest Viognier was paired with dessert. A light wine that was not overly sweet.
This was a very large dinner. I could have stopped after the appetizers and bread. If you are a big eater then this is for you. Food was great and also the wines. The "show" that is put on by the chef "Jason" is amazing. It is really interesting to see how they assemble and plate the dishes. Everything is precise. There is never any substitutions allowed. You do not know the menu until the food is served. Something you don't like then you don't eat it and just wait until the next dish is served. If this is not your cup of tea don't make reservations for the 2.0 room. Eat in the "regular" restaurant and order off the menu. The Playground is busy all the time. Has a good reputation for food and reservations are recommended. They do have an outdoor seating area for overflow but that seems to be full all the time also
Bellied up to the bar tonight for dinner at the 2.0 dining area of the Playground restaurant in Santa Ana, www.playgrounddtsa.com. A long curved bar that seats 18 people and you watch all the food being cooked and plated in front of you. This is the area where the Playground does their wine dinners. The "regular" restaurant faces 4th Street. No corkage as long as you share a glass of your wine with your waiter in that area. A big selection of craft beers and good food.
Larry Shaffer from Tercero Wines, wwwtercerowines.com , was the winemaker tonight. Have bought Tercero wines for several years now and have not been disappointed.
Started out with Terecero 2014 Rose of Mouvedre. Glass were kept full of wine. No shortage of wine here. Two dishes were set as appetizers. A Charred Satsuki Rice Handroll, Dunganesse Crab, Yuzu Koshu, Strawberries, and Scallions. This was to die for. I could have ate a lot more of these handrolls. So good. Next was a "Napoleon". Thin slices of Scallop ( fresh and opened in front of us) stacked with thin slices of Mango and Jicama and topped with Cilantro Oil, Red Fresno Chile and Radish Sprouts. and very thin sliced Jalapeno's. Another outstanding dish
Larry brought down two loaves of his freshly made bread. One was made with Guinness and the other with Red Chili flakes. These were served withe freshly made (only a few hours ago) cultured butter. I really liked the bread made with the Guinness beer.
First Course: A salad made with Peaches, (three ways) grilled, pickled and diced. Argula, Bentons Ham and Cornbread Crumble. The vinaigrette was made with the pickled peach juice. I really liked the cornbread crumble. Gave a nice texture. Another very good dish. Paired with Tercero 2014 Albarino C5 Vineyard. This wine sees 2/3 stainless and 1/3 neutral oak. A perfect pairing.
Second Course: Blue Fin Tuna Larb, Apple, Ginger, Lime Juice , Shallots, Puff Rice in Shrimp Spice and Gem Lettuce Leaves. The idea was to put the mixture on the lettuce leaves and slightly roll the leaf. I just ate the ingredients with a spoon. If you got into the juice there was a real bite to it. Too much for me. Great flavors and if you are a "heat" fan this was the dish for you. A 2014 Tercero "The Outlier" was the wine served. The Outlier is a dry Geuwurztraminer. This wine cries for Thai food. Again another perfect pairing.
Third Course: Buttermilk Poached Pork Tenderloin, Pickled Cherry Polenta, Asparagus in Pork Fat, Lemon and Fresh Chopped Hazelnuts. This was my least favorite dish. I felt that the pork was slightly overcooked. The medallions were very thin so it doesn't take much to overcook them. The asparagus was very thin and I think the pork fat overwhelmed them. It also had a "smokey" flavor that did not do anything for the dish. The polenta was good but I would have preferred that the cherries were lost someplace. They added nothing to the polenta. The crushed hazelnuts added a good crunch. The wine poured was a 2011 Tercero Mouvedre. Wine was good and a decent pairing.
Main Course: Top Sirloin, Red Beet and Beef Jus, Corn and Huitlacoche ( fungus) Risotto sauteed Pea Tendrils and Slow Roasted Pearl Onions. The beet jus was really good. Had great flavor and looked nice painted on the plate. Meat was tender and cooked perfectly. The whole dish was a good combination. Paired with a 2010 Tercero, Larner Vineyard Grenache and a 2010 Tercero, Watch Hill Vineyard. Grenache. I did prefer the Watch Hill tonight, altho I had a 2009 Larner a few days ago and it was perfect.
After the main course we were served "Adult Sour Patch Kids". Cobbler de Montenegro, Trinidad Especial and Negroni. About a 1 inch square rolled in sugar.
Dessert was a Olive Oil Cake, Marinated Blueberries, , Frozen Raspberries, Lechee Sorbet and Shisho. Portions were small which was good because after all the food you had no room. Frankly I would rather had just the Sorbet. A 2012 Tercero, Late Harvest Viognier was paired with dessert. A light wine that was not overly sweet.
This was a very large dinner. I could have stopped after the appetizers and bread. If you are a big eater then this is for you. Food was great and also the wines. The "show" that is put on by the chef "Jason" is amazing. It is really interesting to see how they assemble and plate the dishes. Everything is precise. There is never any substitutions allowed. You do not know the menu until the food is served. Something you don't like then you don't eat it and just wait until the next dish is served. If this is not your cup of tea don't make reservations for the 2.0 room. Eat in the "regular" restaurant and order off the menu. The Playground is busy all the time. Has a good reputation for food and reservations are recommended. They do have an outdoor seating area for overflow but that seems to be full all the time also
Friday, June 12, 2015
Ruth's Chris Anniversary Dinner
Thursday, June 11, 2015
Met Paul and Margie at Ruth's Chris for the restaurants 50th Anniversary dinner. During the presentation before dinner we found out how the restaurant got its name and some history of Ruth and her friendship with the Mondavi family. This was a Prix Fixe dinner with open seating. We were seating with a young female named Phoebe that was with Constellation Brands. They handled all the wines and alcohol that was served tonight. All the food dishes served tonight are the favorites of the owner Ruth Ann Udstad who passed away a few years ago.
As we were ushered into the room they set aside for private parties we were handed a "cocktail". Basically an Old Fashioned made with Casa Noble Anejo Tequila. Nice flavor but since these drinks were all pre-made ahead of time and setting on a table when you walked in the ice melted too much and I felt it tasted watered down. Told the Tequila house rep that when he came around asking what we thought about the drink. When you are setting up for close to 50 people that is what happens.
This cocktail was the beverage paired with the first dish. New Orleans Shrimp and Grits. Shrimp were tender and fresh. good flavors on the grits and sauce. Complaint - we seated under a A/C vent and the food cooled down very fast. By time I got to that last few forkfuls the food was cold.
The salad was Fresh Mozzarella with Kumato Tomato. The tomatoes had a balsamic drizzled over them. I thought they may have been cooked but one bite and I knew that didn't happen. I am not into fresh tomatoes. Love them cooked. But I do know enough about them to know these were probably hot house tomatoes and not much flavor. I ate the greens and mozzarella. The wine paired was a Franciscan Estate, Cuvee Savage Chardonnay. A nice wine with no oak.
Soup course served. Ruth's Original French Onion Soup with savory aged swiss and herb pastry. Good, rich flavor. A very nice soup. I do like French Onion Soups. Don't seem to get them too often anymore. Just might have to make myself a pot of it. A Tom Gore Vineyards, Field Blend wine was poured. A blend of Tempranillo, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvigon, Petite Verdot and Petite Syrah. I could really taste the Petite Syrah but would have never guessed that Tempranillo was in it. This was a well balanced wine. Had not heard of this winery before.
Main course was a 12 ounce USDA Prime New York Strip steak. I will say the flavor of this steak was far better than the petite filet that I had here a few months ago. Sides were Potatoes au Gratin and Creamed Spinach. I was totally sated at this point and had the steak packaged to go. Paired with a Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon. Excellent pairing. But steak and cab are naturals together.
Dessert was Classic Creme Burlee served with strawberries and blackberries. A Robert Mondavi Moscato d'Oro wine was the wine with this dish. Not to sweet and went well together.
We did get bread and butter at our table thanks to Phoebe. It was not an offering of the restaurant and we were the only table to have it.
I will say the portions were good size and no one went hungry. The pours of wine were in the 4 to 5 ounce range. I did not finish my wine and gave them the Paul. Since Margie was driving Paul could indulge. A nice evening, good dinner and good friends. Just the way I like to end my day.
Met Paul and Margie at Ruth's Chris for the restaurants 50th Anniversary dinner. During the presentation before dinner we found out how the restaurant got its name and some history of Ruth and her friendship with the Mondavi family. This was a Prix Fixe dinner with open seating. We were seating with a young female named Phoebe that was with Constellation Brands. They handled all the wines and alcohol that was served tonight. All the food dishes served tonight are the favorites of the owner Ruth Ann Udstad who passed away a few years ago.
As we were ushered into the room they set aside for private parties we were handed a "cocktail". Basically an Old Fashioned made with Casa Noble Anejo Tequila. Nice flavor but since these drinks were all pre-made ahead of time and setting on a table when you walked in the ice melted too much and I felt it tasted watered down. Told the Tequila house rep that when he came around asking what we thought about the drink. When you are setting up for close to 50 people that is what happens.
This cocktail was the beverage paired with the first dish. New Orleans Shrimp and Grits. Shrimp were tender and fresh. good flavors on the grits and sauce. Complaint - we seated under a A/C vent and the food cooled down very fast. By time I got to that last few forkfuls the food was cold.
The salad was Fresh Mozzarella with Kumato Tomato. The tomatoes had a balsamic drizzled over them. I thought they may have been cooked but one bite and I knew that didn't happen. I am not into fresh tomatoes. Love them cooked. But I do know enough about them to know these were probably hot house tomatoes and not much flavor. I ate the greens and mozzarella. The wine paired was a Franciscan Estate, Cuvee Savage Chardonnay. A nice wine with no oak.
Soup course served. Ruth's Original French Onion Soup with savory aged swiss and herb pastry. Good, rich flavor. A very nice soup. I do like French Onion Soups. Don't seem to get them too often anymore. Just might have to make myself a pot of it. A Tom Gore Vineyards, Field Blend wine was poured. A blend of Tempranillo, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvigon, Petite Verdot and Petite Syrah. I could really taste the Petite Syrah but would have never guessed that Tempranillo was in it. This was a well balanced wine. Had not heard of this winery before.
Main course was a 12 ounce USDA Prime New York Strip steak. I will say the flavor of this steak was far better than the petite filet that I had here a few months ago. Sides were Potatoes au Gratin and Creamed Spinach. I was totally sated at this point and had the steak packaged to go. Paired with a Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon. Excellent pairing. But steak and cab are naturals together.
Dessert was Classic Creme Burlee served with strawberries and blackberries. A Robert Mondavi Moscato d'Oro wine was the wine with this dish. Not to sweet and went well together.
We did get bread and butter at our table thanks to Phoebe. It was not an offering of the restaurant and we were the only table to have it.
I will say the portions were good size and no one went hungry. The pours of wine were in the 4 to 5 ounce range. I did not finish my wine and gave them the Paul. Since Margie was driving Paul could indulge. A nice evening, good dinner and good friends. Just the way I like to end my day.
Birthday Dinner at Delius
Wednesday, June 10, 2015
Took a a friend to dinner at Delius, www.deliusrestaurant.com, for his birthday. I have known Joe for at least 35 years. We have been taking each other out for lunch or dinner for our birthday's ever since we met. Last year I took him to Delius and he enjoyed it so much that is where he wanted to go back. Since the Prix Fixe room was fully booked with a big pharmaceutical company dinner we were seated in the cellar room. This room is usually reserved for the 10 course wine dinner but we had the Prix Fixe room menu . Nice thing about this small dining area is that it is private and quite. A window looks into the kitchen are that is preparing the Prix Fixe dinners.
We started out with a glass of Rotari Brut (sparkling) and this was paired with a Octopus Ceviche. The ceviche was made into a round and had micro thin slices of cucumber wrapped around the outside. Made a very nice presentation and it was a good pairing.
Second course was a Spicy Sea Bean Salad with pickled radish and onion. Nice clean dish with good flavor. The menu listed a Sauvignon Blanc as the wine. Sau Blanc is not me so I asked if we could substitute another wine . I was even willing to pay the price difference. I asked for the 2013 Tercero Grenache Blanc and it was a perfect wine with the pickly salad.
Third course listed was Duck Confit, roasted summer squash and caramelized peaches. Nice dish although I do prefer duck breast because it is moister. The peaches added a perfect touch. A good dish with good flavors. Again a wine was listed that was not my thing. I have never been able to really get into Monterey wines. Matt the wine manager substituted a 2009 Mourchon Seguret, Cotes du Rhone. Matt said that this was the wine he originally was going to have on the menu for this course.
With the fourth course the wine that was listed I had several weeks ago and knew what it was like. decent but not me. Dave the owners had told Matt that I probably would not like this wine. Obviously my reputation was known. So we substituted an Alma Rosa La Encanata Pinot Noir. This wine paired perfectly with the Braised Pork Cheek, served with a tomatillo sauce, crispy plantain and creamy polenta. Pork was extremely tender and had excellent flavor.
Dessert was a White Chocolate Biscotti with stone fruit compote and house made cherry ice cream. A nice light dessert. excellent flavors and a good end to a nice evening.
It is not a normal occurrence to substitute the wines listed on the Prix Fixe menu. The restaurant does a good job of matching food and wine. But sometimes they bend a little if you are a regular customer and don't try to get the substituted wines out of the higher priced category. I was willing to pay extra to do this.
Took a a friend to dinner at Delius, www.deliusrestaurant.com, for his birthday. I have known Joe for at least 35 years. We have been taking each other out for lunch or dinner for our birthday's ever since we met. Last year I took him to Delius and he enjoyed it so much that is where he wanted to go back. Since the Prix Fixe room was fully booked with a big pharmaceutical company dinner we were seated in the cellar room. This room is usually reserved for the 10 course wine dinner but we had the Prix Fixe room menu . Nice thing about this small dining area is that it is private and quite. A window looks into the kitchen are that is preparing the Prix Fixe dinners.
We started out with a glass of Rotari Brut (sparkling) and this was paired with a Octopus Ceviche. The ceviche was made into a round and had micro thin slices of cucumber wrapped around the outside. Made a very nice presentation and it was a good pairing.
Second course was a Spicy Sea Bean Salad with pickled radish and onion. Nice clean dish with good flavor. The menu listed a Sauvignon Blanc as the wine. Sau Blanc is not me so I asked if we could substitute another wine . I was even willing to pay the price difference. I asked for the 2013 Tercero Grenache Blanc and it was a perfect wine with the pickly salad.
Third course listed was Duck Confit, roasted summer squash and caramelized peaches. Nice dish although I do prefer duck breast because it is moister. The peaches added a perfect touch. A good dish with good flavors. Again a wine was listed that was not my thing. I have never been able to really get into Monterey wines. Matt the wine manager substituted a 2009 Mourchon Seguret, Cotes du Rhone. Matt said that this was the wine he originally was going to have on the menu for this course.
With the fourth course the wine that was listed I had several weeks ago and knew what it was like. decent but not me. Dave the owners had told Matt that I probably would not like this wine. Obviously my reputation was known. So we substituted an Alma Rosa La Encanata Pinot Noir. This wine paired perfectly with the Braised Pork Cheek, served with a tomatillo sauce, crispy plantain and creamy polenta. Pork was extremely tender and had excellent flavor.
Dessert was a White Chocolate Biscotti with stone fruit compote and house made cherry ice cream. A nice light dessert. excellent flavors and a good end to a nice evening.
It is not a normal occurrence to substitute the wines listed on the Prix Fixe menu. The restaurant does a good job of matching food and wine. But sometimes they bend a little if you are a regular customer and don't try to get the substituted wines out of the higher priced category. I was willing to pay extra to do this.
Wednesday, June 10, 2015
Michaels On Naples Monthly Wine Tasting
Tuesday, June 9, 2015
Normally this tasting is the first Tuesday of the month but for some unexplained reason they changed it for June.
Nothing to exciting this month. The theme was Roses, 2 domestic and 2 imports. Not impressed with any of them.
The two bottles of wine that were brought tonight were much better. Nice conversation and drinking companions. But other than that pretty non descript. Can't win them all.
Normally this tasting is the first Tuesday of the month but for some unexplained reason they changed it for June.
Nothing to exciting this month. The theme was Roses, 2 domestic and 2 imports. Not impressed with any of them.
The two bottles of wine that were brought tonight were much better. Nice conversation and drinking companions. But other than that pretty non descript. Can't win them all.
Monday, June 8, 2015
Sunday Dim Sum With The Boys
Sunday, June 7, 2015
Five of us today for Dim Sum. The Seafood Palace was packed again just like last week. Huge reception going on in the main portion. We were seated in the smaller dining area and it was packed.
Wines today were pretty damm good which makes up for yesterdays dismal showing.
I brought a 2000 Charles Heidsieck, Millesime Vintage, Brut, Champagne which was divine. A 2006 Walter Hanzell, Russian River Valley, Pinot Noir was outstanding. The other 3 wines were 2008 McKeon-Phillips BPR, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2007 Loring, Cargasacchi, Pinot Noir, 2012 Patrick Piuze, Vaulorent, France, Premier Cru, Chablis. All really good wines. We we happy today.
We started out with deep fried seaweed wrapped shrimp, along with steamed pork spareribs. Then onto a deep fried dry bean curd dumpling and deep fried tofu. I have a note about "taro" but can't remember just what is was. Did come off the Dim Sum cart so it was either steamed or deep fried.
We ordered a few items off the regular menu. Beef with bean sprouts and fat noodles. White sea bass with Chinese broccoli and sticky rice with lotus seeds wrapped and steamed in lotus leaves.
Dessert was egg custard tarts and fresh sliced oranges. Oranges were not as sweet as last week.
Nothing exceptionally notable about the food. All items were have had before, all good.I would have liked a few more items off the Dim Sum carts but went with the flow. The company was great, wines were great and gave us "boys" a chance to catch up. Again we had music coming from the main dining area so were entertained.
Five of us today for Dim Sum. The Seafood Palace was packed again just like last week. Huge reception going on in the main portion. We were seated in the smaller dining area and it was packed.
Wines today were pretty damm good which makes up for yesterdays dismal showing.
I brought a 2000 Charles Heidsieck, Millesime Vintage, Brut, Champagne which was divine. A 2006 Walter Hanzell, Russian River Valley, Pinot Noir was outstanding. The other 3 wines were 2008 McKeon-Phillips BPR, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2007 Loring, Cargasacchi, Pinot Noir, 2012 Patrick Piuze, Vaulorent, France, Premier Cru, Chablis. All really good wines. We we happy today.
We started out with deep fried seaweed wrapped shrimp, along with steamed pork spareribs. Then onto a deep fried dry bean curd dumpling and deep fried tofu. I have a note about "taro" but can't remember just what is was. Did come off the Dim Sum cart so it was either steamed or deep fried.
We ordered a few items off the regular menu. Beef with bean sprouts and fat noodles. White sea bass with Chinese broccoli and sticky rice with lotus seeds wrapped and steamed in lotus leaves.
Dessert was egg custard tarts and fresh sliced oranges. Oranges were not as sweet as last week.
Nothing exceptionally notable about the food. All items were have had before, all good.I would have liked a few more items off the Dim Sum carts but went with the flow. The company was great, wines were great and gave us "boys" a chance to catch up. Again we had music coming from the main dining area so were entertained.
Italy- Food and Wine
Saturday, June 6, 2015
Started out with an Italian wine seminar at Total Wine. Interesting and informative. Then off to Buon Gusto for dinner. www.buongustohb.com, 18 people so it was a long table. Sat outside and the weather did cooperate. Buon Gusto has an extensive menu almost too extensive. I pick out a combination of penne pasta with pink cream sauce, artichokes, asparagus, mushrooms and added shrimp and scallops. Along with a house salad which is a meal by itself. Ate the salad and about 1 cup of the pasta. Leftovers for the next day. Buon Gusto's portions are huge. Everyone takes home a "doggy container". The restaurant keeps various sizes of containers at each station because it is a given that you will take food home.
There were 20 wines on the table. None of them really stood out as great. A few good ones but most were average or below. I was disappointed in both wines I brought. Especially the Italian red. But it was on par with several I tasted. Someone kept shoving their red wine my way. They thought is was fantastic and my thought was who would drink this crap. Then I remembered who brought it.
Felt sorry for the waitress. Had to handle this large group herself. The restaurant was packed along with our large table and so some dishes were slow to get out especially if they were not a pasta dish. There was no automatic gratuity on the bill which would be normal for a large group. We all got our own individual checks so I just added another $20 to the normal tip. She worked her buns off and did not loose her cool. I would have told couple of people in the group to go ____ themselves.
A nice day, good wines and good food and mostly pleasant people.
Started out with an Italian wine seminar at Total Wine. Interesting and informative. Then off to Buon Gusto for dinner. www.buongustohb.com, 18 people so it was a long table. Sat outside and the weather did cooperate. Buon Gusto has an extensive menu almost too extensive. I pick out a combination of penne pasta with pink cream sauce, artichokes, asparagus, mushrooms and added shrimp and scallops. Along with a house salad which is a meal by itself. Ate the salad and about 1 cup of the pasta. Leftovers for the next day. Buon Gusto's portions are huge. Everyone takes home a "doggy container". The restaurant keeps various sizes of containers at each station because it is a given that you will take food home.
There were 20 wines on the table. None of them really stood out as great. A few good ones but most were average or below. I was disappointed in both wines I brought. Especially the Italian red. But it was on par with several I tasted. Someone kept shoving their red wine my way. They thought is was fantastic and my thought was who would drink this crap. Then I remembered who brought it.
Felt sorry for the waitress. Had to handle this large group herself. The restaurant was packed along with our large table and so some dishes were slow to get out especially if they were not a pasta dish. There was no automatic gratuity on the bill which would be normal for a large group. We all got our own individual checks so I just added another $20 to the normal tip. She worked her buns off and did not loose her cool. I would have told couple of people in the group to go ____ themselves.
A nice day, good wines and good food and mostly pleasant people.
Thursday, June 4, 2015
Tasting "Old" Wines
Wednesday. June 3, 2014
Wine Country,www.thewinecountry.com, hosted a tasting tonight of older wines. They had acquired a collection and Randy came up with the idea of doing this tasting. About 30 people were in attendance. At first it was limited to 16 people but demand was so high they expanded it.
I found that most of the wines had either a funky nose and/or taste which blew off on most of them. No bad wines but a few that were definitely over the hill. Bu
It is always interesting to taste and see what they had been. There was a big difference in the people attending on which wines were their favorite. Even in our group of 8 we seemed to split down the middle in our selections.
I am not going to enter all my tasting notes as they are subjective and were based on my nose and palate. Someone else would have a very different take on it. The list is in the order we tasted.
1993 Domaine Carneros ,"The Famous Gate" ,Pinot Noir
1994 Domaine Drouhin, Pinot Noir
1986 Joseph Phelps ,"Vin du Mistral" , Syrah (one of my favorites of the night)
1988 Vincent Arroyo Winery, "Law of Proportions", Petite Syrah (one of the worse)
1978 Stag's Leap Wine Cellars, Cabernet Sauvignon (sold for about $15 on release)
1992 Kenwood, "Jack London Vineyard", Cabernet Sauvignon (magnum) (another favorite)
1980 Shenandoah Vineyards, "Del Porto Vineyards", Zinfandel
1988 Marietta Cellars, "Reserve", Zinfandel
1970 Lytton Springs, Zinfandel (a lot of residue in spite of straining)
1983 Lytton Springs "Private Reserve" Zinfandel (magnum)
1978 Shenandoah Vineyards, Late Harvest Zinfandel (I would have never guessed "late harvest" - the private reserve was a much bigger, jammy style wine)
I am going to research and see what these wines would sell for now. Then I will post the $ amounts. We paid $40 for the tasting so I can safely assume we got a real bargain.
Wine Country,www.thewinecountry.com, hosted a tasting tonight of older wines. They had acquired a collection and Randy came up with the idea of doing this tasting. About 30 people were in attendance. At first it was limited to 16 people but demand was so high they expanded it.
I found that most of the wines had either a funky nose and/or taste which blew off on most of them. No bad wines but a few that were definitely over the hill. Bu
It is always interesting to taste and see what they had been. There was a big difference in the people attending on which wines were their favorite. Even in our group of 8 we seemed to split down the middle in our selections.
I am not going to enter all my tasting notes as they are subjective and were based on my nose and palate. Someone else would have a very different take on it. The list is in the order we tasted.
1993 Domaine Carneros ,"The Famous Gate" ,Pinot Noir
1994 Domaine Drouhin, Pinot Noir
1986 Joseph Phelps ,"Vin du Mistral" , Syrah (one of my favorites of the night)
1988 Vincent Arroyo Winery, "Law of Proportions", Petite Syrah (one of the worse)
1978 Stag's Leap Wine Cellars, Cabernet Sauvignon (sold for about $15 on release)
1992 Kenwood, "Jack London Vineyard", Cabernet Sauvignon (magnum) (another favorite)
1980 Shenandoah Vineyards, "Del Porto Vineyards", Zinfandel
1988 Marietta Cellars, "Reserve", Zinfandel
1970 Lytton Springs, Zinfandel (a lot of residue in spite of straining)
1983 Lytton Springs "Private Reserve" Zinfandel (magnum)
1978 Shenandoah Vineyards, Late Harvest Zinfandel (I would have never guessed "late harvest" - the private reserve was a much bigger, jammy style wine)
I am going to research and see what these wines would sell for now. Then I will post the $ amounts. We paid $40 for the tasting so I can safely assume we got a real bargain.
Monday, June 1, 2015
Sunday Dinner at Seafood Palace
Sunday, May 31, 2015
Made reservations for 6 the other day. Nothing was said by the restaurant about a private party. When we arrived I had to park 4 rows back as the place was packed. Two private parties going on tonight. The main restaurant had at least 300 people in it with a band and singers. We were sat in the small dining area which was fine. We could see the party and listen to the music. About an hour a group of 85 came in and sat down where we were. Talk about feeling like a minority. We were the only non Asians there. Our waiter took care of us and even swiped some appetizers from the banquet for us
This was a non wine group so I only brought one bottle. 2013 Stolpman Carbonic Sangiovese. Went well with our dished we ordered.
Started out with the Salt and Pepper Calamari. Found out that the salt they use is not your typical table salt. They make their own and add Chinese herbs to it.
Feast of the day was the Peking Duck. It seemed extra juicy and moist today. I think one of the best I have had.
Someone wanted soup so we ended up with a broth that was loaded with vegetables, meat and shrimp. It was so good I had three bowls of it.
Honey Walnut Shrimp hit the table and was devoured really fast.
I then ordered a dish that is not on the menu. Henry orders it special. Beef with Fat Noodles and peppers.
Sweet Oranges for dessert. We did not need anymore food. That soup just put everyone over the top.
Interesting evening. Usually they don't take reservations when they have the restaurant booked for these large private parties. It was fun to have the entertainment. The singers were very good. Going back next week for Dim Sum. Probably be too quiet after this.
Made reservations for 6 the other day. Nothing was said by the restaurant about a private party. When we arrived I had to park 4 rows back as the place was packed. Two private parties going on tonight. The main restaurant had at least 300 people in it with a band and singers. We were sat in the small dining area which was fine. We could see the party and listen to the music. About an hour a group of 85 came in and sat down where we were. Talk about feeling like a minority. We were the only non Asians there. Our waiter took care of us and even swiped some appetizers from the banquet for us
This was a non wine group so I only brought one bottle. 2013 Stolpman Carbonic Sangiovese. Went well with our dished we ordered.
Started out with the Salt and Pepper Calamari. Found out that the salt they use is not your typical table salt. They make their own and add Chinese herbs to it.
Feast of the day was the Peking Duck. It seemed extra juicy and moist today. I think one of the best I have had.
Someone wanted soup so we ended up with a broth that was loaded with vegetables, meat and shrimp. It was so good I had three bowls of it.
Honey Walnut Shrimp hit the table and was devoured really fast.
I then ordered a dish that is not on the menu. Henry orders it special. Beef with Fat Noodles and peppers.
Sweet Oranges for dessert. We did not need anymore food. That soup just put everyone over the top.
Interesting evening. Usually they don't take reservations when they have the restaurant booked for these large private parties. It was fun to have the entertainment. The singers were very good. Going back next week for Dim Sum. Probably be too quiet after this.
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