Holiday Dinner at 555

Saturday, December 12, 2015

Fourteen of us tonight for Margie's monthly dinner at the 555 East Steakhouse in Long Beach. www.555east.com.  Apparently a change in seating arrangements by the restaurant. We were seated at a long table instead of two round tables. Conversation was limited to those right next to you or straight across the table. I found the restaurant to be very noisy. They were filled to capacity and also had a piano player plunking away on the keys.

I had ordered the small filet with baked potato and mushrooms. Meat did not seem very flavorful as before. It lacked something. You should not have to add sauce to enjoy your meat. Most everyone ordered steak but there were exceptions. I did not keep track of what everyone else ordered. I was not that interested in keeping that many notes. I did keep a list of wines. Most of those I did not taste. In fact I did not know they were on the table until I typed the list up the next day. 14 people, 20 wines. The wines did not move up and down the table well. Too much on the table, between all the glasses, wines and dinner plates it was way to crowded. I would say on the verge of confusion.

I brought a 2005 Stolpman Angeli, Santa Ynez (syrah) . I decanted it for 4 hours and it really helped it to open up. I thought it was excellent and apparently others did also. There was less than 3 ounces left in the bottle when I took it home. I also brought one of my favorite Champagnes. a NV Robert Moncuit, grand Cru, Brut.

Others wines:

1997 Chateau du Terte, Marguax, Grand Cru - just going downhill
2005 Williams Selyem, Bacigalup Vineyard, Zinfandel - one of the best wines on the table
NV J Laurens, tete de Cuvee, Clos des Demnoiselles - did not taste
2011 Lorenzi, Phantom, Temecula - did not taste
NV Veuve Cliquot, A Rems Brut - always a good Champagne for mass production
2011 Saxum, Broken Stones, Paso Robles - did not taste but I would say it still is to young
2012 Rombauer, Propetor R Selection, Chardonnay - did not taste
2012 Peter Michaels, L'Apes-Midi, Sauvignon Blanc - did not taste
2012 Longoria, Syran Vino Dulce - did not taste
2013 Dutton Goldfield, RRV, Pinot Noir - did not taste - sorry to have missed this one
2010 Antinori, Brunello - this was a very good wine - will go several more years easily
2013 Dusty Goose, Willamette Valley, Chardonnay - did not taste
2012 Prince of Hearts, Napa Red, - did not taste - this wine has shown up at the last 3 functions that I have attended. It was good. I am sure it tasted the same.
2012 Paul Hobbs, Cabernet Sauvignon - did not taste
2001 Chateau Vieux, Fortin, St. Emilion, Grand Cru - did not taste - sorry to have missed this one
2006 Lindstrom, Stags Leap - going downhill
NV Desert Florus, Late Harvest, Banfi - did not taste
2011 Puma Road,  SLH, Pinot Noir - was not impressed