Issara Restaurant for Margie's Monthly Dinners

Saturday, November 7, 2020 Issara in Huntington Beach was our destination tonight. A very highly rated Thai restaurant. Orange County has allowed in house dining for a few weeks now. So we got lucky that the weather took a turn to rain and wind and we did not have to dine outside tonight. There were 12 of us and they broke us up to tables of 4. A bit close but not bad. None of us have had Covid or been around anyone that has it. A bit dicey but not too much. There are several of us old folks that have health issues but I am not hibernating forever. I try to be careful but not paranoid. Everyone ordered their own dinners off the limited menu. So a wide variety of food. I ordered the "Wings" which are really good as an appetizer. We got soup, salad, white rice, a choice of brown rice or shrimp fried rice along with our entree. I had ordered the Crying Tiger steak. After the wings and soup I was full. So the entire meal came home with me for tomorrows lunch. Two of the best wines tonight were the 2018 Penner-Ash, Zena Crown Vineyard, Pinot Noir and the 2010 Roar, Santa Lucia Highlands, Pinot Noir. There were 7 white wines (overkill), 2 Rose's and 7 reds. I only tasted the Rose's and a couple of the whites. A few reds but most of the wine I did not get to taste. A homemade wine, 2019 Beetlejuice, Cabernet Sauvignon was interesting. Good balance and nice fruit but will not hold for too long. I also liked the 2017 Enroute, Les Pommiers, RRV, Pinot Noir. The balance of the wines are as follows. 2018 Buscador, Chenin Blanc, 2019 Dr. Heidemann's Riesling, 2017 Tobin James Chardonnay, 2014 Danseier, Syrah, 2018 Draj Chenin Blanc, NV Chateau St. Jean Sparkling Rose, 2017 Navarro, Gewurztraminer, 2017 Loring, Pinot Noir, 2017 Fess Parker, Viognier, 2018 Donnhof Rieslng and a 2007 Sea Smoke Southing, Pinot Noir.