Tuesday, January 29, 2019
I missed the first wine tasting event that Table 301 did last month so I was anxious to attend this one. www.Table301bistro.com. This is Dave & Louise's new restaurant that they opened after closing Delius. Located in downtown Long Beach which is now one of my preferred areas is one of the reasons I have not supported them much since the opening. I did drive around the area because I had time to kill. Nothing much has changed. It still looks scuzzy no matter how much money the city dumps into it. Constant road construction. It seems to never end. They do one thing then decide months later they don't like it and change things again.
Had trouble leaving the parking garage. It took my ticket but would not take my credit card to pay. Tried to use 5 different cards and none worked. So I backed up and let the person behind me go ahead. Wouldn't take his card either. Security had to be called. A man walked by and I told him what was happening and all he said "well this is Long Beach". Sad situation.
Table 301 Bisto is located at the end of the Pomenade at 3rd St. Two large outdoor seating areas. One has a huge fire pit and a stage where they have live music. Way too noisy for me. This is a younger persons venue. Metal chairs which I dislike, hard surfaces which does not help the acoustics.
The wine tasting was held outside on the front patio area. Two large overhead heaters kept the place decent but I could still feel the breeze. Had to keep my jacket on all evening. Food was served family style and the seating was family style also. 9 people at our combine tables. Food was brought out and shared. That is too many people at one table to pass a pizza around too. I found it chaotic. We had 3 courses for 3 wines. First round was rose's & whites. All the food was brought out when we were on the first wine. This was a timing issue. We were expected to drink up before they poured the second wine. That does not work for me. I and several others did end up with 3 glasses so that helped but that is the way is should have been set up to begin with. The pours were good size.
The food was good. Much better with this new chef. But nowhere the caliber of Delius in its heyday.
Hill Family Estate has 1,000 acres planted but sell of about 98% of their grapes to well known labels. Keep a very small amount to put their own label on. Wes Kohler is the rep. Haven't seen him since the Stolpman dinner at Taste last year.
We started out with three wines. Hill Family Rose, Albarino and Carly's Cuvee Chardonnay. The chard was a bit oaky and I dumped it. The Rose was OK but not stellar but the Albarino was wonderful. I thought it ended up being the best wine of the night.
The three dishes that were served with this trio of wines were Pacific Gold Oysters, Shrimp Risotto and Mushroom Pizza. The oysters were good and decent size. 2 per person but I did end up with 2 extra because of people not liking raw oysters. But they had small slices of lime in a small bowl to squeeze on them. 5 pieces for 9 people. That does not make sense. A slice per person.
The Risotto was very good, the shrimp were fresh and succulent. But not enough in the bowl for 9 people, The size should have been for 4. I ended up with about a third of a cup of rice and one shrimp.
The Mushroom Pizza and about 10 to 12 inches in diameter. The slices were cut very thin. About an inch at the outer edge. No way should this be for 9 people. Pizza was good but that did not make up for not enough.
The next trio of wines poured were Hill Family, Barrel Blend which consisted of 8 red varietals, Beau Terre Vineyard Merlot and Clarke Vineyard Syrah. All good wines but nothing knocked my socks off.
The trio of food was Lamb Cavatelli, Pizza Diavola and Shortribs.
The Lamb Cavatelli was excellent. Good flavor. Again small serving. The Pizza Diavola was made with spring garlic, calabrese salami, stracciatella and green onions. Very good flavors but again very small serving. The Short Ribs had a sweet chili glaze and Asian Pear Slaw. This was the best dish of the night. The glaze was perfect on the meat. I did end up with a whole short rib because the others were not into it.
This family style serving of food only works if there is enough food for everyone to get a decent portion. When a few take a lot the rest get less. We had originally had a table for four but pushed it together with the next table of five because the food came out for the nine of us. It would have been so much better to have the family style dishes proportioned for each table. This was a Tuesday night. The kitchen wasn't that busy so it would have taken a little bit more effort to do it correctly but not that much more effort. They know ahead of time how many people at each table. It is all about portioning.
Table 301 is doing another tasting next month. I have reservations that night for the Playground so I will not be attending. But my dining companions tonight plan on going. Hopefully this kink with the food dishes will be worked out. I was told at last months wine tasting they had so much food that the restaurant actually took a loss. So the restaurant upped the price but cut back on portions. That apparently did not work out either. Maybe the third attempt will be the saving grace.
Wednesday, January 30, 2019
Thursday, January 24, 2019
East Meets West Wine Dinner at Arte Cafe
Wednesday, January 23, 2018
Interesting concept for tonight's dinner. Asian style food with wines from the west, CA, OR & WA. Again a full house. More thought tonight on the table settings. White tablecloths, maroon napkins and red rose petals strewn around. Didn't think to take a picture before I sat down. Maybe they are gearing up for the Chinese New Year. Price was still $49 but I noticed for their next dinner February 1 the price goes up to $53. That is fair with the rise in food prices.
All wines tonight are under the Chateau St. Michelle conglomerate. I believe the winery rep said they have 60 labels in their portfolio.
Started out with Crispy Shrimp Dumplings with chili lime sauce. Nice sauce, just the right amount of heat tempered by the lime. Richard the chef/owner Chinese heritage will shine tonight. Wine served is a 2016 Chateau St. Michelle, "Horse Heaven Hills", WA, Sauvignon Blanc. Nice wine, not to acidic , crisp with light citrus. Perfect with that chili lime sauce.
First course is a Jumbo Diver Scallops in "Birdnest" with Shitake Mushrooms and fresh ginger/soy butter. Perfectly cooked scallops and mushrooms in a deep fried noodle birdnest set upon pureed cauliflower. The white scallop with the black mushroom made a beautiful contrast. Again the sauce really heightened the flavors of this dish. Paired with a 2016 Patz & Hall , Dutton Ranch, Sonoma, Chardonnay. Finally a chardonnay that I will drink. Nice green apple with some spice notes and no oak at all. Again a very good pairing.
Second course is a Butter Lettuce Cup filled with Chicken and fresh Asian Vegetables. Filled your lettuce roll with the chicken mixture and sauce. Wine is a 2016 Erath, OR, Pinot Noir. A good showing of a Oregon Pinot. Lighter with hints of dark cherry with a bit of anise on the back palate.
Next was a choice of braised pork belly or beef short rib. I chose the Braised Pork Belly with Garlic Noodles and Boy Choy. Really had a garlic taste to the dish and the pork belly melted in your mouth. A very good combination. Wine paired was a 2014 Antica, Napa Valley, CA, Cabernet Sauvignon. A perfect pairing. Wine was rich with deep dark fruit and a bit of toast.Very light tannins, well balanced.
Dessert was Exotic Chinese Fruits in Puff Pastry Shell with cream. Nice light ending to a rich meal. The wine was not my favorite of the night. I think it fell a bit short. 2016 Eroica, Columbia Valley, WA, dry Riesling.
Interesting concept for tonight's dinner. Asian style food with wines from the west, CA, OR & WA. Again a full house. More thought tonight on the table settings. White tablecloths, maroon napkins and red rose petals strewn around. Didn't think to take a picture before I sat down. Maybe they are gearing up for the Chinese New Year. Price was still $49 but I noticed for their next dinner February 1 the price goes up to $53. That is fair with the rise in food prices.
All wines tonight are under the Chateau St. Michelle conglomerate. I believe the winery rep said they have 60 labels in their portfolio.
Started out with Crispy Shrimp Dumplings with chili lime sauce. Nice sauce, just the right amount of heat tempered by the lime. Richard the chef/owner Chinese heritage will shine tonight. Wine served is a 2016 Chateau St. Michelle, "Horse Heaven Hills", WA, Sauvignon Blanc. Nice wine, not to acidic , crisp with light citrus. Perfect with that chili lime sauce.
First course is a Jumbo Diver Scallops in "Birdnest" with Shitake Mushrooms and fresh ginger/soy butter. Perfectly cooked scallops and mushrooms in a deep fried noodle birdnest set upon pureed cauliflower. The white scallop with the black mushroom made a beautiful contrast. Again the sauce really heightened the flavors of this dish. Paired with a 2016 Patz & Hall , Dutton Ranch, Sonoma, Chardonnay. Finally a chardonnay that I will drink. Nice green apple with some spice notes and no oak at all. Again a very good pairing.
Second course is a Butter Lettuce Cup filled with Chicken and fresh Asian Vegetables. Filled your lettuce roll with the chicken mixture and sauce. Wine is a 2016 Erath, OR, Pinot Noir. A good showing of a Oregon Pinot. Lighter with hints of dark cherry with a bit of anise on the back palate.
Next was a choice of braised pork belly or beef short rib. I chose the Braised Pork Belly with Garlic Noodles and Boy Choy. Really had a garlic taste to the dish and the pork belly melted in your mouth. A very good combination. Wine paired was a 2014 Antica, Napa Valley, CA, Cabernet Sauvignon. A perfect pairing. Wine was rich with deep dark fruit and a bit of toast.Very light tannins, well balanced.
Dessert was Exotic Chinese Fruits in Puff Pastry Shell with cream. Nice light ending to a rich meal. The wine was not my favorite of the night. I think it fell a bit short. 2016 Eroica, Columbia Valley, WA, dry Riesling.
Tuesday, January 22, 2019
The Bazaar by Jose Andres - Dine in LA Week
Monday, January 21, 2019
Last dinner on our list for Dine in LA Week. This is a new one for me. The doors to the restaurant took up more space than the doors to the SLS Hotel. It did not look anything close to a normal dining establishment. Maybe that is why they call it the Bazaar. Lots of side rooms for different reasons. A bar that serves nothing but Iberico Jamon Ham and sausages. Around the corner from that a bar that serves nothing but cheeses. Off to one side is the dessert bar. Also have odd things for sale. It is a Bazaar. One wall had pictures of the faces of notables. Go around the corner and there is the back of the wall with pictures of the back of the head of those notables. It was different and odd to me. There was lots to look at. Restaurant was semi busy but it was a Monday and a holiday. Service to me was very spotty. We ended up opening most of our wines ourselves. The waiter disappeared quite frequently.
I had some negatives about this establishment. Service was hit and miss. They seemed to have an issue replacing your used silverware. I am not interested in using the same spoon that I used on oysters on the ramen dish. The small plate that we had to put our "Tapas" on was never replace. with clean. If you asked you got but it was never offered. Guess I am spoiled because of dining at other establishments that replace silverware and dishes constantly. But I was dining at an expensive restaurant not the Claim Jumper and was disappointed.
They had a special on top of the Dine in LA Week special prix fixe menu. For $30 per person you could get 4 grams of black truffle added to four different dishes. We all opted for that add on and it was well worth it.
I will say all the food was excellent. No complaints on that part.
We started out with a Hamachi Cone. A Hamachi mousse filled tuille. Two bites and it was yummy.
Then onto a Cheese Tart with jam and Idiazabal cheese ( sheeps milk). A one bite wonder and lastly Beef Tartare with Kimchi crackers, pickled shallots and fried capers. Another delectable bite.
Next was a serving of raw oysters, with leche de tigre, aji amarillo and fresno chiles. Bit of a bite because of the fresnos and aji amarillos. Bit not overwhelming
Tuna Ceviche was supposed to me next but it came in later when we asked where is was. When it did show up it was a very good quality of tuna. Good flavor.
A platter of Fermin Embutidos which was a selection of dried, cured sausages, chorizo, lomo and salchichon along with a "tomato" bread. Very nice selection and very good quality.
Then onto Tortilla De Patatas "New Way". Potato foam, egg 63 (poached egg at 63 degrees) and caramelized onions.. Served in a small glass with a wooden serving spoon. Interesting flavors and it was a finger licking good type of dish.
A bowl of Mushroom Ramen, quail egg, nori, fried garlic an pork belly. The hot broth was poured into the bowl at tableside. This dish had excellent flavors but the very tiny "ramen" noodles were an odd taste sensation.
Next up was Croquetas De Pollo - chicken - bechamel fritters. Soft and gooey
A dish called Rossejat Negra was set down. Paella style pasta, squid ink, sepia sofrito and shrimp. Colors were beautiful and flavors were spot on.
All of a sudden we get another platter of meat but this one was Jamon Iberico Ham with tomato bread. This was not on the menu and we think it was ordered by another table because there were only 4 pieces of bread and we were a table of 5. Since it was already set on our table they let is keep it.
My least favorite dish was Brussells Sprouts with lemon puree, apricots, grapes and lemon air. Foamy, airy white stuff on top of the sprouts. Looked very strange. Did not think the flavors were there at all.
Next to last was Seared Wagyu beef cheeks with kalamata olives and black garlic. Outstanding flavor.
Last before dessert is a "Philly" cheesesteak. Air bread, cheddar and wagyu beef. This had some black truffle sliced on top. One of the best bites of the evening.
You had your choice between Dirty Chai Mousse Cake or Traditionsl Spanish Flan. No one asked what we wanted. They just brought 2 flans and 3 cakes. We pointed out that fact so they brought us 2 more flans and let us keep the extra cakes.
Again semi sloppy service and inattention on part of the waitstaff.
We had a fabulous selection of wines tonight. All excellent. They did give us a glass of Poema Spanish Cava at the beginning of the meal which was very nice..
2004 Bollinger, La Grande Annee, Brut Rose.
2005 Torres, Gran Coronas, Cabernet Sauvignon.
1987 Don Pedro Ximemez, Grand Reserva, Bodgeas T Albalb,
1996 Remirez dea Ganuza, Reserva, Rioja
2009 Saxum, Pederewski Vineyard,
2008 Hospice de Beaune, Premier Cru
Last dinner on our list for Dine in LA Week. This is a new one for me. The doors to the restaurant took up more space than the doors to the SLS Hotel. It did not look anything close to a normal dining establishment. Maybe that is why they call it the Bazaar. Lots of side rooms for different reasons. A bar that serves nothing but Iberico Jamon Ham and sausages. Around the corner from that a bar that serves nothing but cheeses. Off to one side is the dessert bar. Also have odd things for sale. It is a Bazaar. One wall had pictures of the faces of notables. Go around the corner and there is the back of the wall with pictures of the back of the head of those notables. It was different and odd to me. There was lots to look at. Restaurant was semi busy but it was a Monday and a holiday. Service to me was very spotty. We ended up opening most of our wines ourselves. The waiter disappeared quite frequently.
I had some negatives about this establishment. Service was hit and miss. They seemed to have an issue replacing your used silverware. I am not interested in using the same spoon that I used on oysters on the ramen dish. The small plate that we had to put our "Tapas" on was never replace. with clean. If you asked you got but it was never offered. Guess I am spoiled because of dining at other establishments that replace silverware and dishes constantly. But I was dining at an expensive restaurant not the Claim Jumper and was disappointed.
They had a special on top of the Dine in LA Week special prix fixe menu. For $30 per person you could get 4 grams of black truffle added to four different dishes. We all opted for that add on and it was well worth it.
I will say all the food was excellent. No complaints on that part.
We started out with a Hamachi Cone. A Hamachi mousse filled tuille. Two bites and it was yummy.
Then onto a Cheese Tart with jam and Idiazabal cheese ( sheeps milk). A one bite wonder and lastly Beef Tartare with Kimchi crackers, pickled shallots and fried capers. Another delectable bite.
Next was a serving of raw oysters, with leche de tigre, aji amarillo and fresno chiles. Bit of a bite because of the fresnos and aji amarillos. Bit not overwhelming
Tuna Ceviche was supposed to me next but it came in later when we asked where is was. When it did show up it was a very good quality of tuna. Good flavor.
A platter of Fermin Embutidos which was a selection of dried, cured sausages, chorizo, lomo and salchichon along with a "tomato" bread. Very nice selection and very good quality.
Then onto Tortilla De Patatas "New Way". Potato foam, egg 63 (poached egg at 63 degrees) and caramelized onions.. Served in a small glass with a wooden serving spoon. Interesting flavors and it was a finger licking good type of dish.
A bowl of Mushroom Ramen, quail egg, nori, fried garlic an pork belly. The hot broth was poured into the bowl at tableside. This dish had excellent flavors but the very tiny "ramen" noodles were an odd taste sensation.
Next up was Croquetas De Pollo - chicken - bechamel fritters. Soft and gooey
A dish called Rossejat Negra was set down. Paella style pasta, squid ink, sepia sofrito and shrimp. Colors were beautiful and flavors were spot on.
All of a sudden we get another platter of meat but this one was Jamon Iberico Ham with tomato bread. This was not on the menu and we think it was ordered by another table because there were only 4 pieces of bread and we were a table of 5. Since it was already set on our table they let is keep it.
My least favorite dish was Brussells Sprouts with lemon puree, apricots, grapes and lemon air. Foamy, airy white stuff on top of the sprouts. Looked very strange. Did not think the flavors were there at all.
Next to last was Seared Wagyu beef cheeks with kalamata olives and black garlic. Outstanding flavor.
Last before dessert is a "Philly" cheesesteak. Air bread, cheddar and wagyu beef. This had some black truffle sliced on top. One of the best bites of the evening.
You had your choice between Dirty Chai Mousse Cake or Traditionsl Spanish Flan. No one asked what we wanted. They just brought 2 flans and 3 cakes. We pointed out that fact so they brought us 2 more flans and let us keep the extra cakes.
Again semi sloppy service and inattention on part of the waitstaff.
We had a fabulous selection of wines tonight. All excellent. They did give us a glass of Poema Spanish Cava at the beginning of the meal which was very nice..
2004 Bollinger, La Grande Annee, Brut Rose.
2005 Torres, Gran Coronas, Cabernet Sauvignon.
1987 Don Pedro Ximemez, Grand Reserva, Bodgeas T Albalb,
1996 Remirez dea Ganuza, Reserva, Rioja
2009 Saxum, Pederewski Vineyard,
2008 Hospice de Beaune, Premier Cru
Monday, January 21, 2019
Spago's - Dine in LA Week
Saturday, January 19, 2019
Our second of three Dine in LA Week dinners scheduled. www.wolfgangpuck.com/restaurants/fine-dining/3635. Spago's in Beverly Hills. Loads of people tonight. The place is packed We were seated right next to the table we had last time. Odd coincidence
5 Amuse Bouches. on the prix fixe menu.
We started out with a Spicy Tuna Tartare, sesame miso tuille. Soft, succulent tuna with miso set in a tuille (cone shaped). This was a two biter.
Savory Parmesan Marshmallow. Do not know what the "marshmallow" is but it is rolled in very finely grated parmesan cheese. A one biter. When you put it in your mouth it just seems to slowly disappear. Flavor is so good.
Lemon Herb Blini with house smoked salmon. Crispy blini and outstanding salmon.
Heirloom Carrot-Kaffir Lime "Chocolate", Chili Oil. Served in a very tiny pail with ground chocolate that is supposed to be dirt. Shaped like a carrot with a Kaffir Line "sprig". So cute and great flavor. I wonder who sits around and thinks of these things.
We were then escorted into the kitchen for the last Amuse Bouche. Got to see the workings of producing hundreds of dinners a night. Quite impressive. We we then served a Maple Macaron, with bacon, egg yolk jam and coffee. So decadent. One of my favorites. I could eat a plate full of these delectable s.
First main was called "The Egg". Served on a small wrought iron stand the soft cooked egg had the top off and was filled with Chawanmushi Custard and topped with a slice of black truffle. Egg looks a bit bigger than a quail but smaller than a chicken. Unless it was a very small chicken egg. Custard was decadent and the black truffle just added to it.
Next was an Olive Oil Poached Ora King Salmon. Very slowly poached in olive oil with beet ponzu, micro amarenth leaves.. This has got to be the only way to cook salmon. So sublime.
A roasted Baby Abalone along with the shell filled with lemon butter and oyster mushrooms. This I will say was a bit of a disappointment. I had loads of abalone in the late 50"s and early 60"s so I know whence I speak. This abalone was overcooked. It had a chewy texture that comes with slightly overcooking the "meat". Abalone is basically a muscle but it should be tender. When I cooked it way back when there were tricks to make it tender, Apparently Spago's cooks haven't figured it out. The parsley/garlic/lemon butter was excellent. Kudo's on that sauce.
Then came a Glazed Beet and Goat Cheese salad. Baby beets, glazed with something that was good and a very soft burrata cheese. This is their 2019 version of a signature salad.
A plate of Hand Made Agnolotti pasta with Italian Chestnuts and Parmesan Reggiano cheese. Another decadent mouthful. . So creamy and rich.
A large tray/basket of assorted breads and crackers appeared. Served with an excellent quality butter and some other spread. Did not ask what it was.
Next course I absolutely hated. Braised Veal Cheek in a stone pot with Vietnamese Herbs and Puffed Rice. I had about two bites and that was enough for me. Staff offered to replace it but I declined. I personally am not a big fan of Vietnamese herbs and spices. I really prefer Thai. But this was just plain nasty to me and I thought the meat was very dry even though it was cooked in a liquid.
A Snake River Farm's Wagu Beef Rib Eye Steak was our last main. This was Wagu but not grade 5. It was good
but not great. Baked bone marrow was also on the plate with a red wine reduction. Marrow was perfect. One of my dining companions gave me his marrow which I was delighted to take away from him.
Dessert was a Chocolate Marshmallow "Bizou". A round hard chocolate covered soft chocolate ball with blood orange and passion fruit. Just a perfect ending to a very decadent meal All small potions but so rich and decadent there is no way to leave this table hungry.
Stan bought a bottle of 2005 Dom Perignon Brut Rose off the wine list. He said the list price was the same as the store prices. He thought it was a bargain for a restaurant price. $300. Corkage at Spago is $50 a pop. So bring a really good wine if that is the way you want to go.
I brought a 2009 Pisoni, Santa Lucia Highlands, Pinot Noir. Decanted it at home for a few hours. Loads of sediment. Drinking really well . A bit reserved for a California Pinot but was the first red wine to be emptied.
There was a 2009 Chimney Rock, Tomahawk Vineyards, Stags Leaf, Napa, Cabernet Sauvignon. Showing very well. Soft, rich fruit.
NV, Laurent-Pierre, Grand Sicele, Grand Cuvee, Champagne. We drank the champagnes side by side. That is a good way to do it so you can compared the two types of bubbles with different foods.
Rounded out the wines with a 2008 Sea Smoke Ten Pinot Noir. I almost brought a 09 Ten. It would have been an interesting comparison.
A great dinner, decadent foods, really good wines and a good group of dining companions. We do it all over again Monday at The Bazaar by Jose Andes
Our second of three Dine in LA Week dinners scheduled. www.wolfgangpuck.com/restaurants/fine-dining/3635. Spago's in Beverly Hills. Loads of people tonight. The place is packed We were seated right next to the table we had last time. Odd coincidence
5 Amuse Bouches. on the prix fixe menu.
We started out with a Spicy Tuna Tartare, sesame miso tuille. Soft, succulent tuna with miso set in a tuille (cone shaped). This was a two biter.
Savory Parmesan Marshmallow. Do not know what the "marshmallow" is but it is rolled in very finely grated parmesan cheese. A one biter. When you put it in your mouth it just seems to slowly disappear. Flavor is so good.
Lemon Herb Blini with house smoked salmon. Crispy blini and outstanding salmon.
Heirloom Carrot-Kaffir Lime "Chocolate", Chili Oil. Served in a very tiny pail with ground chocolate that is supposed to be dirt. Shaped like a carrot with a Kaffir Line "sprig". So cute and great flavor. I wonder who sits around and thinks of these things.
We were then escorted into the kitchen for the last Amuse Bouche. Got to see the workings of producing hundreds of dinners a night. Quite impressive. We we then served a Maple Macaron, with bacon, egg yolk jam and coffee. So decadent. One of my favorites. I could eat a plate full of these delectable s.
First main was called "The Egg". Served on a small wrought iron stand the soft cooked egg had the top off and was filled with Chawanmushi Custard and topped with a slice of black truffle. Egg looks a bit bigger than a quail but smaller than a chicken. Unless it was a very small chicken egg. Custard was decadent and the black truffle just added to it.
Next was an Olive Oil Poached Ora King Salmon. Very slowly poached in olive oil with beet ponzu, micro amarenth leaves.. This has got to be the only way to cook salmon. So sublime.
A roasted Baby Abalone along with the shell filled with lemon butter and oyster mushrooms. This I will say was a bit of a disappointment. I had loads of abalone in the late 50"s and early 60"s so I know whence I speak. This abalone was overcooked. It had a chewy texture that comes with slightly overcooking the "meat". Abalone is basically a muscle but it should be tender. When I cooked it way back when there were tricks to make it tender, Apparently Spago's cooks haven't figured it out. The parsley/garlic/lemon butter was excellent. Kudo's on that sauce.
Then came a Glazed Beet and Goat Cheese salad. Baby beets, glazed with something that was good and a very soft burrata cheese. This is their 2019 version of a signature salad.
A plate of Hand Made Agnolotti pasta with Italian Chestnuts and Parmesan Reggiano cheese. Another decadent mouthful. . So creamy and rich.
A large tray/basket of assorted breads and crackers appeared. Served with an excellent quality butter and some other spread. Did not ask what it was.
Next course I absolutely hated. Braised Veal Cheek in a stone pot with Vietnamese Herbs and Puffed Rice. I had about two bites and that was enough for me. Staff offered to replace it but I declined. I personally am not a big fan of Vietnamese herbs and spices. I really prefer Thai. But this was just plain nasty to me and I thought the meat was very dry even though it was cooked in a liquid.
A Snake River Farm's Wagu Beef Rib Eye Steak was our last main. This was Wagu but not grade 5. It was good
but not great. Baked bone marrow was also on the plate with a red wine reduction. Marrow was perfect. One of my dining companions gave me his marrow which I was delighted to take away from him.
Dessert was a Chocolate Marshmallow "Bizou". A round hard chocolate covered soft chocolate ball with blood orange and passion fruit. Just a perfect ending to a very decadent meal All small potions but so rich and decadent there is no way to leave this table hungry.
Stan bought a bottle of 2005 Dom Perignon Brut Rose off the wine list. He said the list price was the same as the store prices. He thought it was a bargain for a restaurant price. $300. Corkage at Spago is $50 a pop. So bring a really good wine if that is the way you want to go.
I brought a 2009 Pisoni, Santa Lucia Highlands, Pinot Noir. Decanted it at home for a few hours. Loads of sediment. Drinking really well . A bit reserved for a California Pinot but was the first red wine to be emptied.
There was a 2009 Chimney Rock, Tomahawk Vineyards, Stags Leaf, Napa, Cabernet Sauvignon. Showing very well. Soft, rich fruit.
NV, Laurent-Pierre, Grand Sicele, Grand Cuvee, Champagne. We drank the champagnes side by side. That is a good way to do it so you can compared the two types of bubbles with different foods.
Rounded out the wines with a 2008 Sea Smoke Ten Pinot Noir. I almost brought a 09 Ten. It would have been an interesting comparison.
A great dinner, decadent foods, really good wines and a good group of dining companions. We do it all over again Monday at The Bazaar by Jose Andes
Thursday, January 17, 2019
Swan Song at Fourth & Olive
Wednesday, January 16, 2018
Fourth & Olive in Long Beach will be closing in a week or so and will reopen under a new name. New menu will be European specializing in Spanish, Mediterranean and keeping some of the Alsatian dishes. They are looking to get a full liquor license. Now they just have the beer and wine license. It still be will staffed with disabled veterans. And hopefully will be able to come up with something for the huge parking issue. I drove from work and was lucky to get a spot across the street. But then it also had been raining all day and people just were not out and about. The rest of the dining party all took Uber from their various domiciles. I would frequent this restaurant more if it was not for the impossible parking issues. The food is unique and definitely different . Not too many Alsatian restaurants around.
Wine cellar was being depleted. Very few bottles left. We ordered a 2015 Prieller Blaufrankisch and Bob brought a 2010 Williams Selyem, Richioli Riverbench, Pinot Noir.. They waived corkage for us tonight because of the pending shut down. The waiter comped us two glasses of dessert wines that were down to the last pours.
With new investors coming in the wine cellar will be depleted as mush as possible. That inventory goes with the past. All new inventory will be going in.
Bob and I split the Tomahawk Pork Chop for Two dinner. The chops were not as thick as they had been in the past. But they were just as delicious. Cooked medium and were tender and moist. Best part was gnawing on the large bone with it's crusty finish. Served with "lumpy"smashed potatoes and roasted winter squash.
Other dishes that were ordered was the New York Strip with fries, Pork Loin Chop, Boudin Blanc Sausage, Roasted Root Vegetable, Beef simmered in gravy with potatoes and and Pommes frites.
Looking forward to going back after the reopening and seeing what new dishes await me. I am always looking for "different".
Fourth & Olive in Long Beach will be closing in a week or so and will reopen under a new name. New menu will be European specializing in Spanish, Mediterranean and keeping some of the Alsatian dishes. They are looking to get a full liquor license. Now they just have the beer and wine license. It still be will staffed with disabled veterans. And hopefully will be able to come up with something for the huge parking issue. I drove from work and was lucky to get a spot across the street. But then it also had been raining all day and people just were not out and about. The rest of the dining party all took Uber from their various domiciles. I would frequent this restaurant more if it was not for the impossible parking issues. The food is unique and definitely different . Not too many Alsatian restaurants around.
Wine cellar was being depleted. Very few bottles left. We ordered a 2015 Prieller Blaufrankisch and Bob brought a 2010 Williams Selyem, Richioli Riverbench, Pinot Noir.. They waived corkage for us tonight because of the pending shut down. The waiter comped us two glasses of dessert wines that were down to the last pours.
With new investors coming in the wine cellar will be depleted as mush as possible. That inventory goes with the past. All new inventory will be going in.
Bob and I split the Tomahawk Pork Chop for Two dinner. The chops were not as thick as they had been in the past. But they were just as delicious. Cooked medium and were tender and moist. Best part was gnawing on the large bone with it's crusty finish. Served with "lumpy"smashed potatoes and roasted winter squash.
Other dishes that were ordered was the New York Strip with fries, Pork Loin Chop, Boudin Blanc Sausage, Roasted Root Vegetable, Beef simmered in gravy with potatoes and and Pommes frites.
Looking forward to going back after the reopening and seeing what new dishes await me. I am always looking for "different".
Tuesday, January 15, 2019
Providence Restaurant - Dine In LA Week
Monday, January 14, 2019
This is the first of 3 Dine in LA Week dinners we have reservations for. Providence tonight, www.providencela.com. Spago on Saturday and The Bazaar by Jose Andres next Monday.
90 minute drive to get there, work traffic and rain. But at least we were not late. I have been to Providence several times and have always gotten to sit at "The Chefs Table". Unfortunately not tonight. Frankly I felt demoted. LOL -
Providence is LA's # 1 rated restaurant. The food and impeccable service shows why. Their menu is set up for 3 prix fixe dinners depending on how many courses you want. The highest is 15 courses. Loads of fresh seafood which is their specialty. Dinner tonight on the Dine LA Week menu is $100 with three supplements, Scallop, Wagu beef and Truffles. 3 of us had truffles, choice of risotto, eggs and pasta. One had the scallop supplement. That can run the bill up fast. Monday nights is no corkage for one bottle per person. After that its $50 per bottle. But a real bargain to remember that Mondays is the day to go to Providence.
A basket with a loaf of bread made with Tehachapi grain and served with a green butter and salt. Not sure what was in the butter but it was good. The bread was a bit crusty and I really prefer their basket of assorted breads and rolls..
We started out with a set of amuse bouches. I tried to keep track of them but lost one someplace. A Rockfish Fume with tiny peas. Served in a small glass that you just chug a lugged it. Interesting flavors. A tart with a cornmeal crust, fresh crab and winter squash. A Rice cracker with salmon riatt. And their special wagu beef rolled in pastry that looks like a cigar. They serve it in a cigar box. Presentation is everything at Providence.
I selected the ahi tuna for the first course. Very tender, just seared enough to color the outside. Great flavor. Also had a piece of California rockfish, also cooked perfectly.
My main was the Liberty Farms duck breast, cooked perfectly, moist and very flavorful. Just the right amount of really pink on the inside.
Dessert was a chocolate torte with some foamy things, rich and decadent They also brought two long boxes out with cookies sitting on what looks like sand. Again presentation. Then when you are ready to leave they give you a fresh baked muffin in a cellophane bag.
We had a eclectic assortment of wines tonight. I brought a 2007 Roar, Garys Vineyard, Pinot Noir, Decanted it for a few hours at home. Showed very well. Gary's is one of my favorite vineyards.
2010, Rochioli, Little Hill, Pinot Noir,
2013 Puligny-Montrachet, Premier Cru, Clos Du Calleret,
2000 Henriot Brut Champagne, NV Paul Bara, Bouzy, Grand Cru, Champagne,
2009 Chambollie-Musigny, Vincent Garardin, Burgundy
and a 1937 D'oliveiral, Sercial, Maderia rounded out the evening.
This is the first of 3 Dine in LA Week dinners we have reservations for. Providence tonight, www.providencela.com. Spago on Saturday and The Bazaar by Jose Andres next Monday.
90 minute drive to get there, work traffic and rain. But at least we were not late. I have been to Providence several times and have always gotten to sit at "The Chefs Table". Unfortunately not tonight. Frankly I felt demoted. LOL -
Providence is LA's # 1 rated restaurant. The food and impeccable service shows why. Their menu is set up for 3 prix fixe dinners depending on how many courses you want. The highest is 15 courses. Loads of fresh seafood which is their specialty. Dinner tonight on the Dine LA Week menu is $100 with three supplements, Scallop, Wagu beef and Truffles. 3 of us had truffles, choice of risotto, eggs and pasta. One had the scallop supplement. That can run the bill up fast. Monday nights is no corkage for one bottle per person. After that its $50 per bottle. But a real bargain to remember that Mondays is the day to go to Providence.
A basket with a loaf of bread made with Tehachapi grain and served with a green butter and salt. Not sure what was in the butter but it was good. The bread was a bit crusty and I really prefer their basket of assorted breads and rolls..
We started out with a set of amuse bouches. I tried to keep track of them but lost one someplace. A Rockfish Fume with tiny peas. Served in a small glass that you just chug a lugged it. Interesting flavors. A tart with a cornmeal crust, fresh crab and winter squash. A Rice cracker with salmon riatt. And their special wagu beef rolled in pastry that looks like a cigar. They serve it in a cigar box. Presentation is everything at Providence.
I selected the ahi tuna for the first course. Very tender, just seared enough to color the outside. Great flavor. Also had a piece of California rockfish, also cooked perfectly.
My main was the Liberty Farms duck breast, cooked perfectly, moist and very flavorful. Just the right amount of really pink on the inside.
Dessert was a chocolate torte with some foamy things, rich and decadent They also brought two long boxes out with cookies sitting on what looks like sand. Again presentation. Then when you are ready to leave they give you a fresh baked muffin in a cellophane bag.
We had a eclectic assortment of wines tonight. I brought a 2007 Roar, Garys Vineyard, Pinot Noir, Decanted it for a few hours at home. Showed very well. Gary's is one of my favorite vineyards.
2010, Rochioli, Little Hill, Pinot Noir,
2013 Puligny-Montrachet, Premier Cru, Clos Du Calleret,
2000 Henriot Brut Champagne, NV Paul Bara, Bouzy, Grand Cru, Champagne,
2009 Chambollie-Musigny, Vincent Garardin, Burgundy
and a 1937 D'oliveiral, Sercial, Maderia rounded out the evening.
Tuesday, January 8, 2019
Margie's Dinner at India Grill
Saturday, January 5, 2018
First dinner of the new year and my 1,001 post to my blog. I sure eat and drink a lot. Margie selected India Grill in Cypress to start the year off. www.ocindiagrill.com. 22 in attendance tonight. Good size turnout but the restaurant is centrally located for everyone so that is the result.
Found out that Sanjiv the owner is now a former owner. He sold out. Don't know what has happen to the Himalayan Grill at Peters Landing in Sunset Beach. They are doing a lot of remodeling at the landing and who knows who will survive.
I will say that after dinner we decided that India Grill must have a new chef. We were taken with the quality of the food. Much better than before.
We started out with Onion Bhaji. Deep fried onions with spices. Light batter. Not greasy.
Then the entrees arrived. Chicken Tikka . Nice and moist. Big improvement. Vegetable Biryani is rice with mixed vegetables, nuts and raisins. A bit of a bite to it but very good. Missed the yogart sauce that we had at the recon dinner.
Then Mixed Vegetable Korma. Korma is a creamy cashew curry. One of my favorites. Along with Shrimp Chau Chau which is noddles that are pan fried with herbs and spices. Shrimp were fresh. And last entree is a Lamb Masala. Masala is a creamy tomato onion sauce. Lamb was tender and a really good dish. These dishes along with Garlic Naan and Basmati rice finished the meal.
Dessert was Kulfi which is a pistachio ice cream with saffron, cardamon spice and nuts.
All the food was very good and we felt much better quality than in the past. Restaurant was filled with people waiting for tables. A good sign that the new owners and cook are doing things right.
25 wines tonight and I doubt if I tasted more than a quarter of them. Way too much wine if you wanted to stand up after dinner.
NV Moretti, Valdobbiadene, Proseco - A good wine that I like really well..
2010 Pisoni, SLH, Pinot Noir - another favorite of mine and several us agreed one of the top two wines of the night.
2005 Williams Selyem, RRV, Pinot Noir - another favorite
2016 Charles Baur, Gewurztraminer - deep and spicy
NV Luien Abrecht, Alsace, Cremont Rose - never a disappointment
2017 Abacela, Grenache Rose - did not tstate
2017 Tablas Creek, Grenache Rose - did not taste
2017 Stolo, Gewurztraminer - very nice, much lighter than the Charles Baur
2014 Au Bob Climat, Knox Alexander - did not taste
NV Mumm, Brut Rose - a nice light bubbly
2014 Lucas and Lewellen, Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc - sweet
2015 Tally, Pinot Noir - did not taste
NV Pashey, Brut Rose - don't think I tasted this - too many wines
2017 Maysara, Pinot Gris - did not taste
2013 Williams Seylem, West Side Neighbors, Pinot Noir - nice but needs a few more years
2016 Palmero Chenin Blanc - did not taste
NV Lamarca, Proseco - did not taste
NV Coquelicot, Rose of Sauvignon - did not taste
2016 Epipnaux, Grenache Blanc - did not taste
2016 Barton, Albarion - did not taste
2014 Landa , Syrah - did not tatste
2014 Williams Selyem, esatside Neighbors, Pinot Noir - good but needs time
NV Mumm Champagne - did not taste
2014 Samasara, Grenache - did not taste
2014 Ckos Pepe, Pinot Noir - did not taste but I have a case at home - too young to open
2013 LaCuvier, Mouvedre - did not taste
NV Roderer Estate Sparkling - did not taste
2016 Blue Quail, Dry Gewurztraminer - did not taste.
First dinner of the new year and my 1,001 post to my blog. I sure eat and drink a lot. Margie selected India Grill in Cypress to start the year off. www.ocindiagrill.com. 22 in attendance tonight. Good size turnout but the restaurant is centrally located for everyone so that is the result.
Found out that Sanjiv the owner is now a former owner. He sold out. Don't know what has happen to the Himalayan Grill at Peters Landing in Sunset Beach. They are doing a lot of remodeling at the landing and who knows who will survive.
I will say that after dinner we decided that India Grill must have a new chef. We were taken with the quality of the food. Much better than before.
We started out with Onion Bhaji. Deep fried onions with spices. Light batter. Not greasy.
Then the entrees arrived. Chicken Tikka . Nice and moist. Big improvement. Vegetable Biryani is rice with mixed vegetables, nuts and raisins. A bit of a bite to it but very good. Missed the yogart sauce that we had at the recon dinner.
Then Mixed Vegetable Korma. Korma is a creamy cashew curry. One of my favorites. Along with Shrimp Chau Chau which is noddles that are pan fried with herbs and spices. Shrimp were fresh. And last entree is a Lamb Masala. Masala is a creamy tomato onion sauce. Lamb was tender and a really good dish. These dishes along with Garlic Naan and Basmati rice finished the meal.
Dessert was Kulfi which is a pistachio ice cream with saffron, cardamon spice and nuts.
All the food was very good and we felt much better quality than in the past. Restaurant was filled with people waiting for tables. A good sign that the new owners and cook are doing things right.
25 wines tonight and I doubt if I tasted more than a quarter of them. Way too much wine if you wanted to stand up after dinner.
NV Moretti, Valdobbiadene, Proseco - A good wine that I like really well..
2010 Pisoni, SLH, Pinot Noir - another favorite of mine and several us agreed one of the top two wines of the night.
2005 Williams Selyem, RRV, Pinot Noir - another favorite
2016 Charles Baur, Gewurztraminer - deep and spicy
NV Luien Abrecht, Alsace, Cremont Rose - never a disappointment
2017 Abacela, Grenache Rose - did not tstate
2017 Tablas Creek, Grenache Rose - did not taste
2017 Stolo, Gewurztraminer - very nice, much lighter than the Charles Baur
2014 Au Bob Climat, Knox Alexander - did not taste
NV Mumm, Brut Rose - a nice light bubbly
2014 Lucas and Lewellen, Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc - sweet
2015 Tally, Pinot Noir - did not taste
NV Pashey, Brut Rose - don't think I tasted this - too many wines
2017 Maysara, Pinot Gris - did not taste
2013 Williams Seylem, West Side Neighbors, Pinot Noir - nice but needs a few more years
2016 Palmero Chenin Blanc - did not taste
NV Lamarca, Proseco - did not taste
NV Coquelicot, Rose of Sauvignon - did not taste
2016 Epipnaux, Grenache Blanc - did not taste
2016 Barton, Albarion - did not taste
2014 Landa , Syrah - did not tatste
2014 Williams Selyem, esatside Neighbors, Pinot Noir - good but needs time
NV Mumm Champagne - did not taste
2014 Samasara, Grenache - did not taste
2014 Ckos Pepe, Pinot Noir - did not taste but I have a case at home - too young to open
2013 LaCuvier, Mouvedre - did not taste
NV Roderer Estate Sparkling - did not taste
2016 Blue Quail, Dry Gewurztraminer - did not taste.
Wednesday, January 2, 2019
Lunch with The Boys at the Crystal Palace
Monday, December 31, 2018
Seafood Place has been bought out by a group. New name is Crystal Palace. No website yet. The new owners have done quite a bit of remodeling. New carpets. White drapes hanging on all 4 walls. Also on the dividing wall between the dining area and the entertainment/event area. They painted the chairs silver and put new white cushions on them. Draped off the waiter area and rearranged the table configurations. Looks really nice. More upscale. Some of the former wait staff is gone by May and Mr. Do are still there and they see that we are taken care of. I did notice that some of the dishes were not as "full" as they were before. Same prices but something had to give. But that is what happens to every restaurant when it is bought out. Lunch was still a big bargain. With a very heavy tip it was $16 a person. That is what is almost costs for a hamburger and fties in a fast food place now. And we got a lot of food with leftovers to take home.
Only complaint was that they brought all the food out at once. Hot dishes cool down too much by time you eat the. I prefer one dish at a time in Chinese restaurants.
We started out with a egg drop soup which was completely different from the spicy, sour soup in the past. Nice light with a few kernals of corn. Needed a bit of a touch of salt.
We ordered the salt & pepper calamari. Calamari was tender with a nice light crust but not much of a salt and pepper taste to it.
Lobster was $18 a pound so we opted for shrimp with special noodles. Shrimp were succulent and sweet. And the noodles were thin and round. Henry calls them the chefs special. Apparently you never know what you will get.
We ordered a plate of Orange Peel Beef. Good orange flavor. Then we ordered another because of all the red wines we had. Different flavor. Not as much orange, beef was cooked softer. Do not know if there was one or two chefs working the kitchen.
Oranges and fortune cookies for dessert.
Since it is the last lunch of the year we went out with a bang on the wines. All of then excellent.
2009 Williams Selyem, RRV, Eastside Road Neighbors, Pinot Noir
2007 McKeon Phillips, Santa Maria, BPR, Cabernet Sauvignon
1996 Chateau Calon Segur, Saint-Estephe
???? Julian Schaal, Alsace Grand Cru, Sommerberg, Reisling
1996 Billecart-Salmon, Brut, Champagne
NV Nicholas Feuillatte, Limited Edition, Brut Champagne
Seafood Place has been bought out by a group. New name is Crystal Palace. No website yet. The new owners have done quite a bit of remodeling. New carpets. White drapes hanging on all 4 walls. Also on the dividing wall between the dining area and the entertainment/event area. They painted the chairs silver and put new white cushions on them. Draped off the waiter area and rearranged the table configurations. Looks really nice. More upscale. Some of the former wait staff is gone by May and Mr. Do are still there and they see that we are taken care of. I did notice that some of the dishes were not as "full" as they were before. Same prices but something had to give. But that is what happens to every restaurant when it is bought out. Lunch was still a big bargain. With a very heavy tip it was $16 a person. That is what is almost costs for a hamburger and fties in a fast food place now. And we got a lot of food with leftovers to take home.
Only complaint was that they brought all the food out at once. Hot dishes cool down too much by time you eat the. I prefer one dish at a time in Chinese restaurants.
We started out with a egg drop soup which was completely different from the spicy, sour soup in the past. Nice light with a few kernals of corn. Needed a bit of a touch of salt.
We ordered the salt & pepper calamari. Calamari was tender with a nice light crust but not much of a salt and pepper taste to it.
Lobster was $18 a pound so we opted for shrimp with special noodles. Shrimp were succulent and sweet. And the noodles were thin and round. Henry calls them the chefs special. Apparently you never know what you will get.
We ordered a plate of Orange Peel Beef. Good orange flavor. Then we ordered another because of all the red wines we had. Different flavor. Not as much orange, beef was cooked softer. Do not know if there was one or two chefs working the kitchen.
Oranges and fortune cookies for dessert.
Since it is the last lunch of the year we went out with a bang on the wines. All of then excellent.
2009 Williams Selyem, RRV, Eastside Road Neighbors, Pinot Noir
2007 McKeon Phillips, Santa Maria, BPR, Cabernet Sauvignon
1996 Chateau Calon Segur, Saint-Estephe
???? Julian Schaal, Alsace Grand Cru, Sommerberg, Reisling
1996 Billecart-Salmon, Brut, Champagne
NV Nicholas Feuillatte, Limited Edition, Brut Champagne
Tercero Wines at Bacchus Kitchen
Sunday, December 30, 2018
Since this dinner at Bacchus Kitchen in Pasadena, www.bacchuskitchen.com, was on a Sunday I finally have an opportunity get to check out the establishment. Jolie frequents this restaurant for dinner and music. But she lives in the area so it is a much easier drive for her. For me it was about a 45 mile drive. Fortunately with the holiday traffic was moving really good on the freeway.
Tonight's featured winery was Tercero and the owner/winemaker Larry Schaffer was there with others.
Larry had posted on Facebook about the dinner so Jolie made the reservations. But Larry posted a start time of 6:00 and when we got to the restaurant we found out it was 7:00. They did let us stay inside because "Baby, It's Cold Outside". They also kept us supplied with wine . Both were cudos for them in my book.
We started out with a house-smoked Colorado trout with white frisee, tarragon whole mustard. Trout was cooked nicely and had a very light crust to it. Paired with a 2014 Verbiage Blanc, a blend of roussanne, viognier and grenache blanc. Normally I am not a fan of white Rhone varietals but I have bought this wine in the past. A nice blend and paired quite well with the trout.
Second course is salad of marinated yellow beets, carmelized goat cheese, charred scallions and chevil sauce. Excellent. Beautiful flavors A 2017 Rose of Mouvedre was the wine with this course. I do like these Rose's. They are not wimpy and sweet.
Third course is a pan seared duck breast with roasted sunchokes and black truffle marsala. Duck is sweet and tender. I really liked the sunchokes. Do not see them on menus too often. They have great flavor. Too bad more chefs don't use them. I really get tired of the same old veggies all the time. Paired with a 2016 Carignane. Good pairing.
Next is a oak-smoked pork loin with cheesy grits and Carolina BBQ sauce. Carolina sauce usually has a vinegar base. Pork was tender and had very good flavor and the sauce was not overpowering. A 2012 Larner Vineyard Grenache was the wine of choice. \
Fifth course I had one bite and had them box it up to take home. I had reached the saturation point and if I wanted dessert something had to give. It was a Prime New York with potato bacon latke, carrot ribbons and demi sauce. I really like the ribbons of carrots. A very different way of making an ordinary vegetable special. The wine poured was a 2012 White Hawk Vineyard Syrah. Big wine and really good.
Dessert is a Chocolate Surprise x 4 - Four small bites of decadent chocolate in different forms and flavors. A really big wine was poured but went very well with that decadent chocolate. A 2011 "The Climb", blend of syrah and petite syrah.
A very good dinner. Hope to be able to come back to Bacchus Kitchen if they have something on a Sunday. No way can I drive from work to make it on a weeknight. I would like to try a few items on the menu which looks good. A very talented chef.
Since this dinner at Bacchus Kitchen in Pasadena, www.bacchuskitchen.com, was on a Sunday I finally have an opportunity get to check out the establishment. Jolie frequents this restaurant for dinner and music. But she lives in the area so it is a much easier drive for her. For me it was about a 45 mile drive. Fortunately with the holiday traffic was moving really good on the freeway.
Tonight's featured winery was Tercero and the owner/winemaker Larry Schaffer was there with others.
Larry had posted on Facebook about the dinner so Jolie made the reservations. But Larry posted a start time of 6:00 and when we got to the restaurant we found out it was 7:00. They did let us stay inside because "Baby, It's Cold Outside". They also kept us supplied with wine . Both were cudos for them in my book.
We started out with a house-smoked Colorado trout with white frisee, tarragon whole mustard. Trout was cooked nicely and had a very light crust to it. Paired with a 2014 Verbiage Blanc, a blend of roussanne, viognier and grenache blanc. Normally I am not a fan of white Rhone varietals but I have bought this wine in the past. A nice blend and paired quite well with the trout.
Second course is salad of marinated yellow beets, carmelized goat cheese, charred scallions and chevil sauce. Excellent. Beautiful flavors A 2017 Rose of Mouvedre was the wine with this course. I do like these Rose's. They are not wimpy and sweet.
Third course is a pan seared duck breast with roasted sunchokes and black truffle marsala. Duck is sweet and tender. I really liked the sunchokes. Do not see them on menus too often. They have great flavor. Too bad more chefs don't use them. I really get tired of the same old veggies all the time. Paired with a 2016 Carignane. Good pairing.
Next is a oak-smoked pork loin with cheesy grits and Carolina BBQ sauce. Carolina sauce usually has a vinegar base. Pork was tender and had very good flavor and the sauce was not overpowering. A 2012 Larner Vineyard Grenache was the wine of choice. \
Fifth course I had one bite and had them box it up to take home. I had reached the saturation point and if I wanted dessert something had to give. It was a Prime New York with potato bacon latke, carrot ribbons and demi sauce. I really like the ribbons of carrots. A very different way of making an ordinary vegetable special. The wine poured was a 2012 White Hawk Vineyard Syrah. Big wine and really good.
Dessert is a Chocolate Surprise x 4 - Four small bites of decadent chocolate in different forms and flavors. A really big wine was poured but went very well with that decadent chocolate. A 2011 "The Climb", blend of syrah and petite syrah.
A very good dinner. Hope to be able to come back to Bacchus Kitchen if they have something on a Sunday. No way can I drive from work to make it on a weeknight. I would like to try a few items on the menu which looks good. A very talented chef.
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