Wednesday, March 27, 2019
Another dinner at Arte Gafe in Cerritos. New winery for me. Trinitas Cellars in Napa Valley. Owner Garrett Busch is a local from Orange county. He along with the winery's chef Ralph Perrotta were in attendance tonight. A whole new different group of people tonight. Must be club members mostly. Sold out dinner.
Started out with a Scallop Crudo in a lemon, lime, orange sauce with a Togarashi-Apple Salsa. Scallops were perfectly cold cooked and the apple salsa was the right touch. Paired with a 2017 Trinitas Sauvignon Blanc. Wine was a bit tart for me. Very grapefruity but did pair well with the scallops.
Second course is a Roasted Butternut Squash bisque with vanilla toasted almonds and topped with fresh crab. Very good bisque. Nice nutty flavor and the crab was the prefect touch. Wine was a 2015 Tinitas, Stanley Ranch Vineyard, Chardonnay. A small amount of oak. I personally would not want to drink it by itself but with the bisque it covered up the oakiness of the wine. This wine did not have that awful buttery, vanilla nuances that a lot of chardonnays get but still too much oak for me.
Next was a Carmalized Scottish Salmon on wild mushroom ravioli in a roasted walnut sauce and drizzled with a pinot noir reduction. Salmon was cooked like it should be. Nice and moist. The mushrooms added just the right amount of earthiness as did the walnuts. Paired perfectly with the 20915 Tinitas, Stanley Ranch Vineyard, Pinot Noir. But I was not impressed with the pinot. Just did nothing for me.
Favorite wine of the evening, a 2014 Trinitas, Mysteriama, red blend. 46% old vine Zinfandel, 27% Carigane, 17% old vine Petite Syrah, 4% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Merlot and 3% Mataro. Quite an assortment of grapes. This wine was priced at $21 for the evening so I bought 4 bottles. Paired very nicely with the Hanger Steak on Pomme Rosti with carmelized onions and gorgonzola crumbs
Dessert is a Lemon-Vanilla Panna Cotta with a raspberry coulis. Good flavors and the panna cotta was smooth and creamy. A 2014 Trinitas Sblam Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc was poured. Not overly sweet. A nice finish to the meal.
Several bottles of wine were given away during the dinner. This is always a good touch that Arte Café and the wine distributors do. For the price Arte Cafe's wine dinners are the bargain of the area.
Saturday, March 30, 2019
Friday, March 29, 2019
What Jason Learned About Fish Dinner at the Playground
Tuesday, March 26, 2019
Another outstanding dinner at the Playground in downtown Santa Ana. www.playgrounddtsa.com..
Jason took many weeks sabbatical and went to Australia, Thailand and Japan to observe and learn new techniques in the preparation and cooking of various fish and seafood. What he learned showed up at dinner. I was impressed. Learned a lot about dry aging fish. No water touches the fish while cleaning. And there is nothing of the fish that is wasted. Six of us at dinner tonight and we all raved about the quality and flavors.
Started out with a Yuzu Highball cocktail. Made with Yuzu juice. grapefruit juice and club soda.
12 courses and 3 desserts are coming up.
House made Focaccia with house made cultured butter started us out .
Then a Dungeness crab with coral sauce. Put the crab on the focaccia for a delicious bite. Coral sauce is made with the heads and shells of seafood, lemon grass, garlic, fish sauce. Has a beautiful color of coral hence the name.
Then on to a Tuna hand roll which was a tasty piece of fish and seaweed.
Next was a Super Green Zucchini salad. They peeled and sliced the zucchini and salted it to bring out the moisture. Don't know what else they did to it but it was the best tasting zucchini I have had. Took on the taste consistency of a cucumber.
A plate of battered Moon Fish belly with yogurt tartare and lemon. Very light and moist.
Grilled squid with basil and corn. Served in a bowl with black squid ink smeared on the side. Pretty presentation.
Super crispy squid tentacles with chili line kewpie (which is a mayonnaise type dish)
A dumpling stuffed with truffle cheese and porcini dust. Dish originated in Thailand. Had good flavor but was so filling and large I only ate about a third of it.
My favorite of the evening - grilled ocean trout that had been dry aged. So moist and flavorful. But difference in the grilled ocean trout we had last month at the Road Trip in Italy dinner. What a difference that the new technique makes. Spinach with harissa was served alongside.
Next dish was interesting. Charcoal grilled Moonfish engawa. Which is fluke fin. A dense piece of fish. Served along with Sweet and Sour Radicchio with pistachios.
A plate of grilled fish marrow appeared. Pieces of the spine grilled and you suck out the marrow. Took a lot of work because they were so small.
Dashi poached grouper with fish heart xo. I did find out that this would be one of my least favorite fish to eat. But the xo was fabulous. Basically it is the dried innards cooked with shallots, garlic, chili and oil. On the crunchy side but loads of flavor. Grouper was set on top of cooked greens.
To break up the fish theme we had Grilled Wagu beef pieces with soy drizzled on them. A small amount of freshly grated wasabi on the side. The wasabi was sweet and that is because it is fresh not dried like what we are used to getting in cans. A piece of fresh wasabi is expensive so that might be the reason we don't get it very often
For desserts we had Freeze dried raspberries which were crumbled, honey yuzu vinegar custard and strawberry syrup. Then a plate of Clementines with black seasame sugar and a Canele. Canele is a french pastry that has a carmelized crust and a custardy interior.
We also had a pot of herbal infused tea to finish the meal
Five wines were served with dinner.
2016 Gaisberg Reid, Kamptal Riesling
Alfonso Rotolo, San Maeto, Frianco
Salomon Undhof, Lindberg, Gruner Veltliner
Bring It - a light red. I googled the name up and could not find any information of the wine.
2006 Grgich Hills, Napa Estate, Cabernet Sauvignon
Another outstanding dinner at the Playground in downtown Santa Ana. www.playgrounddtsa.com..
Jason took many weeks sabbatical and went to Australia, Thailand and Japan to observe and learn new techniques in the preparation and cooking of various fish and seafood. What he learned showed up at dinner. I was impressed. Learned a lot about dry aging fish. No water touches the fish while cleaning. And there is nothing of the fish that is wasted. Six of us at dinner tonight and we all raved about the quality and flavors.
Started out with a Yuzu Highball cocktail. Made with Yuzu juice. grapefruit juice and club soda.
12 courses and 3 desserts are coming up.
House made Focaccia with house made cultured butter started us out .
Then a Dungeness crab with coral sauce. Put the crab on the focaccia for a delicious bite. Coral sauce is made with the heads and shells of seafood, lemon grass, garlic, fish sauce. Has a beautiful color of coral hence the name.
Then on to a Tuna hand roll which was a tasty piece of fish and seaweed.
Next was a Super Green Zucchini salad. They peeled and sliced the zucchini and salted it to bring out the moisture. Don't know what else they did to it but it was the best tasting zucchini I have had. Took on the taste consistency of a cucumber.
A plate of battered Moon Fish belly with yogurt tartare and lemon. Very light and moist.
Grilled squid with basil and corn. Served in a bowl with black squid ink smeared on the side. Pretty presentation.
Super crispy squid tentacles with chili line kewpie (which is a mayonnaise type dish)
A dumpling stuffed with truffle cheese and porcini dust. Dish originated in Thailand. Had good flavor but was so filling and large I only ate about a third of it.
My favorite of the evening - grilled ocean trout that had been dry aged. So moist and flavorful. But difference in the grilled ocean trout we had last month at the Road Trip in Italy dinner. What a difference that the new technique makes. Spinach with harissa was served alongside.
Next dish was interesting. Charcoal grilled Moonfish engawa. Which is fluke fin. A dense piece of fish. Served along with Sweet and Sour Radicchio with pistachios.
A plate of grilled fish marrow appeared. Pieces of the spine grilled and you suck out the marrow. Took a lot of work because they were so small.
Dashi poached grouper with fish heart xo. I did find out that this would be one of my least favorite fish to eat. But the xo was fabulous. Basically it is the dried innards cooked with shallots, garlic, chili and oil. On the crunchy side but loads of flavor. Grouper was set on top of cooked greens.
To break up the fish theme we had Grilled Wagu beef pieces with soy drizzled on them. A small amount of freshly grated wasabi on the side. The wasabi was sweet and that is because it is fresh not dried like what we are used to getting in cans. A piece of fresh wasabi is expensive so that might be the reason we don't get it very often
For desserts we had Freeze dried raspberries which were crumbled, honey yuzu vinegar custard and strawberry syrup. Then a plate of Clementines with black seasame sugar and a Canele. Canele is a french pastry that has a carmelized crust and a custardy interior.
We also had a pot of herbal infused tea to finish the meal
Five wines were served with dinner.
2016 Gaisberg Reid, Kamptal Riesling
Alfonso Rotolo, San Maeto, Frianco
Salomon Undhof, Lindberg, Gruner Veltliner
Bring It - a light red. I googled the name up and could not find any information of the wine.
2006 Grgich Hills, Napa Estate, Cabernet Sauvignon
Saturday, March 23, 2019
The India Restaurant in Artesia
Friday, March 22, 2019
CJ organized the dinner tonight at his favorite Indian restaurant. Artesia which is known as "Little India". Loads of shops, restaurants, businesses all catering to the Indian population. Driving down the main street through the area the palm trees in the medium have lights strung around the trunks. Makes for a really beautiful atmosphere. Anything you want from India is there. So tonight we are dining at The India Restaurant. www.theindiarestaurant.net . Eight of us tonight and loads of wine.
We started out with 3 appetizers. Veggie Bullets which is potato fingers stuffed with corn and peas. Onion Bhaji, chopped onions which are dredged in flour and deep fried and Samosa's. He ordered a curry sauce to pour on the somosa which gave them a whole, new different taste. Quite good.
Then a platter of Chili Chicken. Dice chicken meat with green chilies and special sauce. Good flavor but way to spicy for me. I ate one piece to try it
My favorite of the night is Karahi Gosht which is lamb with tomatoes, onions, turmeric, ginger and other spices. Loads of flavor. Meat was very tender,
Shrimp Marsala was an additional dish. Shrimp were very fresh and cooked perfectly. Not overdone which can be a side affect of sitting in a hot sauce.
Next was Aloo Saag, potatoes and spinach. Again very flavorful. Then a bowl of Mattar Paneer , cheese and peas in a tomato based sauce with garam masala and other spices. The nice thing about Indian food is you can have the heat from the spices adjusted for your tastes. Everything we had tonight was order mild except of the Chili Chicken which cannot be. It is what it is.
We had garlic naan and a couple of people added a dessert to their dinner. Unfortunately for me I have a head cold and it did a number on me as far as enjoyment of the food and wines. I was there in body but the rest of me was buried. I am listing the wines with no comment because with my taste gone tonight I can't really say anything good or bad about them
NV Nicolas Feuillatte, Limited Edition, Rose Champagne
NV Louis Roeder, Brut Premiere, Champagne
2015 Dancin Ecarle, Medford, Oregon, Pinot Noir
2017 Alfonso-Curran, Sta Rita Hills, Gruner Veltliner
2017 Julian Schaal, Alsace Grabd Cru, Rangen, Riesling
2011 Navarro, Anderson Valley, Gewurztraminer
2016 Bella Cavalli Farms, Santa Ynez, Tempranillo
2007 Sea Smoke, Sta Rita Hills, Southing, Pinot Noir (magnum)
2014 Williams Selyem, Papera Vineyard, Zinfandel
2010 Hillard Bruce, Sta Rita Hills, Sun, Pinot Noir
2017 Tercero, Camp 4 Vineyard, Santa Barbara County, Mouvedre Rose
CJ organized the dinner tonight at his favorite Indian restaurant. Artesia which is known as "Little India". Loads of shops, restaurants, businesses all catering to the Indian population. Driving down the main street through the area the palm trees in the medium have lights strung around the trunks. Makes for a really beautiful atmosphere. Anything you want from India is there. So tonight we are dining at The India Restaurant. www.theindiarestaurant.net . Eight of us tonight and loads of wine.
We started out with 3 appetizers. Veggie Bullets which is potato fingers stuffed with corn and peas. Onion Bhaji, chopped onions which are dredged in flour and deep fried and Samosa's. He ordered a curry sauce to pour on the somosa which gave them a whole, new different taste. Quite good.
Then a platter of Chili Chicken. Dice chicken meat with green chilies and special sauce. Good flavor but way to spicy for me. I ate one piece to try it
My favorite of the night is Karahi Gosht which is lamb with tomatoes, onions, turmeric, ginger and other spices. Loads of flavor. Meat was very tender,
Shrimp Marsala was an additional dish. Shrimp were very fresh and cooked perfectly. Not overdone which can be a side affect of sitting in a hot sauce.
Next was Aloo Saag, potatoes and spinach. Again very flavorful. Then a bowl of Mattar Paneer , cheese and peas in a tomato based sauce with garam masala and other spices. The nice thing about Indian food is you can have the heat from the spices adjusted for your tastes. Everything we had tonight was order mild except of the Chili Chicken which cannot be. It is what it is.
We had garlic naan and a couple of people added a dessert to their dinner. Unfortunately for me I have a head cold and it did a number on me as far as enjoyment of the food and wines. I was there in body but the rest of me was buried. I am listing the wines with no comment because with my taste gone tonight I can't really say anything good or bad about them
NV Nicolas Feuillatte, Limited Edition, Rose Champagne
NV Louis Roeder, Brut Premiere, Champagne
2015 Dancin Ecarle, Medford, Oregon, Pinot Noir
2017 Alfonso-Curran, Sta Rita Hills, Gruner Veltliner
2017 Julian Schaal, Alsace Grabd Cru, Rangen, Riesling
2011 Navarro, Anderson Valley, Gewurztraminer
2016 Bella Cavalli Farms, Santa Ynez, Tempranillo
2007 Sea Smoke, Sta Rita Hills, Southing, Pinot Noir (magnum)
2014 Williams Selyem, Papera Vineyard, Zinfandel
2010 Hillard Bruce, Sta Rita Hills, Sun, Pinot Noir
2017 Tercero, Camp 4 Vineyard, Santa Barbara County, Mouvedre Rose
Sunday, March 17, 2019
Lunch at the Diamond Palace
Sunday, March 17, 2019
The Seafood Place has been sold to a new group. Diamond, www.diamondseasoodpalace.com. Their renovations seem to be just about complete. Very pretty but as we discussed today, maybe a bit too hoity toity for us. No specials available. Only two waiters that we knew. Just not as relaxed and comfortable for us. Time to look for another "joint": for lunches.
We started off with the Egg Drop soup. Good but not as good as the hot, spicy, sour soup we have had in the past.
There were only 3 of us today. One person was watching the tennis finals at Indian Wells and the other suffering from a hangover.
We ordered White fish with Bok Choy and Snow Peas. Sautéed shrimp (looked like prawns) with small round noodles and Orange Beef. All were good but it is just not the same. All the dishes were brought out at the same time so they cooled off fast.
Wines we drank today: Francois Chidaine, Tourine, Rose of Pinot Noir, 2012 Sinor-LaVallee, Talley Rincon Vineyard, Pinot Noir, 2012 Stags Leap, Napa Valley, Caberent Sauvignon.
The Seafood Place has been sold to a new group. Diamond, www.diamondseasoodpalace.com. Their renovations seem to be just about complete. Very pretty but as we discussed today, maybe a bit too hoity toity for us. No specials available. Only two waiters that we knew. Just not as relaxed and comfortable for us. Time to look for another "joint": for lunches.
We started off with the Egg Drop soup. Good but not as good as the hot, spicy, sour soup we have had in the past.
There were only 3 of us today. One person was watching the tennis finals at Indian Wells and the other suffering from a hangover.
We ordered White fish with Bok Choy and Snow Peas. Sautéed shrimp (looked like prawns) with small round noodles and Orange Beef. All were good but it is just not the same. All the dishes were brought out at the same time so they cooled off fast.
Wines we drank today: Francois Chidaine, Tourine, Rose of Pinot Noir, 2012 Sinor-LaVallee, Talley Rincon Vineyard, Pinot Noir, 2012 Stags Leap, Napa Valley, Caberent Sauvignon.
Meeker Wine Tasting
Saturday, March 16, 2010
In celebration of his birthday, Warren opted to hold a Meeker wine tasting, blind. All 12 wines were either dressed in Samurai costumes or colored paper. Made for a colorful presentation. We started out with flights of three. Tasting notes were provided and we had to rate each wine and then at the end pick out our favorite. I was having a hard tome remembering what Meeker makes because I dropped the wine club years ago when I was downsizing.
But at the end I picked number 11 which turned out to be a 2013 Cabernet Franc.
My least favorite was number 1 which was a 2015 Viognier. It was red not white. The composition of the wine was 27.5% Viognier, 18.3% Carignane, 18.3% Zinfandel. 18.3% Petite Syrah and 17.6% Grenache. Just did nothing for me.
We were served dinner which consisted of Walnut Mushroom soup which is a recipe from Delius Restaurant which recently closed. Dave and Louise were in attendance tonight and liked the version of their soup. Then onto chateaubriand and poached salmon (twice this week for me) rice and vegetables. Dessert was a fruit tart or a chocolate cake with candles burning on it for Warrens birthday.
There was about 20 people invited and a few I remembered from last years tasting I went to at the same residence.
Wines tasted in pouring order:
2015 Meeker Hone Sakura, Dry Creek Valley, Viognier blend - $42
2015 Meeker Hoskins Ranch, Grenache - $38
2013 Meeker, Santa Lucia Highlands, Pinot Noir - $40
2010 Meeker, Fossil Blend, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot & Syrah - $38
2016 Meeker, Hoskins Ranch, Dry Creek Valley, Grenache
2014 Meeker, Syrah - $30
2015 Meeker, Sonoma County,Winemakers Handprint, Merlot - $45
2010 Meeker, Four Kings, Bordeaux Blend, - $ 62
2013 Meeker, Dry Creek Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon - $45
2014 Meeker, Sonoma County, Winemakers Handprint, Merlot - $45
2013 Meeker, Dry Creek Valley, Cabernet Franc, - $42
2015 Meeker, The Paddle. Reserve, 77% Petite Syrah & 23% Syrah - $42
In celebration of his birthday, Warren opted to hold a Meeker wine tasting, blind. All 12 wines were either dressed in Samurai costumes or colored paper. Made for a colorful presentation. We started out with flights of three. Tasting notes were provided and we had to rate each wine and then at the end pick out our favorite. I was having a hard tome remembering what Meeker makes because I dropped the wine club years ago when I was downsizing.
But at the end I picked number 11 which turned out to be a 2013 Cabernet Franc.
My least favorite was number 1 which was a 2015 Viognier. It was red not white. The composition of the wine was 27.5% Viognier, 18.3% Carignane, 18.3% Zinfandel. 18.3% Petite Syrah and 17.6% Grenache. Just did nothing for me.
We were served dinner which consisted of Walnut Mushroom soup which is a recipe from Delius Restaurant which recently closed. Dave and Louise were in attendance tonight and liked the version of their soup. Then onto chateaubriand and poached salmon (twice this week for me) rice and vegetables. Dessert was a fruit tart or a chocolate cake with candles burning on it for Warrens birthday.
There was about 20 people invited and a few I remembered from last years tasting I went to at the same residence.
Wines tasted in pouring order:
2015 Meeker Hone Sakura, Dry Creek Valley, Viognier blend - $42
2015 Meeker Hoskins Ranch, Grenache - $38
2013 Meeker, Santa Lucia Highlands, Pinot Noir - $40
2010 Meeker, Fossil Blend, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot & Syrah - $38
2016 Meeker, Hoskins Ranch, Dry Creek Valley, Grenache
2014 Meeker, Syrah - $30
2015 Meeker, Sonoma County,Winemakers Handprint, Merlot - $45
2010 Meeker, Four Kings, Bordeaux Blend, - $ 62
2013 Meeker, Dry Creek Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon - $45
2014 Meeker, Sonoma County, Winemakers Handprint, Merlot - $45
2013 Meeker, Dry Creek Valley, Cabernet Franc, - $42
2015 Meeker, The Paddle. Reserve, 77% Petite Syrah & 23% Syrah - $42
Friday, March 15, 2019
Calling Wine Dinner at Arte Cafe
Thursday, March 14, 2019
Had to scramble to find dining companions for this dinner. My "hot date" for dinners at Arte Cafe was out of town. Fortunately someone took pity of me and let me share their table.
Dina the wine rep from Southern was there in all her glory giving out numerous little items along with bottles of wine for those who had a lucky ticket. So I have my St. Patrick Day's beads, a green shamrock bracelet that flashes and a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc. I am styling now.
This dinner filled the main dining area but did not take over the restaurant as the last few dinners have done. I suspect mainly because the winery is not well known. I never heard of The Calling before. Had to google it to get some information on it. With about 4,000 wineries in CA it is hard to keep track of them all.
Only 2 waitstaff tonight and they really had to hustle. We didn't get napkins or water until after they poured the first wine. I was sitting in the parking lot when I saw one of the waitstaff drive in. I would assume they were running late.
We started out with a Nino Franco "Rustico" prosecco. A nice sparkling that got a bit better with the food.This winery in Italy was founded in 1912. A baby in Italian wineries. It was served with a plate of roasted red beets, ricotta, pine nuts and a yogurt vinaigrette. Good flavors and really like the yogurt dressing.
Second course is a Poached salmon with Caponata which is carmelized vegetables. This one had onions and celery if my taste buds were working correctly. A few leaves of sauteed baby spinach added a pop of color. Salmon was moist and succulent. Paired with a 2017 Calling, Sonoma Coast, Chardonnay. A bit oaky for me but the fatty salmon cut that aspect of the wine. Wine had a nice peach, apple taste.
Next is a beautifully cooked lamb chop with Flageolet beans Provencal. Lamb was a tad under seasoned but was flavorful and very tender. Wine served was a 2016 The Calling, Russian River Valley, Pinot Noir., A nice , lush wine,. Not overly fruity but enough. Bright, dark cherry notes with a wee bit of spice on the palate. You have to use the word "wee" someplace when it is a St. Patricks week.
Fourth course is a Chateaubriand with peppercorn sauce, polenta and green beans. I was initially
apprehensive about this dish. Richard is a master with seafood but falls short on the beef. He has been trying to redeem himself and he really did on this dish Being Asian he has a tendency to overcook beef. Not lamb or duck, just beef. He knows this a a minor flaw on his part and is working hard and he may have turned to course of his actions with this dish. Beef was a beautiful dark pink, almost a red look to it. Was very tender and seasoned well. Green beans were bright and added that note to the dish. The polenta was another issue. It tasted more like grits than a creamy polenta. Reminded me of the hot cereal "Cream of Wheat". Paired with a 2015 The Calling, Alexander Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon. Dark fruits with a bit of chocolate. A very full bodied wine
Dessert naturally is an "Irish" whiskey cake. Moist and rich. A nice end to the meal.
Had to scramble to find dining companions for this dinner. My "hot date" for dinners at Arte Cafe was out of town. Fortunately someone took pity of me and let me share their table.
Dina the wine rep from Southern was there in all her glory giving out numerous little items along with bottles of wine for those who had a lucky ticket. So I have my St. Patrick Day's beads, a green shamrock bracelet that flashes and a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc. I am styling now.
This dinner filled the main dining area but did not take over the restaurant as the last few dinners have done. I suspect mainly because the winery is not well known. I never heard of The Calling before. Had to google it to get some information on it. With about 4,000 wineries in CA it is hard to keep track of them all.
Only 2 waitstaff tonight and they really had to hustle. We didn't get napkins or water until after they poured the first wine. I was sitting in the parking lot when I saw one of the waitstaff drive in. I would assume they were running late.
We started out with a Nino Franco "Rustico" prosecco. A nice sparkling that got a bit better with the food.This winery in Italy was founded in 1912. A baby in Italian wineries. It was served with a plate of roasted red beets, ricotta, pine nuts and a yogurt vinaigrette. Good flavors and really like the yogurt dressing.
Second course is a Poached salmon with Caponata which is carmelized vegetables. This one had onions and celery if my taste buds were working correctly. A few leaves of sauteed baby spinach added a pop of color. Salmon was moist and succulent. Paired with a 2017 Calling, Sonoma Coast, Chardonnay. A bit oaky for me but the fatty salmon cut that aspect of the wine. Wine had a nice peach, apple taste.
Next is a beautifully cooked lamb chop with Flageolet beans Provencal. Lamb was a tad under seasoned but was flavorful and very tender. Wine served was a 2016 The Calling, Russian River Valley, Pinot Noir., A nice , lush wine,. Not overly fruity but enough. Bright, dark cherry notes with a wee bit of spice on the palate. You have to use the word "wee" someplace when it is a St. Patricks week.
Fourth course is a Chateaubriand with peppercorn sauce, polenta and green beans. I was initially
apprehensive about this dish. Richard is a master with seafood but falls short on the beef. He has been trying to redeem himself and he really did on this dish Being Asian he has a tendency to overcook beef. Not lamb or duck, just beef. He knows this a a minor flaw on his part and is working hard and he may have turned to course of his actions with this dish. Beef was a beautiful dark pink, almost a red look to it. Was very tender and seasoned well. Green beans were bright and added that note to the dish. The polenta was another issue. It tasted more like grits than a creamy polenta. Reminded me of the hot cereal "Cream of Wheat". Paired with a 2015 The Calling, Alexander Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon. Dark fruits with a bit of chocolate. A very full bodied wine
Dessert naturally is an "Irish" whiskey cake. Moist and rich. A nice end to the meal.
Thursday, March 7, 2019
Fattoria Uccelliera Wines Dinner at Michael's On Naples
Wednesday, March 6, 2019
We had signed up for this dinner before the wine dinner at Chianina two days ago was posted. Decided to keep the reservation. 6 of us tonight. Michael's On Napleswww.michaelsonnaples.com. is owned by the same person that owns Chianina. down the street.
Traffic was surprisingly light today so I arrived 35 minutes early. The upstairs bar area was closed for a private party so I had a cocktail at the bar bar downstairs while I waited for the rest of the dinner party. Ordered a side car. Noticed that the bartender had to look up the recipe for the cocktail. It was popular in the 30's and 40's so the new generation is not familiar with it. Made with Cognac, Contrieu and lemon juice.
We started out with Insalata De Calamari E Fagioli. calamari. cannellini beans with gaeta olives and arugula. Good flavor, dressed nicely. Paired with a 2017 Ficaia (which means fig) Pinot Blanc and Viognier blend. Light, refreshing not too acidic and paired well with the salad.
Second course is a Faggiano, braised red wine pheasant over crema di semolina. Pheasant was good, cooked nicely, not dry. I found the semolina cake was very under seasoned and the gnocchi was fried. I prefer my gnocchi soft. A matter of personal taste. At least it was much better than the fried tater tots that the Hyatt Watertable tried to pass as gnocchi a few years back. Will never forget that dinner.
The wine paired was 2016 Ginepraia (means Juniper). 100% Sangiovese but grown near juniper bushes on the estate. A nice wine. Paired well with the pheasant.
Next up is a Pappardelle Con Cinghiale, House made pappardelle pasta with braised wild boar. Good flavor. Wild boar has a tendency to be on the dry side because it has so little fat on it compared to domestic raised pigs but this was nice and moist. Pasta was excellent. The wine was a 2015 Castellaccio which was a blend of Sangiovese and Petit Verdot. Nice blend and balanced out well with the wild boar.
Main course is Agnello, grilled Superior Farms lamb loin steak, English peas and roasted baby potatoes. Meat was cooked perfectly and had flavor. Peas are peas. The potatoes needed a bit of seasoning. Paired with a 2015 7Dieci, Syrah. Very good pairing. If I remember correctly they said the vines were planted in 1995 and this was only the second vintage of wine from them. This was a very deep, dark, slightly jammy syrah. A brooding style of wine.
For dessert a Dolcetti Della Casa, a small plate that had a piece of Verona chocolate, a small biscotti cookie, a candided walnut and a apple fritter.
We also did get bread with dinner tonight.
Tiziana Sani Bulleri, the owner of the winery was in attendance. www.uccelliera.com. She came around to every table and talked about the wine. The winery is in Pisa, Italy and they have a tasting room .
I did get to talk with Michael Dene , the owner of Michaels and Chanina. about the dinner Monday at Chianina. He was glad I spoke up and said he also agreed with me on the issues I had with it. Michael said he much preferred to hear complaints directly instead of someone praising the dinner to him and then go out and dissing it to the public. He and his lady were at the dinner and were served the same food. Apparently a big staff meeting on Thursday to iron out some of the problems.
We had signed up for this dinner before the wine dinner at Chianina two days ago was posted. Decided to keep the reservation. 6 of us tonight. Michael's On Napleswww.michaelsonnaples.com. is owned by the same person that owns Chianina. down the street.
Traffic was surprisingly light today so I arrived 35 minutes early. The upstairs bar area was closed for a private party so I had a cocktail at the bar bar downstairs while I waited for the rest of the dinner party. Ordered a side car. Noticed that the bartender had to look up the recipe for the cocktail. It was popular in the 30's and 40's so the new generation is not familiar with it. Made with Cognac, Contrieu and lemon juice.
We started out with Insalata De Calamari E Fagioli. calamari. cannellini beans with gaeta olives and arugula. Good flavor, dressed nicely. Paired with a 2017 Ficaia (which means fig) Pinot Blanc and Viognier blend. Light, refreshing not too acidic and paired well with the salad.
Second course is a Faggiano, braised red wine pheasant over crema di semolina. Pheasant was good, cooked nicely, not dry. I found the semolina cake was very under seasoned and the gnocchi was fried. I prefer my gnocchi soft. A matter of personal taste. At least it was much better than the fried tater tots that the Hyatt Watertable tried to pass as gnocchi a few years back. Will never forget that dinner.
The wine paired was 2016 Ginepraia (means Juniper). 100% Sangiovese but grown near juniper bushes on the estate. A nice wine. Paired well with the pheasant.
Next up is a Pappardelle Con Cinghiale, House made pappardelle pasta with braised wild boar. Good flavor. Wild boar has a tendency to be on the dry side because it has so little fat on it compared to domestic raised pigs but this was nice and moist. Pasta was excellent. The wine was a 2015 Castellaccio which was a blend of Sangiovese and Petit Verdot. Nice blend and balanced out well with the wild boar.
Main course is Agnello, grilled Superior Farms lamb loin steak, English peas and roasted baby potatoes. Meat was cooked perfectly and had flavor. Peas are peas. The potatoes needed a bit of seasoning. Paired with a 2015 7Dieci, Syrah. Very good pairing. If I remember correctly they said the vines were planted in 1995 and this was only the second vintage of wine from them. This was a very deep, dark, slightly jammy syrah. A brooding style of wine.
For dessert a Dolcetti Della Casa, a small plate that had a piece of Verona chocolate, a small biscotti cookie, a candided walnut and a apple fritter.
We also did get bread with dinner tonight.
Tiziana Sani Bulleri, the owner of the winery was in attendance. www.uccelliera.com. She came around to every table and talked about the wine. The winery is in Pisa, Italy and they have a tasting room .
I did get to talk with Michael Dene , the owner of Michaels and Chanina. about the dinner Monday at Chianina. He was glad I spoke up and said he also agreed with me on the issues I had with it. Michael said he much preferred to hear complaints directly instead of someone praising the dinner to him and then go out and dissing it to the public. He and his lady were at the dinner and were served the same food. Apparently a big staff meeting on Thursday to iron out some of the problems.
Tuesday, March 5, 2019
Round Pond Wines at Chianina
Monday, March 4, 2019
First wine dinner at the year at Chianina. www.chianina.com. .Round Pond wines are from the Rutherford district in Napa. The owner Miles MacDonnell was in attendance along with several members of his staff and Amy the wine distributor. Amy used to work at Wine Country in Signal Hill a few years back.
We started out with a Poached Lobster, baby carrots and a spring pea salad. All I can say this dish looked absolutely ugly and not inviting at all. The color of the green pea puree was not bright spring green but took on a camouflage color. Won't say what it really looked like but if you ever had kids you will know. I also thought it had no flavor. What a waste of lobster. The wine was a saving grace. 2017 Round Pond, Sauvignon Blanc. Stainless steel fermented. Nice, bright, a bit racy but a very clean not overly citrusy.
Second course was a Porcini Chitarra. ragu of wild and farmed mushrooms and percorino cheese. Chitarra means guitar strings. A round , dense pasta. The ragu was good but I thought the pasta was a bit too "al dente". I found it a bit difficult to chew. Also the dish was luke warm. Favorite wine of the night was paired. A 2016 Round Pond Super Tuscan, Blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese. I would have bought a few bottles but it was cases only and at $80+ is was a no go for me. I thought the wine was very good. The Cab softened the Sangio.\
Third course is a Liberty Farm Peking Duck. Roasted breast and leg confit with broccolini and pine nuts. Liberty Farms must be a massive facility. I will have to google them up some day to get more infor on them. They seem to supply every restaurant there is. I found the duck had flavor but certain areas of the breast were difficult to cut. The confit had very good flavor. This dish was luke warm also. Paired with a 2015 Round Pond, Rutherford Cabernet. A really nice wine if you are a Cabernet fan.
Last course was a grilled ribeye and Chianina beef tongue with spring onion, Yukon potato and bordelaise. Interesting dish. Good but not great. And again luke warm. Last wine of the evening is a 2015 Rutherford Reserve Cabernet. You had an option to pay $35 more and get a pour of the 2015 Round Pond, Gravel Series, Cabernet Sauvignon. Not interested in $35 for about a 2 ounce pour. I don;t acre how highly allotted the wine is.
For dessert they served Lemon Sorbet which was a nice palate cleanser after a rich meal.
Disappointed in the dinner. My dining companions were also. Wine was very good. Meal was mediocre and left much to be desired. No bread served. Same chef in the kitchen. Bryant Taylor has been a Chianina for about 3 years now. Do not know what happened tonight but I hope it doesn't happen again. At $125 plus tax and tip I expect better.
Chianina has a new floor manager. He was too busy hob nobbing with the "elite" he didn't make time for the paying customers. No hospitality in him at all. The former floor manager was so much better. And almost an all new staff. I saw one waitstaff that has been there for a long time. It looked like everyone else was new. Don't know the reason why. Maybe the new floor manager brought in his own people or perhaps the old waitstaff was not happy with the new manager and left.
First wine dinner at the year at Chianina. www.chianina.com. .Round Pond wines are from the Rutherford district in Napa. The owner Miles MacDonnell was in attendance along with several members of his staff and Amy the wine distributor. Amy used to work at Wine Country in Signal Hill a few years back.
We started out with a Poached Lobster, baby carrots and a spring pea salad. All I can say this dish looked absolutely ugly and not inviting at all. The color of the green pea puree was not bright spring green but took on a camouflage color. Won't say what it really looked like but if you ever had kids you will know. I also thought it had no flavor. What a waste of lobster. The wine was a saving grace. 2017 Round Pond, Sauvignon Blanc. Stainless steel fermented. Nice, bright, a bit racy but a very clean not overly citrusy.
Second course was a Porcini Chitarra. ragu of wild and farmed mushrooms and percorino cheese. Chitarra means guitar strings. A round , dense pasta. The ragu was good but I thought the pasta was a bit too "al dente". I found it a bit difficult to chew. Also the dish was luke warm. Favorite wine of the night was paired. A 2016 Round Pond Super Tuscan, Blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese. I would have bought a few bottles but it was cases only and at $80+ is was a no go for me. I thought the wine was very good. The Cab softened the Sangio.\
Third course is a Liberty Farm Peking Duck. Roasted breast and leg confit with broccolini and pine nuts. Liberty Farms must be a massive facility. I will have to google them up some day to get more infor on them. They seem to supply every restaurant there is. I found the duck had flavor but certain areas of the breast were difficult to cut. The confit had very good flavor. This dish was luke warm also. Paired with a 2015 Round Pond, Rutherford Cabernet. A really nice wine if you are a Cabernet fan.
Last course was a grilled ribeye and Chianina beef tongue with spring onion, Yukon potato and bordelaise. Interesting dish. Good but not great. And again luke warm. Last wine of the evening is a 2015 Rutherford Reserve Cabernet. You had an option to pay $35 more and get a pour of the 2015 Round Pond, Gravel Series, Cabernet Sauvignon. Not interested in $35 for about a 2 ounce pour. I don;t acre how highly allotted the wine is.
For dessert they served Lemon Sorbet which was a nice palate cleanser after a rich meal.
Disappointed in the dinner. My dining companions were also. Wine was very good. Meal was mediocre and left much to be desired. No bread served. Same chef in the kitchen. Bryant Taylor has been a Chianina for about 3 years now. Do not know what happened tonight but I hope it doesn't happen again. At $125 plus tax and tip I expect better.
Chianina has a new floor manager. He was too busy hob nobbing with the "elite" he didn't make time for the paying customers. No hospitality in him at all. The former floor manager was so much better. And almost an all new staff. I saw one waitstaff that has been there for a long time. It looked like everyone else was new. Don't know the reason why. Maybe the new floor manager brought in his own people or perhaps the old waitstaff was not happy with the new manager and left.
Monday, March 4, 2019
Kings Fish House
Saturday, March 2, 2019
Margie chose Kings Fish House for her monthly dinner. A small local chain but very good food.
www.kingsfishhouse.com. A rainy evening in sunny California but 14 of us braved the drizzle. In California if it is a drizzle it becomes a major storm warning on the news.
We had a total of 17 wines. Some I got to taste and others not. A couple of really good standouts but for my taste the rest were mediocre to me. Obviously someone likes them or they would not have brought them.
I had an assortment of raw oysters. The menu showed which ones would be on the sampler platter but the waitstaff neglected to point out which was what. Faux Pas on their part. I realize there were on the rushed side but this is a very busy restaurant at all times so there really is no excuse.
For my main I ordered the Grilled White Sea Bass. I have had this fish before at Kings but tonight it was a bit on the dry side. Flavor was good but it was not moist.
Dessert I should have not ordered because I packed up my fish to go but so glad I did. A very moist, deep, rich chocolate cake with a strawberry puree and whipped cream. Very decadent. Besides the oysters the best thing I ate tonight.
Kings is a good restaurant so the minor hiccups tonight would not stop me from returning. I do sit at the bar at times and just eat oysters and have a glass of wine. The Kings at Bella Terra in Huntington Beach has a big issue with parking. There are so many restaurants and shops here that parking near the establishment can be a challenge. There is a large parking structure in the back area but it becomes a minor hike in. But exercise is said to be good for you.
Margie chose Kings Fish House for her monthly dinner. A small local chain but very good food.
www.kingsfishhouse.com. A rainy evening in sunny California but 14 of us braved the drizzle. In California if it is a drizzle it becomes a major storm warning on the news.
We had a total of 17 wines. Some I got to taste and others not. A couple of really good standouts but for my taste the rest were mediocre to me. Obviously someone likes them or they would not have brought them.
I had an assortment of raw oysters. The menu showed which ones would be on the sampler platter but the waitstaff neglected to point out which was what. Faux Pas on their part. I realize there were on the rushed side but this is a very busy restaurant at all times so there really is no excuse.
For my main I ordered the Grilled White Sea Bass. I have had this fish before at Kings but tonight it was a bit on the dry side. Flavor was good but it was not moist.
Dessert I should have not ordered because I packed up my fish to go but so glad I did. A very moist, deep, rich chocolate cake with a strawberry puree and whipped cream. Very decadent. Besides the oysters the best thing I ate tonight.
Kings is a good restaurant so the minor hiccups tonight would not stop me from returning. I do sit at the bar at times and just eat oysters and have a glass of wine. The Kings at Bella Terra in Huntington Beach has a big issue with parking. There are so many restaurants and shops here that parking near the establishment can be a challenge. There is a large parking structure in the back area but it becomes a minor hike in. But exercise is said to be good for you.
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