Dinner at Chez Lomita

Saturday, December 22, 2018

Small, private dinner at Greg's  "Chez Lomita" abode.  9 of us tonight for what seems to be an annual event.

We started out with a Lobster Bisque and that was followed by appetizers of Seared Ahi with citrus soy sauce, Scallops wrapped in bacon and Mini Brie en Croute.  This was accompanied with a magnum of 2009 Louis Brion Brut Champagne and a  1996 H. Billiot Fils, Millesime Champagne . Any champagne lover was in nirvana.

For the entrée we were served Chateaubriand with Bernaise sauce, mashed and roasted potatoes, roasted brussel sprouts, grilled cauliflower, baby carrots and mushrooms in peppercorn sauce. This was followed by a cheese course which I did not have any of because at that point I could not eat another bite.

The red wines that were consumed with the entrée course were a real mixed bag. Everyone was exceptionally good.

 2003 Du Cru - Beaucaillo, Grand Cru Classic, St Julian

2003 Bennett Family, The Reserve, Napa Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon

2003 Chateau Gruard Larose, St Julian

2003 Chateau de Maison Neuve, Michal Goudroy, Montagne,  Saint Emilion

2005  BV, Georges de Latour, Private Reserve,  Napa Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon

???? Tobin James, Silver Reserve, Paso Robles, Syrah

2014 Niner Estate, Paso Robles, Cabernet Sauvignon

2010 Rodney Strong Symmetry, Alexander Valley, Blend

2009 Stolpman, Ballard Canyon, Angeli

Desserts were served, Chocolate Fudge Lava Cakes and French Apple Bread Pudding, I ate half of a lava cake. I am saturated with food at this point.  These were accompanied by a 2002 Williams Selyem, Mistral Port and a 2008 Chateau Reiusse, Grand Cru Sauterne.

Good dinner, great wines and great company to end the holiday season one more dinner and lunch to attend in December and then on to the new year and new dining adventures. In January 2019 is Dine in LA week. Have made reservations for Providence, Spago  and The Bazaar by Jose Andres . A Harvey Wallbanger soiree.  And there is Margie's monthly wine dinner. January will be India Grill.  No indications yet on what Michaels, Chianina , Taste and Arte Café are scheduling for 2019. February will bring the "Road Trip" Italy at the Playground. And people wonder why I don't retire.

Starmont Wines at Arte Cafe

Tuesday, December 11, 2018

Arte Cafe in Cerritos Town Center hosted another wine dinner. They do try for once a month.  This months winery was Starmont which is a sub label of Merryvale.  The restaurant was decorated for the holidays and a very large decorated tree was out in the "plaza" area   A good crowd of people tonight buit not sold out. Probably too close to the holidays and people are shopping.  I do my gig early so I can enjoy the extras that come with the season

Tables were set with the standard white tablecloths but bright red napkins in lieu of the normal white. Just added to the festive vibe.

We started out with a battered calamari and lemon aioli. Aioli was good.and the calamari was tender.  Paired with a 2016 Starmont, Carneros,  Sauvignon Blanc.    A decent, crispy Sau Blanc. But a bit too acidic for my personal tastes.  As is the "custom" several glasses of white are always poured. Not so much for the reds.  

Second course set before us is a Seared rare Ahi Tuna with candied walnuts and heart of butter lettuce. Ahi had great flavor, was cooked perfectly. The butter lettuce was good but a tablespoon of dressing is not much for such a large serving.  A 2015 Starmont, Carneros,  Chardonnay was the wine. Oaky, Oaky Oaky.  So much wood. Gave my glass  away. This is a personnel thing with me. I just cannot handle, oak, vanilla, butterscotch in my white wine. Destroys the whole experience for me. Only if I have dish that has lots of fat, butter or cream in it will I drink an oaky chard.  This Ahi was great but the pairing was not. 

Main course is a slice prime rib with Brie toast, potatoes, squash, brussels sprouts and baby turnips. Finally a beef dish that is not cremated. Mine  was actually medium rare.  Richard is great with seafood, duck, lamb but on beef he usually overcooks it.  Heavy salt on the crust. Paired with a Starmont, Carneros, Merlot. Decent wine but I just was not overly taken with it.

Dessert is a Chocolate Mousse cake with almonds. Very light, deep, dark chocolate. A nice end to a meal. Not heavy but very rich.  A 2016 Starmont, Napa Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon was the selection.  Again a decent wine but I found it to be lack luster. Could get some chocolate and toast out of it but absolutely  no tannins. I considered it a weak wine. For a 2016 it should have drunk very different.

But these wines are a second label and not expensive so you can't expect too much from them. The dinner price is $49 including wine. So a bargain in todays market.  Had good converstaion with numerous people I knew that attended also.  The wine rep, Dina gave away numerous gifts. Chopsticks, canned wine ( I got Pinot Grigio) and they had a lot of raffle prizes. I did win a bottle of chardonnay which I gave away.  Chardonnay is not my favorite white grape and I do prefer Chablis in lieu of California Chard's.  But  a good time was had by all - nice to have some cheer in the season with  so much discontent going on around us. 

Stone-Fire Grill

Saturday. December 8, 2018

My first foray into a Stone-Fire Grill. I will say I was surprised at the quality of the food.  I had ordered the Branzino which was cooked correctly and had tons of flavor.  Several in the group had salmon which they all raved about and the rest of them seemed to lean towards the tri tip.  

Only issue with me was the concrete floors and metal chairs. But it is semi fast food so not much ambiance. But prices were reasonable and quality was good.

Odd selection of wines tonight but some really good ones. Seemed off  to be drinking really quality wines at a fast food venue but it worked. All the wines were very good and it was interesting to try the mix. 

2000 Chateau Grand Mayne, Saint-Emlion Grand  Cru

2008 Laetitia, Clone 667, Pinot Noir

2003 Renwood, Grandpere, Zinfandel

2010 Ravens Wood, Old Hill, Zinfandel

NV   Marc Herbrart, Brut

2010 Thomas George, Zinfandel

3012 Clos Pepe, Pinot Noir

2013 Clos Pepe, Barrel Fermented, Chardonnay.

Table 301 Bistro Open House

Monday, December 3, 2018

Table 301 Bistro in downtown Long Beach  had their open house today. www.table301bistro.com. This is a new venture for Dave and Louise who owned Delius restaurant for 23 years .  Sits right at the edge of the Promenade. Very eclectic and geared to the newer generation of foodies.  Bar has windows that open so those outside on the patio area can order  and be served drinks.  A large open outside area with a large firepit and overhead heating sits at the back. This is where they will have live music.

Open house was limited to 200 people and it was filled. They served a small cocktail and passed appetizers all evening. Toward the end they started serving desserts,  

Food was good after a real shaky start when they first opened. Problems with the chefs and quality. They seemed to have worked the bugs out and it should be a successful run for them. Everything we were served tonight was good.  Especially liked their mushroom pizza. They have a wood burning pizza over in the kitchen which you can see through the windows. 

Will be going back soon for either brunch or perhaps an early dinner. At my age I am not into noise that the newer generations seems to take in stride.

Table 301 Bistro is a good addition to the downtown area.  I just wish Long Beach would do more to upgrade the whole downtown. City fathers seem to be lacking in some foresight. All they seem to be interested in is raking in the parking revenue. 

So congrats to Dave and Louise and hope your run with Table 301 is as successful as the 23 years of Delius.

Champagne Fest at Wine House

Sunday, December 2, 2018

This was the Wine House in Los Angeles annual Champagne Fest. I have gone several years in a row and have always got the VIP entrance ticket, Pay more but gives you a head start on the higher end Champagnes.   A total of 90 Champagnes were poured today. I did taste 26 of them. I made  a point of eating something after every pour otherwise I would not have walked out of there.

Lots of very good appetizers were being passed around along with tables full of cheeses and meats.

The most expensive wine was a 2007 Salon "Le Mesnil" Grand Cru, Blanc de Blanc. At $525 it was a total disappointment to me . Had a 94/96 rating but it was lost on me.

I took some notes but after a bit I stopped so I will list the ones I tasted without any comments.

2006 Paul Bara, Comtese Marie de France Brut - $130\NV Larmandier-Bernier Longitude Extra Brut 1er Cru - $ 55
NV Marc Hebart Brut "Cuvee de Reserve" Premier Cru Cuis - $ 46
NV Rene Geoffory Champagne Brut Premier Cru Saignee Rose - $ 65
NV Vilmart Cuvee Rubis Brut Rose - $ 88
2010 Miniere F & R Champagne Brut Zero - $ 75
NV Dhondt Grellet Le Duo Brut Rose 1st Cru - $ 63
NV Billecart-Salmon Brut Reserve - $ 50 - 91/92
2009 Dom Perignon Brut - $ 170 - 96/98
2006 Le Grande Dame by Veuve Clicquot Brut - $ 150 - 94
NV Krug Brut "Grand Reserve" 166th Edition - $159 - 95/96
2005 Henriot Cuvee Hemera Tete de Cuvee Brut - $ 180 - 97
NV Laurent-Perrier Brut Grand Siecle - $ 130 - 93/97
NV Palmer Blanc de Blanc - $ 84
2008 Cristal by Louis Roederer Brut - $ 249 - 100/97
2008 Pol Roger Blanc de Blancs - $ 110 - 94/95
2006 Pol Roger Brut Sir Winston Churchill - $225 - 95 - This I liked the best
2013 Hure Freres 4 Elements Meunier - $88
2006 Charles Heidseick Vintahe BNrut Rose - $ 130 - 94
NV Bollinger Brut "Special Cuvee" (magnum) $170 - 93
2007 Bollinger Brut Grande Annee - $125 - 93/94
2008 Delamotte Brut Blanc de Blancs - $ 90 - 93
NV Claude Cazals Cuvee Vive Blanc de Bklancs Estra Brut Grand Cru - $ 70
2006 Clos Cazala Blanc de Blancs Estra Brut Grand Cru Vielles Vignes - $ 136

Holiday Dinner at The Silver Trumpet

Saturday, December 1, 2018

Margie's December dinner was at the Silver Trumpet restaurant in the Avenue of The Arts Hotel in Costa Mesa. www.silvertrumpetrestaurant.com.  Dinner was held in a private dining area that was decorated beautifully for the holidays. 

A nice menu with reasonable prices for a hotel. That was a surprise. Several people opted for the "prix fixe" dinner.  I had the Scallops for the main course and they were cooked perfectly. Came on a bed of pea puree with mushrooms and hearts of palm. For dessert which I did not need was a Chocolate Pistachio Mousse which after eating I decided I really did need it. 

We had a small gift exchange which Margie put a $20 limit on. That stopped me from gifting a bottle from my cellar.

A eclectic variety of wines were brought. I did taste most of them. That being said I preferred my Clos Pepe and the Kosta Browne Pinots over the rest of the wines.

2011 Clos Pepe, Sta Rita Hills, Pinot Noir - excellent

2014 Addendum, Rutherford, Skellenger Lane, Cabernet Sauvignon - nice

2015 Dusky Goose, Willamette Valley, Chardonnay - nice wine, I did like it

NV Laguna Canyon, Brut, CA Sparkling - too sweet for me

2013 Silver Oak, Alexander Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon - was not impressed

2014 Kosta Brow, Gulisti Ranch, Russian River, Pinot Noir - very good

2012 Two Hands, Bella's Garden, Barossa Valley, Shiraz - typical aussie fruity wine

2012 Williams Selyem, Drake Estate Vineyard, Russian River Valley Brut Blanc de Noirs - ok but not my style

NV Rombauer Vineyards, Napa Valley, Zinfandel port style - good - not too sweet but had a richness to it

2013 Blair, Arroyo Secco, Pinot Noir - I was not impressed at all. Thought it was non dimensional. It apparently won a gold medal at the 2018 OC Fair.

2006 Lancaster Estate, Alexander Valley, Nicole's , Red Blend. I did like this wine. Iyt was well balanced and had something going for it.

2013 Morlet, Sonoma Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon.  Not overly impressed. I think it needs more cellaring. It did open up after a bit of time and being more palatable. Be interesting to try in a couple more years.

Road Trip Mexico at the Playground 2.0 Room

Tuesday, November 27. 2018

New theme for dinner at the Playground.  www.playgrounddtsa.com.  Arrived on time this trip but still took close to 2 hours from work to get here. At least going home it will be about 20 minutes.  Anxious to sample the new food dishes that will be served with this dinner.  All 15 courses.

Started off with a drink called "Killer Rabbit". Made with Mescal, Montenegro, Lime and a bubbly. Slight sour taste but this was really good but with the acid I could only drink one. 

First up is a trio of dips. Guacamole with pistachio, jalapeno, figs and fried chicken skin.  Apparently this is a version of guacamole that is served in the interior of Mexico. It was different and I liked it.  Sikil p'ak which is similar to Hummus but made with pumpkin seed that has been ground up. A specialty of Yucatan. Then a smoked cashew and chile de arbol salsa.  Bit of a bite to it but the color was beautiful and it was delicious once you got by the initial sting. All served with house made chips.

Then a plate of Quesco fundido sopes, rajas and carmelized onions. Fundido means  "molten". So it was a "molten" quesco (cheese) sope (thick tortilla) with rajas (roasted poblano chiles" and caramelized onions. The tortilla had good flavor. I had one bite of of it and then scrapped the topping off to eat. I do not want to fill up on too much bread. I know how these dinners work. You can fill up on the first few dishes and then have no room for the balance of the dinner. Topping was excellent. It would make a good dip.

Albacore aguachile with strawberry jam (house made) was next. Fresh albacore  "cooking" in a chile water with a dab of fresh, sweet jam. This was good after the heavier dishes before.

A beautiful salad of orange and red baby beets with orange slices, avocado, cotija, chile morita oil and lime. This was so tasty. I ate a bit more than I should have but it was so good.

A plate of Nopales (cactus) and purslane  salad. Interesting salad. Long strips of nopales and the thick purslane was quite a contrast. Great flavor.

Infladita ( light, puffy tortilla) with refried bean puree and quesco fresco. Melted in you mouth. 

Then a build your own taco - a very tender, moist white fish with tortilla. A side of Jicama slaw, limes and make your own.  I had saved some of the guacamole and added that also. Best fish taco I have had.

Then a huge hunk of grilled pork belly with a citrus and black garlic mojo. No words- The mojo had such unusual flavor and smeared on the pork belly, I was in ecstasy 

Vegetables came next, grilled, caramelized baby carrots, salsa macha, blood orange and almonds. Sweet and decadent.

A bowl of very crispy fried potato cubes, cooked perfectly, salsa tatemanda (all ingredients are charred over an open flame), scallions, pepitas and crusted goat cheese..  Beats tater tots any day.

Last dish before dessert was a "Wagu" beef, outside skirt steak taco with tamarind pasilla glaze, onion, cilantro and lime.  Never had a taco made with Wagu beef.  My new favorite although I think it will be awhile before I have another at the price of really good Wagu beef.

Dessert thankfully was light. An Arroz con leche with candied peanuts, abuelitas and dulce de leche.
Mexican rice pudding with chocolate caramel, whipped cream and cinnamon. I was so full I could only eat a small amount but my dining companions managed to eat everything. 

Along with the Killer Rabbit cocktail we had a glass of Eagle Rock Tinder Brau. 

Numerous wines.  

Haart, Goldtropfchen Mosel, Spatlese. 

 Raul Perez, a cruz das animas, Atalier,  (Albarino)

2005 Lopez de Heredia Vina Condonuic, Rioja,

 2016 Condrieu, Les Chaillets (Viognier)

2014 Grgrich Hills, Violetta, Late Harvest (Gewurztraminer, Sauvignon Blanc and Rielsing). 

Francois Chidaine Brunch at Arte Cafe

Sunday, November 18, 2018

Wine Country in Signal Hill held a brunch at Arte Cafe in Cerritos. Wines were from Francois Chidaine. I have had these wines before. They are good and are reasonable in price

We started out with numerous pours of Vouvray Petillant ($20) along with Eggs Benedict with Country Ham. Good flavor to the ham, sauce was good but as normal the damm English Muffin had hard edges to it. This always irritates me with Eggs Benedict. Makes it difficult to cut. I know it's a lot of work for the kitchen to cut the edges but I really wish restaurants would do this. But a nice start to the afternoon.

Second course is a Fresh Diver Scallop with corn and Beurre Blanc sauce.  Perfectly cooked scallop, sweet and the corn was awesome. Fresh, small kernels cut off the cob. This was my favorite of the day.  A 2016 Chenin Blanc, d'Ailleurs  ($19) was the pairing. Good selection for this dish. Wine was crisp without being too acidic. Nice, smooth mouthfeel.  Could have another serving of this dish and wine.

Third course is a Arugula Salad with goat cheese, beets, oranges and a Dijon Vinaigrette. The Arugula got pushed to the side but  the rest of it was very good. Beets were baby and sweet. One of my favorite Francois Chidaine wines were poured. A 2017 Touraine, Sauvignon Blanc. ($14) This is how a Sau Blanc should taste. Not like cat pee that the New Zealand Sau Blancs seem to favor.

Fourth course is a Braised Short Rib with sliced fennel, potato squares, baby turnips and whole grain mustard sauce. Meat was tender and moist. Sauce was dynamite. I am not a fennel fan but this was  braised and had a nice sweet taste to it. Baby turnips were delicate. Another very good dish. Paired with a 2017 Touraine, Rouge. ($14) A Blend of Cabernet Franc, Cot (Malbec)  and Pinot d'Aunis. Another good pairing.

Dessert was a Rose Poached Pear with caramel sauce, pistachios and whipped cream. A nice light, refreshing dessert to end the meal. 

A very nice Sunday brunch at a reasonable price. Wish Richard would do more of these through the year.

Williams Selyem Wine Tasting

Saturday. November 14, 2018

Small group in a private home for a Williams Seylem wine tasting. It was bring any Williams Selyem wine you want. No other theme

We had a large array of appetizers, I brought fresh Poke and the hosts made salmon for dinner and one guest brought dessert for Cream Pan.  I had never heard of this place before. She shopped at the main store in Tustin and had such a large array of tortes, cheesecakes, etc., All individually wrapped and all extremely good.  I went on line and Cream Pan has outlets in numerous Japanese stores. I definitely will be checking this out. 

I did leave about 9:30 PM but apparently it was still going after midnight. Stan then brought out a bottle of 1997 Chateau St Jean, Cinq Cepages - not a theme but I did get to taste it on Sunday and it was outstanding.

All the wines were what you would expect from Williams Selyem except for a Rocholi Vineyard. Something was very amiss with this bottle.  The most favored was the Precious Mountain Vineyard.

2008 Russian River Valley,  Litton Estate Vineyards

2009 Russian River Valley,  Rocholi Riverblock Vineyard

2009 Sonoma Coast,  Hirsch Vineyard

2009 Sonoma Coast, Precious Mountain Vineyard

2009  Russian River Valley, Westside Road Neighbors

2010 Russian River Valley, Westside Road Neighbors

2010 Russian River Valley

2011 Russian River Valley,  Block 10 - Mass Selection Estate Vineyard

2013 Russian River Valley,  Estate Vineyard

2014 Anderson Valley,  Ferrington Vineyard

2016 Sonoma Coast, Terra de Promissio Vineyard

ZD Wines at the Hyatt Regency

Thursday, November 16, 2018

Eight of us tonight for dinner. I have not been to the  Watertable restaurant at Hyatt in well over a year for a wine dinner.  www.watertable@hyatt.com.   Last dinner was such a disappointment I really did not want to go back.  But the menu tonight looked good and I was not that familiar with ZD Wines that I thought I should try it. www.ZDwines.com.

Dinner and reception was held outside on the patio. Evening was a bit cool but very nice. They did have the overhead heaters for those who needed it.  The appetizers were set up outside also. A two sided small bar table. At first they had two people opening and pouring the sparkling wine. But they were impeding the flow of people accessing the food. Finally someone got smart and had them move away from the line of people. But the line formed on both sides of the table and both sides had different items on it. This was not the best idea someone had. Two lines of people meeting in the middle and no one wanted to give. This was not a common sense approach to the situation. A start at one side, then around to the other and end up by the table where the sparking wines was would have been a much better solution.

But the goodies were very good, numerous cheeses, olive tapenade, nuts etc. This could have been my full meal.  A 50th Anniversary Sparkling Cuvee   ($75) was paired and to me it was probably the best wine of the night. Big negative was trying to get a second pour. Finally the wine rep came around and brought new glasses and poured us another glass.  The waiters had said they were out of sparkling and took the original glasses off the table. To expect one glass per person was a bit short sighted on whom ever made that  decision.

A plate of Grilled Tiger Prawns, gooseberry sauce, poached pear, chicories (greens) and red pepper tuile was our first course. Prawns were very good. I did like the sauce, The wine selected was a 2016 California Chardonnay ($42). Way too oaky for me. Took one sip and set the glass aside. Others at the table loved it. To each their own. I like fruit in my wine not wood. 

Second course is a Roasted Pork Tenderloin, cherry demi sauce, morel mushrooms, charred onion and romanesco. Pork had good flavor but even though it was pink on the inside it was dry to me. Also needed a very tiny  sprinkle of salt. The morels were good but cold. All the food was on the cool side. By time it comes from the kitchen and eating outside in fall weather at the beach something is lost.  Paired with a 2016 Founders Reserve, Carneros, Pinot Noir ($82).  I was really disappointed with this wine. It had a "candy" taste to it, very light fruit and to me no body.  I couldn't get much on the front, mid or back palate.   If they were trying to make a Pinot in the style of Burgundy they missed their mark. Pinot is my favorite varietal so it's not like I haven't tasted a lot before.  Again others at the table thought it was great.

Main dish was a Pan Seared Duck Breast,  fig port wine reduction, celery root puree, chorizo, crisp brussels sprout leaves.  I was looking forward to this dish. The skin and fat underneath had not been rendered down enough and you could actually taste and see a layer of non rendered fat. Such a turnoff. I had one bite and had them pack it up to go. Delius and The Playground has such superior duck breast. Even Arte Cafe has better.,  A 2014 Reserve, Napa Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon ($230) was the wine selection. This wine was OK but for the price not too sure. I have had much better cabs at one sixth of the price of this one. It was NOT big and lush like Cabs usually are. I could get no tannins on it and at being only a 2014 there should  have been much more structure to it. Tannis soften with age but these had already shivelred up and gone home. Fruit should have popped but is stayed hidden. 

Dessert is a Honey and Thyme Pear Crumble, cranberry sauce, vanilla gelato, pear chip and toasted sliced almonds. This was a very pretty presentation and it was good Paired with a Rosa Lee Sweet Whim ($60). This wine is made from Petite Syrah, Petit Verdot, Zinfandel, Merlot and Chardonnay. Also wines from 2012 to 2015 were in this 2016 release. Finished in Cognac barrels. Not overly sweet but a rich wine. This and the sparkling were the highlights for me.

For the prices of these wines I had expected more. Apparently they just were not my style of wines. Food was better than the last time I was at the Watertable. Some flaws but on the whole a nice dinner. 

Valentino's and White Truffles

Wednesday, November 15, 2018

Long drive to Santa Monica, freeway was a crawl. Did get to Valentino's just a couple of minutes late. www.valentinosantamonica.com.  Joined Stan and Karen for dinner. This place has been on my bucket list forever. Very pricey but well worth it. 

Stan had ordered a 1990 Vietti Barolo off the wine list. Excellent choice. Since there was a bottle ordered from the restaurants wine list they did not charge us corkage for the other two bottles we brought. Corkage is $50 each.  Plus Stan being  a regular helps also. I brought a 2010 Kosta Browne, Russian River Valley, Pinot Noir and Stan & Karen contributed a 2008 Pol Roger, Blanc de Blanc Champagne.  All the wines found their place with the food dishes.

Started out with a plate of house made Parmesan Crisps. I make these at home but Valentino's obviously used a much better grade of Parm than I do. So thin and delicate.

Next was a Uovo Tartufo. House made sheet pasta wrapped around a very soft boiled egg with a delicate cream sauce and white truffles shaved over the top. Rich and decadent. The yolk just oozed out of the pasta when cut.

Then came the Risotto with white truffles. Perfectly cooked risotto, creamy and rich

Then onto the Tagliatelle with sauce and shaved white truffles. Excellent dish but we all agreed that the Risotto was the choice for us.

Our first non-truffle dish was an Grilled Octopus with squid ink infused Israeli couscous. Another excellent, rich dish.

Last we had a Mushroom Mousse. This is not on the menu. But they always have it if you know to ask for it. Rich mushroom mousse sitting on a pool of Saffron sauce. Perfect foil for the bread.

Valentino's flies their fresh pasta in every day from Italy. No wonder their prices are high.

All the food had high marks, all were extremely rich and I felt it.  I will be having soup for lunch tomorrow to balance myself out.  

After all these small plates we opted not to order a main course. No one could bring ourselves to eat anything more.

On the way out I saw a group in a side room.  I spotted Bennett that used to work for Wine County and then left to become a distributor. It was his high end wine group getting together. Made a quick stop to say hello. Nice to see him after several years.

Valentino's will be closing after a run of almost 50 years. Should happen in the next 4 to 5 months. But the owner will be opening a new place in Newport Beach next year. New name will be Louie's of Newport. Anxious to try it.

India Grill Recon

Tuesday, November 13, 2018

Time to help select the menu for Margie's January dinner at the India Grill.  www.ocindiuagrill.com. We have been here numerous times but it is always good to find something on the menu that we have not had before.  Tries several new items along with a few old ones. We will see what shows up on the January dinner menu.

But no dinner is without wine.  Nice selection tonight.

2016 Stolpman, Ballard Canyon, Rose

2010 Williams Selyem , Russian River Valley, Pinot Noir

2015 Schlossberg, Alsace Grand Cru, Riesling

2014 Longoria, Santa Ynez, Grenache

NV Nicolas Feuillatte, Brut Reserve, Champagne

All the wines were very good and all went well with the food dishes we selected.

Monthly Wine Dinner at Mitsuyoshi

Saturday, November 10, 2018

Margie's selection for her monthly wine dinner for November is Mitsuyoshi Japanese Restaurant. This is the third time we have been here.  www.mitsuyoshi-restaurant.com.  After last years issue with the group being separated into 5 tables she opted to limit the attendees and have our dinner is a small private room.

A large varied menu but again I opted for the Bento box. It has a bit of everything and I do like variety.  This is a large dinner so leftovers did go home with me.  It seemed like everyone had a different dish they ordered. No complaints from anyone on the food. Everyone seemed to be happy with their selections.

Big variety of wines including at least six bubblies. A few of the wines I thought did not blend themselves to Japanese food but to each their own.  I only tasted about half of what was brought.

A few of the standouts were the Williams Selyem, Dusky Goose and the Clos Pepe. But then I am partial to Pinots.

2015 Arbor Brook, OR, Vintners Select, Pinot Noir
2016 Ried Muhberg, Austria, Gruner Veltliner
NV Mio Sparkling Sake
2013 Dusky Goose, OR, Pinot Noir
2015 Dragonette, Santa Barbara, Sauvignon Blanc
NV Poema, Spain, Cava
NV Agrapart 7 Cru
2016 Hans Wirschimp, Silvaner
2014 Gainey, Chardonnay
2010 Wild Coyote, Paso Robles,  Zin Port
NV Gloria Ferrer, Sonoma, Brut
NV Roederer,. Brut
2005 Williams Seylem, Russian River Valley, Pinot Noir
2014 Clos Pepe, Sta Rita Hills, Sparkling Pinot Noir
2012 Clos Pepe, Sta Rita Hills, Pinot Noir

So this is the start of a very busy week for me. 4 dinners, 1 wine tasting, 1 Francois Chidaine brunch and a memorial service. Then the holidays kick in .  I will be busy posting for the next week or so       

Seafood Palace Lunch

Monday,  October 22, 2018

Henry called late last night and wanted to do lunch today.  Evan , his wife was having lunch with her lady friends so Henry could escape for a few hours. With her health issues they both have  a lot on their plates.

So only 3 of us today.   The Seafood Place has been bought out by a group that has several Chinese restaurants.  They were doing some remodeling in the area where they host large functions. Our dining area had been reconfigured and they had the beautiful drapes and the pink trees hanging with crystals in it.

Menu is till the same for the time being. It will change. Mai the server is still there but some of the other servers no longer are.

I do hope the bring back Dim Sum. We really miss it. We will wait and see.

Started off with the complimentary spicy, sour soup.  Then onto Garlic Shrimp with special soft, round noodles. Made like the lobster dish but Mai didn't recommend the lobster today.  Nice thing about having servers that like you. They will let you know if something is not up to snuff that day.

A dish of garlic sauteed scallops and orange beef were our other selections. Scallops were great. The beef was good but not quite the caliber it was last time.

I brought a 2013 Beringer, Napa, Quantum, A red wine blend of Cabernet, Merlot, Cab Franc, Malbec and Petite Syrah.. Hence the name Quantum because of the 5 grapes. It was very dark, big mouth feel, a bit of a zing to it. A nice wine.

The other two wines were a 2013 Acacia, Carneros, Pinot Noir and a 2016 Angeline, Reserve Pinot Noir.  These two wines balanced out the Quantum.

So we will see what happens in the next few weeks with the Seafood Palace. Do not know if there will be a name change,  or big menu change. Always wonder when a "chain" comes in. Granted they only own  a few other restaurants but the banner said something about "Diamond" group.. This place is so convenient for everyone to get too. Don't have to fight that traffic in Little Saigon. 

Dinner at 555 East Steak House

Wednesday, October 17, 2018

Time for a really good steak again. 5 of us tonight. Karen was ill, caught a bug in France so she stayed home. That left me with the guys. Reservations at 555 East in Long Beach.  www.555east.com.. Great steaks and best of all no corkage.  Sat at the same table as we did last time we were here. Quiet and out of the traffic pattern. CJ requested our server to be  Rachael and she was a gem and very wine wise.

Stan and I split the 23 ounce, 45 day dry aged bone in Rib Eye. Huge piece of meat. As it was I still took half of mine home.  Came with baked potato and baked tomato.  Added a side of sauteed spinach and I was set. Had a few mushrooms off of CJ's side dish.  This was one of the better steaks I have had. 

You pick your "aged" steaks off of a blackboard. They  "X" them out when ordered. Only a small number of them available each day. Sold by the ounce.  So this particular steak was close to $70. But it was worth it.

Wines were a mix but all exceptional.  I brought a 2008 Saxum, Paso Robles,  Broken Stones, Mainly Syrah, Big, jammy and paired well with the meat.

I also had a 2014 Clos Pepe, Sta. Rita Hills, Chardonnay. Needed a white to go with the oysters I had to whet my whistle while waiting for the steak to appear.  Had 2 each of the Bay Water, WA, Island Creek, MA and Coromandel from New Zealand. Island creek were the smallest of them. All good.

A 2008 Fallet Dart, Millesime, Champagne also helped with the oysters. Excellent champagne. A real find.

For dessert we ordered a cheese plate. This is not on their menu but the chef made it up for us.  We had a 2000 Taylor Fladgate Vintage Port to help us with this dish.  Very good port. Smooth and sexy. A real yummy wine.

Other wines on the table tonight are 2004 Conn Creek, Napa, Anthology, Red Blend. Very dark, fruity, velvet mouth feel and plush.

1997 Chateau Lynch Bages, Gran Cru, Pauillac. Light wine, medium dark fruit, soft tannins. 

 1997 Robert Mondavi, Napa Valley, Reserve, Cabernet Sauvignon. Very big wine, hearty nose, big dark fruit. 

2002 Flora Springs, Napa Valley, Holy Smoke Vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon. Medium nose, chocolate and leather.

So another great dinner at 555.   Will try and get another in before the end of the year.

Epicurean Wine Dinner at Arte Cafe

Tuesday, October 9, 2018

This was the first "Epicurean" wine dinner that Arte Cafe in Cerritos has done.  Wines came out of the owner/chefs private cellar. It was priced at $140 plus tax & tip which made it very price. The wines were the deciding factor to do this dinner.  Dinner was limited to 30 people. Festival seating. I was the first in my group to get there so I picked seats on the end of the table. Good choice.

We started out with  appetizers, cantaloupe wrapped with prosciutto , Ahi tuna with aoili on a crisp and grilled shrimp.  Served with a Caymus sparkling Conundrum. They very very generous in the pours. My glass was filled at least 4 times. So far the start of dinner is good.

First course is a Stuffed Cabbage Wrap with garlic noodles and lobster. Unusual dish, very good flavor, loads of lobster. There was a white sauce over it but it could have been a bit thicker. Looked a little on the very thin side.  Paired with a 2106 Starmont Sauvignon Blanc. Nice well balanced wine and not to acidic. A good pairing.

Second course is a Pan Seared Diver Scallop  Buckwheat Blini . Scallops were cut in thin slices and stacked with the buckwheat blini. A dollop of caviar on top. Scallops were cooked perfectly. Richard has a way with seafood.  Wine is a 2013 Kistler, Sonoma Coast, Chardonnay.  Kistler is known for oaky chardonnays and this was right in there. A few sips with the scallop and the rest went into Doug's glass.

Third dish of the night is a Seared Duck Breast with Foie Gras Butter. Duck was cooked correctly and the butter was an excellent touch to the meat.Dinner so far has been excellent. A 2013 Kistler, Russian River, Pinot Noir was the wine.  A good wine and showing well for 5 years old.

Fourth Course is a Trio of Mixed Grill Ribeye with a trio of Cabernets.  USDA Certified Prime, Wagyu and 30 Day Prime Aged Dry.  I was so looking forward to this dish and I was so disappointed. The 30 day aged had the best flavor. But to take such beautiful beef and overcook them is a sin. Not only were the pieces thin but hardly any color except gray on the inside.  They meat was on one long plate and the second long plate was for the accompaniments. First they came around with mashed potatoes, then a second trip for the creamed spinach and a third trip for green beans. By time the beef came everything else was luke warm.  This dish and presentation were so far off. But the wines were good. A 1999 Napanook,  second label of Dominus, 2004 Stags Leap, Fay Vineyard and a 1996 Far Niente.  All quite good but the Far Niente was a show stopper.

Dessert is a House made fresh berry crepe with Grand Marnier cream. Light and a nice touch to a heavy meal.  Big mistake was serving it with a "Epicurean" Lowland Blended Scotch.  They picked this because of the name to go with the dinners name. Was not a good scotch. It was rough.

Pros and cons on this dinner. Wine was great. most of the dishes were also. Beef was not to my liking at all. Not sure if it was worth the money  compared to other wine dinners I do. Will have to really think about it if they do another. Richard is a genius with seafood, duck and lamb but he falls way short when it comes to beef.

Jagerhaus for Oktoberfest

Saturday, October 6, 2018

For Octobers dinner Margie picked out the Jagerhaus in Anaheim. www.jagerhaus.net. The restaurant has been there for 38 years and this was a first time for me.  An extensive menu and they are open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. 13 of us tonight in a  semi-private area. Plenty of room for all of our paraphernalia.  Stuart walked in in his Lederhosen  which just added to the Oktoberfest feel.  Almost all the wines were either German or German grapes.

We started out with the appetizers. I chose the Goulash soup which was quite good. Just the right amount of spice to it.  For my dinner I had looked at the menu online so I could make a quick selection. Anything more than 3 items I have a hard time making a selection.   Chose the braised rabbit with red cabbage and spatzli.   Rabbit was cooked nicely. 3 large pieces. The red cabbage had just the right amount of sour to it. Took most of the dinner home since I had the soup which filled me up.  Opted for Apple Strudel for dessert. Good flavor but I do like my strudel with a bit more crust. A couple of people opted for the Elk and raved about it. Non adventurous people had the sausages. Safe selection for them

Nice dinner in a interesting atmosphere.  Close to Disneyland and the Phoenix Club which is a German social club. 

I brought a 2009 Huber, Sta Rita Hills, Dornfelder. California winemaker but German grapes. Norman brought them over from Germany when he bought the property in the Sta. Rita Hills area of Lompoc when he came to the United States.  I also had a 2014 Huber "Hafen" which is a port like wine made from the Dornfelder grape.  Can't use the word port to describe the wine in California so he chose Hafen  which means port in German.  These are both dark, rich, heavy flavored wines.

Other wines brought.

2011 Erbacher Marcobrunn, Riesling Kabinett. A bit on the sweet side
2009 Rosenhof, Gruner Veltliner, Ice wine - rich but not nearly as sweet as the Riesling
2014 Windstream, Chardonnay - did not taste
2016 Dr. Heideman's Bergweiler, Rielsing - did not taste
2017 Hart Winery, Temecula Valley, Arneis - did not taste
2010 Gloria Ferrer, Anniversary Cuvee, Sparkling - very nice, clean wine. Used to toast Paul & Margie on their 47th wedding anniversary
NV, Henkell, Germany, Brut Sparking - I like this wine, a very refreshing quality to it
NV Relax Bubbles, Germany, dry sparkling - another clean tasting sparkling
2017 Villa Wolf, Germany, Pinot Gris - typical Pinot Gris but not off putting to me as some of the gris are
2013 Bercker Brekheimer, Spatburgunder - did not taste
2006 Dr. Heidemanns, Dornfelder - much lighter in color, viscosity and flavor than the Sta Rita Hills Dornfelder
2016 Dr. Heidemanns, Riesling - did not taste
2015 Meyer-Nakel, Spatburgunder - typical German Pinot, light in color and tatste
2014 Trimbach. Gewurztraminer - nice fruity, spicy white
2015 Brooks, sparkling Riesling - I believe from Oregon, interesting wine

Next month we are off to a Japanese restaurant that Margie has chosen for Novembers dinner. 

Marchesi de Barolo Wine Dinner at Michaels on Naples

Wednesday, September 26, 2018

Two dinners scheduled today by Chianina and Michaels on Naples. Owned by the same person so you would think that scheduling would be better.  We opted for dinner at Michaels
tonight. www.michaelsonnaples.com.  Better menu and we have done Stags Leap before which is the winery Chianina was featuring.  Valentina Abbona who is with Marchesi de Barolo wines in Italy was hosting. She is part of the family. Apparently the town that the winery is there are only 700 people. Probably all family since it is Italy.

Started out with Branzino de Sale.  Salt baked Mediterranean sea bass. Very good flavor, fish was moist and cooked perfectly. Unfortunately I had one fish bone in the flesh and another at the table had several.   Paired with a 2016 Gavi di Gavi. Wine was perfect with the dish

The Antipasti was Vitello Tonnato which is a  roasted and chilled veal loin with tuna sauce and caper berries. The sauce was interesting and really accented the veal loin. The large caper berry on top. One person at the table had never eaten a caper berry before. New experience for them. Similar to a green olive flavor but different texture. A 2016 Barbera D'Alba "Ruvei" was the wine selection. Not you typical rustic wine. I really liked this one. Full, rich and very easy drinking.

Third course is Agnolotti Del Plin, which is a beef stuffed pasta with veal reduction and fried sage.  Outstanding flavor and the  reduction was rich and loaded with flavor.  This was my dish of the night. Wine paired was a 2014 Barbaresco. This wine was a bit on the rustic side. Dark fruit and a bit of spice. 

Intermezzo is a Anatra Trio. Liberty Farms duck three ways. roasted breast, confit duck leg and duck  neck panzarotto which was similar to a croquette.  I liked this dish but it did not hold a candle to the stuffed pasta we just had.  Three wines were served. 20121 Barolo "Cannubi", 2011 Barolo, "Coste di Rose" and a 2011 Barolo "Sarmassa". All good but when I got down to just a small amount in each glass and blended them together I was pleasantly surprised at how good that blend was.

Next dish is Brasato Di Manzo. Barolo braised short rib with polenta and escarole.  I though the short rib was a bit on the dry side. Good flavor. The polenta was really good,  very creamy. Paired with a 2013 Barolo.  Excellent wine. Big and bold but soft on the tannins.

Dessert is a Torta Di Nocciola. Hazelnut cake with gianduia gelato. Gelato was outstanding but the cake was a bit dry but have really good favor. The wine is a NV Barolo Chinato. Almost medicinal. I wasn't taken with this wine at all.

Favorites tonight is the beef stuffed pasta and the Barbera wine.  Haven't been to Michaels for dinner in quite some time. Ever since he opened Chianina I have preferred their food.  But this was such a good dinner I may have to revisit soon.

Villa Maria Wines at Arte Cafe

Tuesday, September 25, 2018

Another sold out dinner at Arte Cafe.  Food has improved here quite a bit  .Villa Maria wine is from New Zealand and Helen Morrison the winemaker was hosting,  They did give away 3 bottles for door prizes which is something that Richard insists on for his customers. 

Started out with a reception outside in the patio area.  They served Octopus Ceviche and Grilled New Zealand mussels with a garlic, shallot butter.  Both items were good. The octopus was tender and the the mussels had very good flavor. Not quite as good as the Price Edward Island mussels at the Playground but this was a New Zealand wine dinner so I guess it is best to have their mussels also  These tidbits were served with a 2017 Sparkling Sauvignon Blanc.  Had a very "limey" taste to it. Was refreshing.

First course is a Home Smoked Scottish Salmon in a butter lettuce cup and an avocado aioli. Salmon had excellent flavor, moist and tender and I really got into that avocado aioli. The lettuce cup was decoration to me. I suppose I could have mixed the salmon with the lettuce for a faux salad but I felt that it was a waste of salmon.  Paired with a 2017 Cellar Selection Sauvignon Blanc. From the Marlborough, Hawkes Bay area.  I did like this sau blanc. It was not your typical New Zealand, overly grassy, over acidic and cat pee Sau Blanc.

Next we have a Stuffed Quail with Wild Rice Stuffing, Pinot reduction and a potato puree. The menu said broccoli puree but that is not what we got. I would had preferred a vegetable puree in lieu of potato which to me was bland.  Quail was nice. moist, good flavor and no buckshot. I remember cleaning quail and having to really search for the buckshot before cooking. One bite on a piece of metal and your teeth are gone.  A 2014 Taylors Pass, Marlborough, Pinot Noir was the wine selection. Hints of dark fruit, a little chocolate. This was my favorite wine of the night. I am partial to Pinots. 

Third course is a New Zealand (naturally) Lamb Chop. Three chop cut. with a Chimicuhuri Sauce and Tumeric roasted sweet potatoes and roasted cauliflower. Lamb was excellent, cooked perfectly for me, nice and red . The sauce was very good. I would not have thought to do a chimicuhimi sauce with lamb but it was perfect. The sweet potatoes had really good flavor with the Turmeric, another blending that I would never had thought of. Paired with a 2009 Private Bin Merlot- Cabernet Sauvignon. Nice wine, good structure, velvet in the mouth. Perfect with the lamb.

Dessert is a Fresh Berry parfait infused  with Frangelico Hazelnut liqueur. Strawberries and blueberries. Light after a heavy meal.

The bread served tonight was a Foccacia  which is a first. Normally it is plain dinner rolls.

Richard seemed to outdo himself on this dinner. Everyone was saying how he upped his game. Hope he keeps it going.

French Bistro Dinner at The Playground

Wednesday, September 19, 2018

Been many months since I was at the Playground.  www.playgrounddtsa.com.  At least Jason recognized me when I rushed in.  I usually give my self 90 minutes to get to downtown Santa Ana from work. Today was a nightmare. Took me 40 minutes to where it usually takes 20 minutes. Very heavy truck traffic. By really pushing through 3 yellow lights I was able to pick up some time. I was about 12 minutes late getting there. But they were 4 of people that came in later than I did. At least I wasn't holding up the show.

This is a 13 course dinner.  Jason took a picture of his working menu for me so I didn't have to continually write everything down. They had an 8:00 dinner tonight also so I couldn't take the menu home.  No one knows what they will be eating at the Playground  except for the general theme of the dinner. Everything is a surprise. I like it because I do not have to make decisions.  Everything is made in house.

We started out with a cocktail made with cognac, vermouth, plum, lemon and sparkling rose wine.
This was so good. I could have drank numerous glasses of it.

Then the housemade brioche bun with housemade butter. They come fresh and straight from the oven. They really have their timing down to a science here.

A salad Lyonnaise was next.  Greens with warm bacon vinaigrette , fingerling potatoes confit & chips, azark egg and pickled shallots. To die for. Dressing was not acidic at all . Just a nice warm taste. A 2017  Cassis was paired with this dish.

A roasted baby beet, red & yellow, marinated in shallot oil,  Vadouvin aioli, goat cheese, orange, hazelnut, mint. Another dish that I could have eaten a lot of. But you learn to pace yourself at these dinners. 

A huge bowl of Price Edward Island Mussels with an absolutely wonderful sauce was set down in front of us. These were the best mussels I have ever had. Tender, succulent and great flavor.

A 2015 Vinealis Pouilly Fume was the next wine poured.

Fish en pappiotte, wild mushrooms (4 kinds), green beans, lemon, thyme and butter. White fish baked in parchment paper. So delicate.

A creamed corn souffle with grueye cheese. Just a large spoonful was enough. It is so rich.

Moules frites, creme fraiche-dijon -white wine sauce, shallot, garlic, chives aioli. French fries never tasted so good.

A 2016 Domaine Y. Clerget, Meursault was the next wine selection. 

Melted leeks, garlic sabayon and buckwheat . Unusual combination but again so good.

Grilled pork belly (my favorite) au poivre. Tender and succulent 

A Crozes Hermitage was the first red wine. A very nice syrah.

Braised short rib, pommes puree. The potatoes were so smooth and creamy. Loaded with butter. Meat was extremely tender and had such good flavor.

Roasted baby vegetables, carrots, turnips and pearl onions. I was getting full and I knew we had dessert coming so I did pass on this dish.

2007 Chateau Pradeaux Bandol. 10 years in oak before bottling. Still had noticeable tannins. 

Now the desserts.

Baked Camembert, apple compote drizzled with salted caramel,  A apricot financier drizzled with white chocolate and Pot du creme, raspberries marinated in raspberry syrah and chantily. They make their own syrup.  I don't remember much except it is in a plastic bag that they warm the raspberries in and it creates a syrup that they drain off.

Last wine is a 2015 Domiane de la Taille Aux Loups, Montlouis Sur Loire Moelleux.  Not overly sweet and paired very well with all the desserts. 

I have never had a bad dish here at the Playground. They are stellar cooks and take great pride in putting forth the best food they can. Nothing is ever scrimped regarding quality. This type of dining is not for everyone. If you are picky or have allergies these prix fixe dinners are not for you. Never do they make substitutions.  If you fall into that category then there is the main restaurant that you can dine at. You sit at a long bar that seats 18 people on the higher bar stools. They have done a bit of renovation lately but the set up is the same. These are not inexpensive dinners , $175 to $200 but it is inclusive. You purchase a ticket on line. No refunds. If something happens and you cannot attend then give your ticket to someone who can.  For what you get, quality, numerous courses and beverages and a good "show" put on by the chefs it is well worth it. 

K'ya Bistro Happy Hour

Monday,  September 17, 2018

Took a drive down the coast to meet Susan at the K'ya Bistro in the La Casa del Camino Hotel in Laguna Beach.  www.kyabistro.com.  Traffic was decent at 4:00 in the afternoon. Took about an hour to get there.  The ocean was perfect today, blue and green and not that dingy, dirty color it is at times. Emerald Bay was gorgeous.  I have not been down this far on the coast in numerous years. Traffic is usually the biggest issue.

The hotel is very old . At least 60 to 70 years old or more. Mainly a "Spanish" style. Needs a lot of updating. Had a great rooftop bar where you could get hard liquor. The bar downstairs was strictly beer and wine.

Happy hour is from 5:00 to 6:00 everyday. 50% all food purchases. This was Susan's selling point.  Very limited wine list. The list in the restaurant was much smaller than the online list. They need to update their website.

I ordered a White Sangria and it was a nice drink. Nothing on the wine list appealed to me.

I started out with Salmon Toast. Two came on the plate. Sourdough toast with a nice thin piece of cured salmon with capers, shallots and Dijon. Also had the obligatory micro greens on top which I proceeded to get rid of. They look good in a picture but a real pain to eat. This was very good but I am sure happy I only ordered one other dish. Very filling.

Next I had Steak Tartare with capers, shallots and Dijon Aioli.  Came with 4 small slices of sourdough. The tartare was nice but not spectacular. Nothing wrong with it but.  Any way too much bread. Between the salmon toast and this bread it is overkill for me.

For dessert I had a "Bite". One chocolate truffle, about the size of a very large walnut. Too big to handled with your fingers (also messy) bit it was difficult to cut into fork size pieces. It was good but I have had better. Maybe I should have opted for another dessert, Perhaps sorbet. 

But the pricing was great.  The Sangria was $12. The salmon toast came to $3 and the tartare was $3.50. The "bite" was .50 cents. A real bargain. Too bad it filled me up otherwise I was interested in trying their short rib taco.

Susan outdid me in the food department. She had the Avocado Toast,  Warm Brie with berries, almonds and Pita bread, Tapenade with feta garlic and Naan bread, Citrus salad with orange, cranberries, fennel, parmesan cheese, almonds and white balsamic. She topped it with a peanut crunch bite. 

It was a trek to drive here. I might do it again but not on heavy traffic days, which leaves out the summer time.  I am not much for driving the coast highway too much past Newport blvd. Roads narrow and traffic is obscene. 

Italian Wine At Arte Cafe

Thursday, September 13, 2018

Mike Levine from Southern Wines and Spirits was the wine rep tonight. Saw Mike last week at Michael's which was the first time in over a year so we have caught up.  Richard the chef/owner at Arte prepared Italian dishes tonight to compliment the wines.  Not quite as sold out as the last two dinners but this was a region of wine and not a specific label.  People are very influenced by labels and not all the times for the best. But it is what it is.  

We started out with a Calamari salad with cranberries and lemon aioli.  The greens were brussell sprout leaves. Leaves had been cooked slightly and then blanched to keep the color. I found it a very likable green for a salad. Calamari rings were lightly battered and deep fried and the lemon aioli was very good with a nice tang  and diced green apples add a crunchy, slightly sweet element.  A very refreshing 2017 Feudi di San Gregorio, Falanghina was paired with the salad. This wine grape originated in Greece. Has a pear, apple note with a bit of spice.

Second course is a Flatbread with spicy Italian sausage, tomatoes and greens. Flavor was good but trying to cut the flatbread was impossible. It also was very awkward to try and pick it up because of the size.  So I ate the sausage. A 2015 Feudi di San Gregorio,  Rubrato Aglianico was the wine. Went well with the spiciness of the dish. Agliancio is an interesting grape. Black fruits, figs, almost a smoke tinge to it. 

Next is a Petite Filet Florentina with Italian roasted purple and white potatoes, green beans, cauliflower and broccoli. Beef was a good cut and had good flavor. Richard redeemed himself with this beef dish. He is not known for doing beef well.  Paired with a 2015 Gaja Ca Marcanda Promis, 55% merlot, 35%  syrah and 10% sangiovese. A good pairing and the wine had black fruit, licorice and some spice to to it. A young wine but seems to be very well balanced.

Dessert is a version of pecan pie with  a raspberry sauce. Not overly sweet. Served with a 2015 Il Poggione, Rosso de Montalcino. Slighty sweet but not overpowering.  100% Sangiovese. This wine is on Wine Spectators 2017 Top Wine list so someone at the table bought it for out tasting later this month.

A good dinner for the price.  Next one at Arte Cafe will be Villa Maria. This winery seems to making the rounds of restaurants  right now.

Fuego Restaurant at The Maya

Saturday, September 8, 2018

This was Margie's pick for her September dinner. www.fuegolongbeach.com. We have been here several times before. Always seems to be a change in management so it does become difficult for Margie to have continuity in a relationship with staff.  When we got to the restaurant they had us set up at a table that was angled away from the view and in the sun. So what is the point of sitting outside if there is no view. And wine bottles in the sun is a real no no.  The staff finally set up another table which was better but not nearly as inviting as the tables we have had in the past.

Weather was perfect for dining al freso. It had been warm during the day but was perfect for the evening.

In order to get a good price it is almost a prix fixe menu. Choice of soup or salad. 3 choices for a main and 2 choices for dessert.. This was set up as $50 per person plus tax and  mandatory 18% gratuity for larger groups.

Chips, salsa, bread and butter were in abundance on the table. I refrained from any of it so I would not fill up before dinner.

I selected the salad which was greens with chili dusted pecans, goat cheese,  heirloom tomatoes and cilantro (which I do not eat). Fuji apples and a creamy chipotle dressing. Salad was good but half way through eating they are bringing out the mains. It was like they were trying to rush you through dinner. The restaurant was not that busy and a lot of empty tables so I have no reason why the big rush.

I picked the salmon for my main by default. The other choices were chicken which I very rarely order in restaurants. I eat too much at home and for lunches. And flank steak which I am not a big fan of.
The salmon was OK - I don't know if it was wild caught but I would guess it was farm raised. It was moist for the most part, a tad dry in some areas. Quinotto, arugula , citrus zest, roasted almonds ( never saw them) dried cherries (one) parsley, zathar, brussel sprouts, cauliflower and lemon aioli (did not taste the aioli at all) .  The dish was OK but nothing to write home about.

Dessert was the saving grace. I chose the Chocolate Trio, rounds of  bitter sweet chocolate, milk and white chocolate, stacked with granache icing and raspberry sauce. This was very good.

The food here at Fuego is a take on South American cuisine. For the most part I have been happy with prior selections. Just did not do much for me this year

We had an odd selection of wines.  I brought a 2012 Loring, Garys Vineyard, Pinot Noir which was showing OK, not great like I thought it should be. And a 2014 Tercero, Verbiage Blanc which was a white Rhonde blend. Normally I am not into white rhone grapes but Larry made a really nice wine. It went well with the salad and the salmon.  I also had a 2011 Clos Pepe, Sparkling Brut Rose of Pinot Noir but it was about 6 months past prime.  I had the waiter dump it.

2013 Frank Family, Carneros, Pinot Noir - nice on the light side as most Carneros Pinots are
2012 Carol Shelton, Zinfandel - new winery for me - ok wine
2012 Terra Noble, Chile Cabernet Sauvignon - can't remember if I tasted this or not
NV Bonaval, Spain, Cava Brut - a nice sparkling, light and refreshing
2017 Longoria, Clover Creek Vineyard, Albarino - this wine was very good - you can never go wrong with a Longoria Albarino.
2011 Tablas Creek, Espitit de Tables  - did not taste
2014 Cowhorn, Marsanne/Rousenne blend - did not taste
2015 Mi Jueno, Chardonnay - too much butter
2015 Ken Brown, Sanford & Benedict, Pinot Noir - very good wine but Ken Browns wine always are
NV, 14 Hands, Columbia Valley Brut Rose - again a nice light refreshing sparking
2015 Brooks, Willamette Valley, Pinot Noir - typical light Pinot
2016 Cakebread, Napa, Sauvignon Blanc - did not taste

Lunch at Seafood Palace

Monday, September 3, 2018

Busy day today at the Seafood Palace. www.seafoodpalacerestaurant.com.  Holiday lunch crowd. Only 4 of us today but we had a really obscene time.

Started out with the spicy sour soup. Not much spice today. Must be a different chef.

A dish of sautéed white fish with garlic green beans was our first selection. White fish was very succulent and just the right amount of garlic on the beans.

Next we had garlic scallops. Lightly breaded and deep fried. Scallops were cooked perfectly.

Henrys favorite dish, fat noodles with beef and vegetables. Always a hit

New dish for us at the Seafood Palace. Orange beef. Nice tender pieces of fried beef with orange peel. I really liked this dish. Just the right amount of orange flavor. We will be ordering this again.

Last dish was Honey Walnut Shrimp. Shrimp were very succulent and tender. Nice amount of honey sauce with the candied walnuts. Some of the best Honey Walnut Shrimp around. Large shrimp and loads of sauce.

I brought a 2010 Pisoni, Santa Lucia Highlands, Pinot Noir. Good wine. Will go several more years. I also brought the leftover bottle of 2014 Tercero Outlier that I took to Nayada Saturday night.

Other wines were a 2016 Lucien Crochet Sancerre. Someone else brought this same wine to Saturday night. It went beautifully with the seafood. 2014 Stolpman, Ballard Canton Estate Syrah. This is the flagship wine of Stolpman Vineyards and always a winner.  2014 Black Stallion, Napa Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon. Good wine but I am not familiar with the winery nor am I a Cab fan.

Nayada Thai Restaurant

Saturday, September 1, 2018

Have not been to Nayada in quite awhile.  Seven of us tonight - mixed group. No set menu so it was a free for all in ordering.  I just went with the flow.  I will say I was disappointed in several of the dishes.  Not sure if it was the quality of the food or the dishes selected.  I found that I preferred the selection of appetizers over the main dishes and they were not all my favorites either

We started out with Garlic Wings which were very good. and Deep Fried Calamari.  These to me were the best of night.  The Spring Rolls are all veggies but way too much cucumber and lettuce for me. I had two bites out of mine and left it.   Golden Bags which is pastry filled with a pork mixture and deep fried. OK but.  Fried tofu - small sticks of tofu deep fried, too small so you did not get the good taste of the tofu. The last three did nothing for me.

Bear in mind there are numerous people ordering the mains. 

Crab Fried Rice - I personally though it was awful. I found it dry, no flavor  and the crab tasted old to me.

Beef with noodles and vegetables - again not a memorable dish - nothing bad but nothing really good.

Scallops with vegetable - scallops were tender and decent flavor but all these vegetables seem to be coming out of the same pot.

Then there was a dish of "Vegetables" which had way to much "heat" for me. The burn from it lasts way to long. I had one bite and that threw my palate off.  And besides we had vegetables with two other dishes.

Apparently there was a dish of yellow curry - it never got to me - I did see it in someone's hands at one time .

I fill up fast at my advance age so I wasn't hungry after the appetizers so having mediocre food didn't make much difference to me. But this dinner was not the best I have had a Nayada. I don't think it was the restaurant as much as the selections people made. Everything was too much alike. And I really missed the deep fried catfish and the Tom Yum Soup. I supposed I could have ordered those dishes but we had enough food that leftovers were taken home.

The wines brought seemed to be all over the place also.

I brought a NV Bernard Bremont, Ambonnay Brut, Grand Cru. It was going downhill. Still barely drinkable.  I need to start culling out my older sparklings and whites.  I also brought a 2014 Tercero, Outlier, a dry Gerwurztraimer. This wine always pairs well with spicy food.

2016 Lucien Crochet Sancerre - very good

2014 Domaine Schlumberger, Alsace, Grand Cru Riesling - very good

2016 Ried Mohlberg, Austria, Gruner Veltliner - very good

2012 Martinelli, Sonoma Coast, Pinot Noir - very good

NV Celebration, France, Brut Sparkling - very good

Orlana, Portugal, Rose - not my favorite - way to " strawberry fields forever " sweet for me

2015 Ferrari-Carrano, Siena (red blend) - not impressed

The hit of the evening was a 1992 Bollinger, Grand Annee, Brut Champagne - excellent wine

PS

I forgot in my post about Trefethen. They gave all of us a small gift bag that had a stopper and foil cutter in it. There is a card but I did not open and read what it said yet.  Nice touch.

Trefethen Wines at Chianina

Wednesday, August 22, 2018

What better way to celebrate my fathers birth, 111 years ago than to have a great wine dinner. He would be proud.

I have missed the last 2 wine dinners at Chianina due to prior commitments. I was surprised at all the new staff. A few hold overs but new people. Way more female wait staff than before. And Michael Dene the owner was no where around. He usually pops in at these wine dinners and makes the rounds.  Makes you wonder what is in the air.  I have noticed at a couple other dining establishments that there seems to be a big turnover in staff the last few months.

We started out with a Tagliatelle with Dungeness crab, Meyer lemon and fine herbs. This dish was my favorite of the evening. Loads of flavor, light lemon and the pasta was perfect. Paired beautifully with a 2017 Trefethen, Napa, Dry Rielsing.  Just a hint of sweetness. I really liked this wine, Judy thought it was too dry.

Second course is a Tasmanian Ocean Trout with smoked trout rillette and grilled summer squash. Tasmanian ocean trout looks like salmon and has the same consistency in the flesh. The squash was very small "buttons" of yellow and zucchini and a puree of squash poured onto the side of the dish. Flavors blended well. The wine is a 2016 Trefethen, Napa, Chardonnay. My favorite again - too damm oaky for me. The fattiness of the fish did help cut the oak. But again we had to listen to the rep tell us how fabulous butter, vanilla and oak are in Chardonnay. I drank the wine with the food but I would never drink a glass of this by its self.

Next is a Superior Farm Lamb, a piece of loin and a piece of "lamb belly". Top fat and meat underneath like pork belly. It was good. Served with Romano wax beans and Greek yogurt. I had part of this dish and had it packed to go.  We have steak coming up and I am starting to fill. A 2015 Trefethen, Napa, Cabernet Sauvignon was the selection. A nice cab for a cab. It was a good pairing.

Fourth course is a Filet of Chianina Beef, creamed corn, summer truffle and roasted new potatoes. Perfect piece of beef. I originally thought I would take part of this dish home but decided I needed to savor that meat so I forced myself. So glad I did because the something would be lost in the translation if I reheated this dish.  Paired with a 2015 Trefethen, Napa, Dragons Tooth, a bordeaux grape blend.  My favorite wine of the evening.  Very balanced, velvet on the mouth, dark fruit, low tanins. A very nice drinking wine.

Thankfully the dessert was light and small. A scoop of housed made Apricot sorbet. Very creamy and a light apricot flavor. Perfect ending to the meal.

I  outdid myself lately,  in 12 days I have had 6 wine dinners and a wine tasting.  I can rest for a bit. I will say it was getting to be slightly over whelming. I have had so much rich food that I think a few days of soup is in order.  Only one more event in August then we will see what September brings beside dinner at Nayada, Fuego and The Playground.

Summer Wine Tasting at Arte Cafe

Tuesday, August 21, 2018

Arte Cafe in Cerritos hosted their 16th Annual Summer Wine Tasting today.  After doing these tastings numerous times over the years I have seen a big drop off in the number of distributors participating.  Looked to me that there were approximately 8 tonight.

The quality of wines are not there either. Mostly lower end in the $10 to $25 range.  A few in the $40 to $50 but not many.  I was not taken by most of them.  Another big drawback is that if you are interested in buying then it is by the case only and that is not a mixed case either.  I am not interested in buying a case of any one wine.  The rep's kept talking about how much cheaper the pricing was in relation to the store pricing but at the store I can buy one or two bottles and be done with it.

The passed appetizers were very good, spring rolls, deep fried mozzarella sticks, fried tofu cubes, chicken salad on cucumber rounds,  cheese stuffed potstickers, chicken on skewers, prime rib on toast rounds.  And they were very good about bringing them out of the kitchen regularly. 

It was nice weather and the event was held outside so it made for a pleasant evening. Plenty of chairs for sitting and a duo playing music. Approximately 40 wines and food for $35. A bargain.

Saxon Brown Wines at Taste in Long Beach

Sunday,  August 20, 2018

Sold out dinner at Taste in Long Beach. www.taste-wbk.com.  Small restaurant holds maybe 36 people.  Saxon Brown is a new winery for me. In the Sonoma area.  Jeff the owner, winemaker and jack of all trades was in attendance.  The name Saxon Brown came from a female character in a Jack London novel "The Valley of The Moon".

Interesting evening. One person at my table became ill and had to leave. An elderly lady sitting at the family style table slid off her chair/stool and landed on the ground She seemed to have partially pass out. It was hotter than normal tonight inside and I had asked them to crank up the air because of the stale air. Perhaps the stagnant air that was the cause of both incidences.

We started out with a Savory Fig Tart,. goat cheese mousse, toasted hazelnuts, local honey and vanilla vinaigrette. This was damm good. Interesting combination.  Paired with a 2012 "Fighting Brothers" Semillon.  Good wine, a bit too cold at the beginning but really blossomed as it warmed a bit. A little on the "sweet" side but it was a perfect pairing.

Second course is a Shrimp Bisque with Poached Lobster, crispy pancetta, tarragon, Joelle olive oil. Just wish I had a large tureen of this instead of a bowl. A 2012 "Green Acres Hill" Chardonnay was the choice. Way to oaky for me. Not my preference in Chardonnays

Third course is a House Smoked Pork Tenderloin, market plum sauce, Grist & Toll polenta, arugula salad. Removed the rabbit food from the top. Flavors were very good, pork was tender and moist but I like my pork with a pink color inside. The wine was excellent. a 2013 Ferrington Vineyard Pinot Noir. Best wine of the evening.  Balanced, dark cherry and dark fruits, soft tannins,  velvety mouth feel.

Next we had a Lamb Shoulder Ragu, pappardelle pasta, tomato-red wine sauce, pearl onions, bacon.  Good home cooking style flavors, Pasta was perfect. I had a few bites and had them box it up for me. Will eat the rest for lunch tomorrow. Paired with a 2009 Parmelee-Hill Camp Block Syrah. Nice wine but it didn't knock my socks off.

Dessert was strangely good. A Spiced Chocolate Cake with summer berries, fresh bay leaf ice cream and zinfandel syrup. The chef has a bay leaf tree in his  yard and these were fresh from that tree. Way better flavor than those dried things in the stores. An odd combination that worked really well together.  A 2013 "Fighting Brothers" Zinfandel was the wine. Went extremely well with the spiced cake.

Another good dinner at Taste. They will not have another wine dinner until the end of the year because of the wine grape harvest coming up. Winemakers are busy at that time of the year. Taste always likes to have the owner or winemaker in attendance. Not just a rep.