Fish at The Playground

Tuesday, June 21, 2016

Dinner tonight at the Playground 2.0 Room,  www.playgrounddtsa.com,  was billed as as all fish.  Since the 2.0 Room only hold 17 people these dinners seem to sell out quickly. 

We started out with a glass of 2015 Arnot Roberts, Rose of Touriga National Rose from Lake County. Very light, very pale color and very light taste. OK wine but.  Our first dish of the evening was a housemade bagel (outstanding) with cream cheese (very light and silky)  fried capers and caviar. Caviar is fish just not hatched yet.  Maybe you could say "unborn fish"

The  Rose wine was replaced with a 2014 Habit, Gruner Veltliner. I have had this label before and was not overly impressed. The Gruner was OK but.  Food served was a Ceviche made with Fluke, Cilantro, 2 kinds of Corn and Popped Corn Kernals (not your regular popcorn), Red Onion - flavor was wonderful and the dish did pair well with the wine.

3rd dish is a "Poke"made with Ocean Trout Belly, Avocado, Soy Sauce, Toasted Corn and Puffed Quiona. Great flavor but I did like the Ceviche better. Of course I am also started to fill up and we have numerous courses to go

A glass of 2015 Schloss-Gobelsburg,  Gruner Veltliner  was poured. Winery in Austria was started in 1171. I was really taken with this wine. Good mouth feel, well balanced. It is also nice that they offer multiple pours. 
 
Next was a "Mexican" Kim-chi with Octopus. Served between two flat tortilla style corn chips. Flavors were good. Messy eating.

This next dish turned out to be one of my favorites. Tacos A La ??? something. Meant to be "governors taco" . Mexican name that I cannot spell. It was a take on a quesadilla. Shrimp, Oaxaca Cheese, similar to string cheese, curds are pulled into a "rope", Bell peppers and  folded into a house made Corn Tortilla. A small salad of Arugula with a Lime, Sour Cream dressing topped it off.

Wine poured next was a 2014 Anthill Farms, Peugh Vineyard, Chardonnay. Decent, not overly oaky but went very well with the foods being served.

A plate of very thin roasted Asparagus with thinly sliced Oranges and  toasted Almonds on a bed of Romesco Sauce. Had a small bite to the sauce. I will say I did like the asparagus dish we had at the Sunday Supper a few weeks back much better. This was good but.

Seventh course turned out to be Top Loin of Ocean Trout that had been lightly smokes, Sugar Snap Peas, Maple Syrup over a Horseradish Cream, Fish was excellent but I could not wrap myself around  snap peas  and horseradish

A glass of 2014 Anthill Farms. Sonoma Coast, Pinot Noir was served.  Good wine. Went well with the next dishes.

A  bowl of Blue Hominy Pozole with Bacon (only protein that was not fish), Clams, freeze dried corn kernals,  paper thin sliced Radishes. Full of flavor but I am so full by now that I am groaning.

My second favorite dish was the  assorted Wild Mushrooms carmelized, with Shallots. crispy Garlic, Crimini Onions. The mushrooms were all the really wild ones. Enoki, Trumpet etc., So much flavor. I finished this dish up quickly

10th course is a Black Cod, Shisito peppers, Tomatoes, sauteed Corn. Cod was perfect. Light and buttery.

Wine being poured was a 2012 Kevin Olson,  Monterey,   Pinot Noir. New label for me. Good wine.

A palate cleanser of Mixed  Macerated Berries, Whipped Cream and Yuzu Tart was brought out.  Then onto to dessert. An Apricot Cake with Apricot Jam, crushed Pistachios and a Sorbet made from Jack Fruit. This was very different, very good and a really nice ending to a meal.

A beer was served that I had one sip and passed. Wheat Grass. Coriander, Sea Salt, local pulots. Did absolutely nothing for me.

So another very good dinner in the 2.0 Room.  Looking forward to the next.