India Grill

Saturday, January 14, 2017

  December was a short month for activities.  Had a few people in just before the holiday. Did that instead of my large Christmas Brunch.  Time to weed out people that don't reciprocate.  So now after the lull it is time to get back with the socialization. Starting with tonight I have 5 events this week.  Providence, Seafood Palace, Sterling Wine Dinner at Arte Café, Commuter Tasting at Delius. That will keep me busy. Need to start cutting back but that it is easier to talk about it than do it.

This was Margie's first scheduled dinner of the year. Back to India Grill in Los Alamitos. Large crowd, 21 people and had to split between two tables. I personally don't like these large number of people events.  Way to hard to socialize with everyone. Of course there are some people I don't care to socialize with. So maybe it's better to have them separate from me. I may have to re-think my thinking on this one.  This was not my best foot forward tonight. Had two bouts of acid reflux close together and it really did me in. I was drained.

We started out with the traditional Samosa's but tonight it seems like everything will taste spicier than normal. Also fried cheese. I did not get a menu at my place setting so I am winging this.

The main dishes staring arriving. The Rogan Josh was very good tonight. Lamb was not too overcooked for me. These ethnic restaurants seem to really overcook meat. Mainly because the meat in their countries is usually poor quality and they have a lot of diseases with their animals. And I like rare meat. Matter or personal taste. 

Mango Chicken  was brought out. I could not tell the difference in it and the Tiki Masala. My senses are way off tonight.  Vegetables Korma tasted good but the Shrimp Chau Chau to me was inedible. It was  too spicy.

Garlic Naan and  Basmati Rice rounded out the menu.  We topped it off with Pistachio Ice Cream with Saffron, Cardamon and nuts.

The wines were a huge mish mash. Majority of them I never saw on the table and did not taste. Margie did not do her "move the wines down the table" tonight. So the wines stayed in place unless you wanted to get up and walk around.

The best wines of the evening that I did get to taste was the wine I brought, a 2009 Pisoni, SLH, Pinot Noir, 2006  Dierberg SMV, Pinot Noir, 2011 Two Hands, Barossa Valley, Shiraz and  NV Albrecht, Cremant.

The rest of the group included:

NV   Wilson Creek Almond Sparkling - what can I say
2012 Anne de K Alsace, Pinot Gris - not my favorite grape
2012 Cana, Virginia, Cabernet Franc - Decent, nice balance but needed a few more years cellaring
2014 Chateau St. Michelle Riesling - had this wine too many times, did not need to try it again
2015 Boonthing, Anderson Valley, Pinot Noir - very light, typical northern California Pinot - nice
2015 Neethlingshot, Pinotage - typical African dirt taste to it - you knew it was a Pinotage - nice
2015 Jadot. Beaujolais - Gamay is not my grape - did not taste
2013 Eveningland, Amity Hills, Pinot Noir - had a very small taste wasn't impressed with it any more that I was my last two Eveningland Wines
2012 Axis Mundi, Blend - did not taste - I know what it is as I have some for every day drinking
2014 Hall, Sauvignon Blanc - did not taste
NV   Mumm Moulin a Vent Rose - did not taste
2012 Missing Leg, Pinot Noir - did not taste
2013 Swedish Hill, Gewurztraminer - did not taste
2011 Navarro, Gewurztraminer - did not taste
2011 Samsara, Grenache Rose - did not taste
2015 Tablas Creek, Rose -  did not taste - I am sure it was cloying sweet like the other Tablas Creek Roses
2009 Chateau Frank, Blanc de Noirs - I am not sure if I tasted this one or not
NV   Herzog Blanc de Blanc - nice clean flavor
2014 Hursch, Gerwurztraminer -  did not taste