Lunch with the boys at Seafood Cove

 Monday, December 6, 2021

A very last-minute decision for lunch today. Henry never knows when he is able to have some free time from being a 24/7 caretaker for his wife.

We had three dishes today along with the complimentary rice and sweet-sour soup

A Sizzling Platter of Shrimp, Scallops, Mushrooms. Brought to the table still sizzling away from the stove. Very good, Nice and a bit spicy. 

Beef with Bamboo Shoots, Mushrooms and Spinach. Love the big mushrooms in this dish and the large pieces of bamboo shoots.

Thai style beef with broccoli, mushrooms and Thai noodles. Had to replace the chopsticks with a fork for the noodles. They are wide, flat and slippery. 

Good wines today. I brought a Graham Beck Champagne. Margie gave it to me Saturday night, so I took it today and shared. Nice yeasty, dry champagne. Thank you, Margie, for the nice bubbly. 

Henry brought a 2017 Barossa Valley Estate GSM and CJ brought a 2009 Sea Smoke, Ten, Pinot Noir. Both goods wines.

Margie's Holiday Dinner at Le Chateau Garden Bistro

Saturday, December 4, 2021 

A bit of a drive, accident on freeway, missed the sign for the hotel, had to back track but eventually I made it. And a few minutes early. 9 of us tonight for the yearly holiday dinner. This was at the Ayres Hotel on Bristol in Costa Mesa near the Newport border Everyone else was spending the night and having Sunday brunch in the morning.  I made it home in 25 minutes by taking the coast route.

A limited menu. Surprised there were no lamb or pork dishes listed.  I started out with the French Onion Soup. It was OK but I have had so much better. It seemed to lack that deep onion flavor and rich broth. For a French themed restaurant.  I was expecting much more. 

My main was Sea Bass over Ratatouille. Fish was good, nice size portion. Ther ratatouille was good. Carrots, squash, tomatoes, onions, tomatoes and 18 little potatoes. Overkill on the spuds.

Dessert was Tismisu cake.  This was good, not overly sweet but light. 

Best thing on the table was the breadbasket with butter and tapenade.  Normally I do not eat the bread and rolls served because I will OD on them and then not want my meal. This bread was very good. A bit on the rustic style.  Tapenade was very good. Made with green olives. I could have had bread, butter, tapenade and wine and been a very happy camper.

I brought a 2011 Clos Pepe, Sta Rita Hills, Pinot Noir VS. Drinking exceptionally well. Very soft on the palate, velvety and lush. Nice dark cherry. A light spice. Personally, I thought it was the best wine on the table.

Other wines were:

2016 Sanford, Block 6, Pinot Noir

2014 Ken Brown, SBC, Watch Hill Vineyard, Syrah

2015 Saxum, Paso Robles, Willow Creek District, Broken Stones, a blend of syrah, mouvedre, grenache, petite syrah, roussanne and viognier.

2019 Puligny-Montrachet-Vielle Vignes, Grand Vin De Bourgogne

NV   Laherte Freres, Extra Brut, Champagne

2016 Bergstrom, Shea Vineyards, Pinot Noir

2014 Champagne de Venoce, Blanc de Blanc, Grand Vindes Princes

2019 Shafer, Chardonnay

2017 Freemark Abbey, Cabernet Sauvignon

2003 Sbragia, Merlot

2017 Beetlejuice, Cabernet Sauvignon

Penfold's Wine Dinner at Arte Cafe

 Monday, November 22, 2021

I was surprised how many people showed up on a Monday night for a wine dinner. Especially Thanksgiving week.  Not completely sold out but a very good size group at Arte Cafe in Cerritos.  Penfold wines from Australia and CA were featured. The wine reps name was Scott and interestingly he was from England not Australia. Penfold's started in Australia in 1844. 

Did learn that the number on the label indicates what variety of grapes and where it is grown. I will have to research this more because I really can't remember what went where. An 8 is Shiraz driven and a 7 is Cabernet driven

We started out with a very large grilled Prawn over a spaghetti squash salad with a Thai basil cream vinaigrette. Excellent flavors. That basil cream was exceptionally good.  Paired with a 2018 Penfold Max's south Australia Chardonnay. $20.   A bit oaky but not buttery. It did pair very well with the salad.

Our appetizer was crispy pork belly with a plum and red wine reduction over a bed of spinach.  Pork belly was a bit too greasy for me. I am finding as I get older, I have less tolerance for certain things. It was good pork belly but I always compare to Louise's dish at Delius. She made the best pork belly I have ever had.  Maybe not a fair comparison, two different chefs and two different cooking methods. A 2018 Penfold Bin 600 California Cabernet-Shriaz blend.  $45.  Scott said coming from the Alex Trebeck property. I really liked this wine and since we were offered a really nice discount, I bought 3 bottles of it.

Our entree is an Aussie Shepherd's pie. Great flaxy crust. A bit of a bite to the ingredients. Paired with a 2018 Bin 28 Barossa Valley Shiraz. $30.  A good combination.

The main is a Grilled lamb with garlicky Swiss chard and spiced couscous. Lamb was looked perfectly. The Swiss chard was really garlicky and the couscous had a real bite to it. Very nice composed dish. Wine was supposed to be a 2018 Bin 389 Cabernet-Shiraz, $55 but the warehouse shipped the wrong wine.  Instead, we were served the 2019 Bin 407 Cabernet Sauvignon, $75. Cellars in 50% American oak and 50% French Oak. Excellent wine. 

Dessert is a Sticky fig and pecan pudding cake with toffee sauce. Decadent. Served with a scoop of Pistachio ice cream. A NV Penfold's Club Tawny Port, $13 was selected. Not overly sweet. Nice pairing but basically, I am not a sweet on sweet person. A bit much for me. But I did devour the dessert. 

Margie's Dinner at Fish In A Bottle

 Saturday, November 6, 2021

12 of us tonight for Margie's monthly wine dinner. This time at Fish In A Bottle restaurant. Menu was massive. Lots of Sushi and Sashimi to choose from along with complete dinners.   

I started out with a Seaweed Salad. Unfortunately more assorted greens than seaweed. OK flavor but nothing that I would order again here. 

Split a couple of appetizers with CJ. The Togarashi Fries were very good and the Vegetable Tempura was also. Large pieces of vegetables and very light coating. Good choices. Those could have been my entire meal. 

I ordered the Baby Lobster Baked Roll. Good flavors and a nice size portion.  I was struggling to eat the last two pieces.  No dessert for me tonight. 

Wines were interesting.  I brought a Fred # 8, Sparkling Red wine from the Slovak Republic. Bottle cap on wine but when opened not a lot of fizz. I bought this wine because I wanted the grape to add to my list of wine grapes tasted. On the dry side but as I drank it it grew on me.  Different but pleasant . But when I brought the bottle ack home I put in the refrigerator on it's side with a closure.  I forgot it was a "sparkling" because it really didn't taste that way. In the morning I opened the refrigerator and the closure had blown off and I had red sparking sprayed all over the inside. Had to take everything out and dismantle all the shelves and drawers and do a massive cleaning.  My fault for being an air head and spacing out. 

NV De Margerie, Grand Cru Sparking Rose -  good champagne

2017 Goldeneye, Anderson Valley, Pinot Noir - good

2020 J.Lohr, Grenache Rose - do not remember if I tasted this wine

2012 Loring, Rosella's Vineyard, Pinot Noir - Brain's wine are always good

2010 Dehlinger, Russian River, Chardonnay - did not taste

2020 Patricia Green Cellars, Helen Dusschee, Tempranillo Rose - good

2017 Foley, Sta Rita Hills, Bar Lazy Ranch, Pinot Noir - did not taste

2017 Pomar Jumction Winery, Cotes De Pomar Blanc - good

2017 Cadre, Edna Valley, Ode to Pearls, Sparkling Albarino - interesting

2020 Scar of The Sea, SLO, Sparking Rose of Pinot Noir - can't remember much about it

2009 Corton-Charlemagne, Louis Latour, Grand Cru, Grand Vin De Bourgogne - did not taste

2007 Peay, Scallop Shelf, Sonoma Coast, Pinot Noir - excellent wine

2016 Chappellet, Pritchard Hill Vineyard, Napa Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon - very good but way to big for sushi. This should be saved for a big meaty food dish

Nice dinner, good dining companions. Good wines and food.  Now if only the restaurant would clean their filthy entrance and exist doors

Beaulieu Vineyard at Arte Cafe

 Thursday, November 4, 2021

I have missed the last 2 wine dinners at Arte Cafe due to conflicts. Heard from various people that those dinners were OK but not great. Issues with the quality of the  food.  Was wondering how tonight's dinner would be. Turned out to be very good with only one very minor complaint. Inside dining area was full and most of the patio area was filled in spite of the chilly weather. But there was that large fireplace and heaters.  BV's wine rep Billy was there. Very personable.

We started out with Pacific Shrimp Cocktail.  Two very large shrimp sitting in a glass of ceviche of Roma tomatoes, avocado, cucumber and celery. Topped with an orchid.  Shrimp were perfect. The ceviche is too acid for me so I had very little of it. What I did taste was good.  Wine was a 2019 BV Carneros, Napa Valley, Chardonnay. A bit oaky but went very well with the cocktail. 

Next was a salad with salmon. Romaine, apples, pears, bacon, pecans, cranberry and Feta cheese with a Mandarin vinaigrette. Excellent. Salmon was moist and cooked perfectly. The flavors played off of each other. Paired with a 2017 BV Napa Valley Merlot. A strange pairing was it worked perfectly. I was very pleasantly surprised.  Wine rep, Billy explained because of the nuts, bacon and feta cheese the salad could handle the red wine. I would have never thought. 

Pork medallions with wild mushroom and leek risotto, drizzled with Rosemary au jus was our third dish. Great flavors again.  Pork cooked perfectly, Moist, succulent and pink. My only complaint of the entire night would be the risotto needed just a tiny  pinch of salt. Paired with a 2017 Napa Valley Cabernet. Another very nice wine.

Last dish is a New York strip steak with a maple wine reduction sauce, garlic mashed potatoes and asparagus. Steak was cooked more medium than rare but it was still pink inside and moist. A 2018 BV Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon was the wine choice. A very good wine and nice pairing.

Dessert was house made apple pie with vanilla ice cream. Not too sweet and a good ending to a very good meal. 

Alfresco Wine Dinner with Chef Louise

 Saturday, October 30, 3021

 Great weather for outdoor dining. A bit cool but no breeze. Dave and Louise invested in outdoor heaters and it made the whole evening very pleasant. These "alfresco" dinners are held in their backyard and limited to 30 people. Lights, umbrellas, candles make for a festive setting. Prix Fixe menu only.  Tonight's dinner had no winemaker in attendance. A Rose and 3 red wines were served. This will be the last dinner until the weather warms up about May.

We started out with a Roasted Beet and Goat Cheese Salad with Arugula and Toasted Pistachio Dressing. Exceptionally good.  Served with a 2020  Gerard Bertrand "Cotes des Roses", Rose from Languedoc, France. Nice pairing and the bottle had a rose stamped into the bottom of the bottle. Would make a great stamp for cookies.

Second course is a Lentil and Vegetable Soup with Coq Au Vin.  Good flavors. Paired with a 2019 Lapostolle "Cuvee Alexandre" Carmenere from Chile. A really nice wine and good pairing.

Up next is a Pork Tenderloin, Roasted Cipollini Onions and Roasted Squash Puree. Pork was very moist and tender. Louise sears the tenderloin on all sides then wraps in aluminum foil and it continues to cook in the foil. Does not put it in the oven. This something I am going to try because the meat was so moist. The wine is a 2020 Angeline, Mendocino County Pinot Noir. Again a very good pairing.

The entree is Red Wine Braised Short Ribs, Mushroom Farro Risotto and Roasted Yellow Carrots. Short ribs were very good but the farro risotto was outstanding. Served with a Michael Davis "Petite Petit" Petite Syrah from Lodi. Big wine, loads of flavor. Those of us at out table thought the Pinot and Petite Syrah should have been switched with the entree's. We all had wines left in our glasses and switched drinking them with the food. But a nice pairing also.

Dessert is Sticky Toffee Pudding, Salted Cardamom-Caramel Sauce and Warm English Custard.  A nice ending to a very good dinner.

555 East American Steak House

 Saturday, October 2, 2021'

Table of seven for us tonight. 555 was booked solid. No tables sat empty for too long. The outside tent is gone but they do have a parklet set up at the curb. Long Beach is allowing this until some time next year. I think they should make it permanent. This was a almost 4-1/2 hour dinner. Nice not to be pushed out by waitstaff. They never hurry you at 555.   Our waiter Paul was extremely accommodating and gave excellent service. You always have the feeling that 555 is happy to have you dine there and they go  out of their way to show it. 

All the wines tonight were excellent to outstanding. No comments from me on these as they were all great.

Started out with a plate of oysters. Kumamoto from Washington,  Summerstone from Washington and Peach Plum from Massachusetts.  The last two I had not had before. Not as sweet as the Kumamoto but larger. Very good.

We ordered a 29 oz Chateaubriand and an aged New York Shared by almost everyone at the table. Sides of mushrooms and potatoes filled out the plate.

2005 Charles Heidsieck, Rose Millesemes , Rose Brut Champagne

NV   Marc Hebrart, a Mareuil-sur-Ag, , Premiere Cru Brut Champagne

1998 Caymus, Napa Valley, Special Selection, Cabernet Sauvignon

2000 Forman, Napa Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon

2003 Ducru-Be aucaillo, Classe en 1885, Grand Cru, Saint Julien

2005 Saxum, Paso Robles, Booker Vineyard, Syrah/Mouvedre

2014 Dierberg, Sta Rita Hills, Drum Canyon Vineyard, Pinot Noir

2016 Duckhorn, Napa Valley, Cabernet Franc

Lunch With The Boys at Sea Food Cove

 Friday, October 1, 2021

An impromptu lunch today. 3 of us at the Sea Food Cove restaurant. Not too crowded today but a lot of traffic driving over.

Started out with the usual Sweet Sour soup which today had a bit of a bite too it.

Then onto our selections.  Kung Pao Shrimp. Good dish, tender shrimp,  a few hot red chiles, scallions and boiled peanuts.

 Beef Chow Fun . Henrys dish that he says he won't cook at home. Explained that the oil in the wok has to be  super hot and and he doesn't like doing that on his wok. Too dangerous.

Thai Style Beef with Green Beans.  Not only did this dish look good but tasted good also. Green beans were a vibrant color up against the darkness of the beef.

Dessert was a Tapioca with Green Beans and Seaweed. Had a good, interesting flavor to it. Served luke warm and liquidy.

3 of us today so 3 wines on the table.  I brought a 2005 Stolpman,  LaCroce. A blend of syrah and sangiovese. For 16 years old this was a great wine. Looked and tasted like it could go several more years. Big body, dark fruits, soft palate, lush.

2018 Loveblock, Pinot Noit from Central Ortago, New Zealand. A light, bright wine. Was 41 on list of Top 1100 Wines this year.

NV Domaine Allimantlaugner, Cremant D'Alsace Brut. Nice and refreshing on a hot day and also went very well with the Kumg Pao Shrimp.

Buttonwood Dinner at Chef Louise's Backyard

 Saturday, September 18, 2021

Another backyard dinner at Dave and Louise's house. This time it is Buttonwood Winery and Karen Steinwachs the winemaker was in attendance.. Another beautiful night, a bit breezy but as soon as the sun went down it was calm.  Dave and Louise have bought outdoor heaters and hope to have another winemaker dinner in October. Keeping my fingers crossed. These dinners are limited to 30 people and so far this year every one has sold out within a a few days.

All Buttonwood wines are estate grown in Santa Ynez except for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay which are sourced from the Hibbits vineyard which is located just before you get into Lompoc. Not sure if that area is in the Sta, Rita Hills AVA.

Buttonwood also grows numerous varieties of peaches on their acreage and sell them at the stand next to the tasting room on Alamo Pintado road between Solvang and Los Olivos.

Started out with a Scallop Mousse and herb drizzle. This was such a big hit that Louise is going to put in her regular menu rotation. This was so silky and rich.  Paired with a 2019 Buttonwood Sauvignon Blanc. 92 % Sau Blanc and 8% Semillon. Wine was not overly acidic and tart. Nice wine and great pairing. 

Second course is a Prosciutto, Ricotta and Arugula Tart. Smooth and creamy Arugula gave it a slight bitter taste which woke up the taste buds. Wine is a 2020 Buttonwood Syrah Rose. A really good Rose. Had some body to it and wasn't overly fruity.  You knew you were drinking wine and not strawberry soda.  I did order a few bottles of this wine.

Next is a Duck Confit and Pork Ragout Cassoulet. Great blend of flavors. Meats were fork tender. Paired with a 2018 Buttonwood Classic Cuvee. Blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet France, Merlot and Mouvedre. , This was another wine which I ordered a few bottles of. Easy drinking and a great blend.

Main course is a Dry Rubbed Tri Tip with Warm Potato Salad. .Meat was tender and moist, good flavors. Loved the warm potato salad. A 2018 Buttonwood Malbec was the wine. Another good pairing. 

Dessert is a Spiced Apple Cake with Praline Frosting and a extra praline on the plate. Fall flavors. A 2014 Buttonwood Posh dessert wine  was the pairing. 100% Syrah. Not overly sweet and paired well with the dessert. 

Jolie brought at 2010 Buttonwood Solo Trevia red wine.  49% Merlot, 27% Cabernet Franc, 19% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Malbec. She shared her bottle with a few of us.  This wine was outstanding and has quite a few years ahead of it.

Another good dinner in the backyard. Really good wines and great dining companions. Sat at the table with the singles, the winemaker and wine rep. Beautiful weather, wines and food.   Can't get any better than that.

Margie's Dinner at Prime Cut Cafe

 Saturday, September 11, 2021

10 of us tonight at Prime Cut Cafe in Orange for Margie's monthly wine dinner. We had our own private room away from the other diners.

CJ and I split a  marinated beet and avocado salad. Made just the right portion for me. Red beets and orange beets. Very good and not heavy at all.

I ordered the Prime Rib which is their specialty. Good flavor, very tender. Served with Yorkshire Pudding.  I also had a side order of mushroom's.  I will have a good lunch tomorrow. 

Followed by a Creme Brulee for dessert.  

I brought a 2010 Stoplman, Ballard Canyon, Angeli, Syrah - showing really well. Glad there was some left in the bottle to take home for tomorrow. 

2003 BV Tapestry Reserve, Napa Valley, Red Blend. Magnum - Tasting really good.

2015 Merry Edwards Olivet Lane, RRV, Sonoma County, Chardonnay - did not taste

2013 Cartograph, Leonardo Julio Vineyard, Brut Rose - interesting flavor and color

1974 Stag's Leap Wine cellars, Cabernet Sauvignon  - good color and showed quite well

NV Gruet, New Mexico, Blanc de Noirs - never can go wrong with this sparkling

2019 Paso Point, Paso Robles, Cabernet Sauvignon - a bit on the light side

2017 Rasmussen, Cabernet Sauvignon Bang - OK, 

2020 Cinquain, Mesa Del Rio Vineyards, Monterey County, Pinot Blanc - did not taste

NV   Roederer, Anderson Valley, Brut Rose - always a good choice

2016 Les Cadrans de Lassegue, Red Blend - did not taste

2018 Williams Selyem, Gruner Veltliner - a nice Gruner

320 Main

 Friday, September 10, 2021

Impromptu dinner tonight. 3 of us. Decided on 320 Main because of their cocktails.  I started out with a "Detroiter" Lairds Bonded Apple Brandy, Cyner, (which is an Italian aperitif made with 13 varieties of herbs and plants)  Lemon, Honey syrup  and Stone IPA. Quite good.

We shared a full platter of Kumamoto Oysters.

I ordered the half rack of lamb and the loaded mashed potatoes. Lamb was tender and flavorful. Potatoes were really good, 

I had a second cocktail, can't remember the name but it was a jacked up Whiskey Sour. It was quite good also.

We sat outside on the parklet. Weather was perfect for outdoor dining. Tonight Main street is packed with cars and people.  It is so nice to start being alive again.

Additional Comment of Dinner at Sebastianni's

 I took home the beef dish from dinner at Sebastianni's on the 31st.  Menu had said Italian Beef  Au Jus with Garlic potatoes.  I opened the container up to heat for lunch. No potatoes but another pasta and no Au Jus. Beef was extremely dry and void of any seasoning. Nothing the restaurant should brag about. In retrospect 4 dishes of pasta is overkill and if you can't cook beef and plate it correctly then don't put it on your menu.

I stand by my remark that this was a $70 dinner at the most and not a $90 dinner.

San Felice Wines at Sebastianni's Italian Bistro

Tuesday,. August 31, 2021

A large group tonight for a mid week wine dinner at Sebastianni's. This restaurant attracts a lot of locals and has a big local following.  Not quite sold out but a good showing. I think a bit overpriced for what was offered. $90 + tx/tip.  I felt it was a $75 dinner. I know food prices along with everything else has taken a hike but I always look at the quality, quantity for the dollar amount.  One thing that has not changed at the restaurant in all these years is the quality of the glasses. They may be large format but they are thick glass. One glass for white to start with and then they bring the red glass at the start of the 3rd course. No chance to keep several wines in front of you to taste with different dishes although I did manage to keep a bit of white white.  The winery was represented by Francesco Riviera. Personable man, heavy Italian accent and a great laugh.

We started out with Olive Orcchetti Pasta Salad which was excellent. Paired with a 2018 San Felice Ancherona, Maremma, Tuscany Chardonnay $18.  Crisp clean wine and went well with the pasta.

Second course is Crab Filled Arranchini in a light red sauce. Large portions and good quality. A 2019 San Felice, Maremma, Tuscany, Vermentino, $18,  was the wine selection. A nice, clean, semi tart wine.

Next was a Filet di Pomodora, Four Cheese Ravioli, very small diced fresh tomatoes and shaved Parmesan.I did scrape the tomatoes off because of the high acidity, which is not my friend. Pasta had good flavor. But this is the third pasta / rice dish and I am filling up. Wine paired is a 2015 San Felice Gran Selezione Il Grigo, Chianti, Tuscany $42.  80% Sangiovese grape and 20% indigenous grapes. Those were what I was interested in.  I did pick up 2 new grape varietals, Mazzese and Pugnitello.  I was not a big fan of this wine.  I did find it flat and dry. Might improve with a few more years cellaring.  I did have a bit of Vermentino left and I found that it went well with the tomatoless pasta. 

Main course is Roasted Italian Beef on a bed of garlic mashed potatoes and Au Jus. I did not have one bite of this dish because I just could not eat anymore. Had it boxed up to take home. It looked like a cheaper cut of beef braised for a long time. Paired with 2018 San Felice Bell'Aja, Bolgheri, Tuscany, $32. A blend of Cabernet and Merlot. This was a good wine

Dessert is a Chocolate Armaretto, Panna Cotta with Chocolate Frangelico Sauce.  Had a few bites. Very good but boxed it to take home. I just cannot put in a another bite of food. The wine selection was a 2015 San Felice Brunello Di Montalcino Campogiovanni, Montalcino, Tuscany, $56.. Very good Brunello. Although I felt a big too big for the dessert.

A good dinner, bit overpriced, no acoustics to  soften sound, otherwise it was noisy. But a good time with my dining companions.  Glad to see restaurants start up with the wine dinners again.

 

 

Backyard Dinner with Larry Schaffer and Tercero Wines

 Friday, August 20, 2021

Dave & Louise Solzman of  Chef Louise's Catering held another delightful backyard dinner at their home. This time with Larry Schaffer, winemaker and owner of Tercero Wines.  Weather was perfect, a very slight breeze and warm evening.  Dinner again limited to 30 people. 

Started out with Jumbo Scallop Ceviche with Avocado and Micro Cilantro. Scallops were perfect. Paired with a 2020, Tercero,  Clairette Blanche, Santa Ynez Valley, Happy Canyon. $33.  Interesting wine. I really preferred the taste when it warmed up just a tad. Tart but not acidic. A perfect pairing

Next is Tea Smoked Duck Breast Salad with A Dried Cherry Vinaigrette. Duck was exceptionally good, moist and tender.  The vinaigrette was the right touch for the greens. A 2020 Tercero Nouveau Cinsault , Zaca Mesa Vineyard, $30, was the chosen wine. Carbonic maceration.  Wine paired  very well with the duck but it just did not grab me.

Third course is Coq au Vin Farro Risotto. Again a very good dish. Tender chicken and the farro was a perfect play for it. Wine is a 2017 Tercero,  Carignane, a Spanish grape sourced from Camp 4 Vineyard, Santa Ynez, $38. An excellent pairing.

Main dish is a Filet Mignon au Pouvre with scalloped potatoes. Meat is cooked perfectly to a medium rare. Paired with a 2014 Mouvedre, sourced from Larner Vineyards, Ballard Canyon,  Zaca Mesa Vineyards in Los Olivos and Camp 4 Vineyards in Santa Ynez, $44. I have always liked this Mouvedre. Big, jammy with out being overly. 

Dessert is a Peach Galette with Salted Caramel Whipped Cream. A nice ending to the meal The new 2020 Outlier  a dry Gewürztraminer, Carrari Vineyards, Los Alamos. $33,  was the wine selection.  Larry has not made this wine since 2014 as his source of grapes dried up. Luckily he found another source. Wine is excellent with spicy foods but it was a perfect pairing with this dessert. 

Another beautiful night under the stars (and helicopters from the airport). I wave at the helicopters flying overhead just in case it will show up on the evening news. 

Looking forward to next months dinner. Karen Steinwachs and Buttonwood Wines. 

Silver Oak and Twomey Wines at Arte Cafe

 Thursday, August 12, 2021

Dinner is Al Fresco  tonight - too much heat today. It was pushing 100 in the inner areas.  Everyone who came decided to sit outside in the patio area at Arte Cafe.  It was a pleasant evening.  Five of us at the table tonight. Wines from Silver Oak and Twomey.

First course is called a Heirloom Mosaic - fancy name for a variety of heirloom tomatoes with mozzarella balls, oil,  vinegar, avocado and garden herbs. Ate a few of the tomatoes, When they are the heirloom and small I can handle a few. These are not as acidic as a regular tomato. Good flavors Paired with a 2020 Twomey Sauvignon Blanc. Decent Sau Blanc, nice fruit and not overly acidic. 

Then onto cured salmon with black beans ,  quail eggs, creme fraiche, bibb lettuce and housemade potato chips.  Salmon is raw but this was a bit mushy for me. Not sure why. It was cold so it was not that is sat out too long. I ate most of it but the last few pieces I left on the plate. I eat a lot of sushi so raw fish does not bother me like it does some people.  A 2018 Twomey Russian River Pinot Noir was the wine selection. Not impressed. Wine seemed flat, not much going for it.

Third course is a Duck Confit salad with grilled stone fruits, goat cheese and candied pecans. Duck was excellent. Moist and loads of flavor. The grilled fruits really made the dish. Wine paired was a 2019 Twomey Anderson Valley Pinot Noir. This wine was good, Very vibrant, nice, clean well balanced. Dark Cherry with just a hint of cocoa.

Main course is a Grilled "Bistro" steak. Have no idea what the Bistro refers to. But the streak was moist and cooked perfectly to medium rare. Nice char on outside. Loads of flavor, Served along with grilled shallot, duck fat Fingerling potatoes and broccoli. Potatoes were excellent. Biggest disappointment tonight for wine. A 2017 Silver Oak, Alexander Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon.  Wine was way too warm. Flat. Nothing to it.

Dessert is a lemon bar set on a bed of pureed raspberries, topped with vanilla ice cream and fresh raspberries. A nice touch to the meal.

You would think that the rep from the winery would know better than to serve wines at room temperature when at 7:00 in the evening it is 85*.  So not overly impressed with the reps nor the over priced wine. To me there is no excuse  for this oversight.

Margie's Monthly Dinner at Taboon Mediterranean

 Saturday, August 7, 2021

Small group of nine tonight at Taboon Mediterranean restaurant in the Bixby Knolls area of Long Beach. First time here since name change and new owners., They have spruced the place up quite a bit and a much nicer atmosphere. We were seated in a private dining area with a massive table and equally massive chairs and high ceilings.  I found the chair more on the uncomfortable side as I have short legs and could not sit all the way  back  Music was a bit too much. Wish it could have been turned down but it was piped throughout the entire restaurant. 

Food was very good and service was good.

Started out with Zahrah - which is fried cauliflower with garlic, cilantro, lemon, sumac and tahini. Very good flavors. 

Also had Baba Ghanouj, char grilled eggplant with garlic and tahini sauce. Not big into eggplant but this is tolerable because it is mashed. And the garlic and tahini really help mask the eggplant. 

My entree was grilled lamb chops which I asked for rare. Server wrote down medium rare and I got well done. Chops were thin but moist. and good flavor. Almost all "Mediterranean" restaurants I have dined at have the same issue with meat. I like mine rare and they always overcook. Probably a cultural thing. There were two types of rice on the plate along with a house green  salad, hummus, pita bread and garlic tahini sauce. Garlic tahini is so good  I really should learn to make this. Great spread for all kinds of things.

I rounded out my meal with a very large serving of Pistachio ice cream. which was very good.

Wines brought tonight were a real mixed bag. A couple really were not conducive to middle eastern foods.

I brought a 2014 Longoria, Sta Rita Hills, Blanc de Blanc sparkling. Rick Longoria made this wine for his daughters wedding a few years ago but apparently is was not ready to drink at that time so he has sold it off. Rick said too labor intensive and he would never make a sparkling wine again. Nice wine, a bit on the drier side.

2009 Copain, Anderson Valley, Monument Tree, Pinot Noir - Excellent wine

2019 Carol Shelton, Paso Robles, Coquille Blanc - pleasant drier white wine that I enjoyed

2019 Sycamore Ranch Vineyards and Winery, Santa Ynez Valley,  Estelle Vineyards, Grenache - did not taste

2014 Graywacke, Marlborough, Pinot Noir - very pleasant wine

2016 Rocche di Castellerro, Barolo, - did not taste

2019 Studio by Mirval, Provence, Rose - nice

NV   Nautilus Cuvee, Marlborough, Sparkling - quite nice, a bit on the drier side

2019 Grath, Sauvignon Blanc - did not taste

2015 Guyomar, Paso Robles, Laity,  a blend of Syrah, Grenache and Petite Syrah -  good wine with deep. dark flavors

Lunch with The Boys

 Friday, August 6, 2021

Evan's caretaker came in today so Henry was able to get a few hours in for lunch. Last minute decision. Off to  Seafood Cove # 1 in Westminister. Original and a bit dumpy but great food and always packed with locals. Not for those who insist on ambiance instead of food. 

Started out with their spicy, sour soup. A tad heavy today on the white pepper but more flavor than last lunch's soup. Depends on who is cooking that day. 

Next was assorted Seafood with Thai style noodles and Chinese broccoli. Dish had great colors and flavors. Loads of seafood. Good choice.

Then onto Scallops Kung Pao. An abundance of bay scallops with spices and peanuts.  Another good choice today.

My favorite was the Deep Fried Salt and Pepper Pork Chops. Crispy, chunky crust. Not the most healthful but such good crunch and juicy. OD'd on these.

Last dish was Beef with Thai Style Noodles. Good flavors.

I will say Thai style noodles are not the easiest to eat with chopsticks, They are wide,  flat and with the sauce very slippery. Your face is close the plate in order to get them into your mouth.

Always a plate of sliced oranges to clean the palate after a meal.

3 of us today so 3 wines.

 2013 Lando, Sonoma Coast, Pinot Noir - drinking really nice\

2018 Rutherford Ranch, Napa Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon - good wine but needs a few more years in the bottle. 

2020 Weingut, Brundlmaye, Zweigelt, Rose. Beautiful wine, dry and clean. 

Backyard Dinner with Wes Hagen and Miller Family Wines

 Saturday, July 31, 2021

About 30 people gathered in the back yard of Dave & Louise Solzman for the first dinner since 2019. Weather was nice, a bit breezy but that died down after the sun set.  Wes Hagen of Miller Family Wines was the quest winemaker.  Everyone here was regular customers of Delius when it was open. They still have a big following. One couple drove in from Redlands.

At the singles table were were treated to a surprise taste of two Optik wines, A Chardonnay and a Pinot.  Frankly I was under whelmed by both of them. The pinot was so jammey I thought it was a Syrah.  This apparently is a new collaboration headed up by Joey Tensley.  When I first about this new line I was really anxious to try them, Not to my taste.

Started off with deviled eggs as an amuse bouche Then onto the first course which was a Ricotta, Heirloom Tomato Tarte with a Pesto drizzle. Good flavors and the pesto added just the right touch.  Served with a 2020 Margerum Syvarite Sauvignon Blanc.  Did like this Sau Blanc. Not over acidic, nice ripe tropical fruits.

Second course is a Lump Crab salad with roasted sweet corn, avocado and arugula.  Not over dressed and very tasty. Paired with a 2018 J. Wilkes , Santa Maria Valley, Pinot Blanc.  Another nice white wine that went with the food quite well.

Up next is Duck Confit Farro Risotto. Cooked perfectly.  Good flavors. Wine is a 2018 J. Wilkes, Santa Maria Valley, Pinot Noir. A likable wine.

Main course a Pork tenderloin with Fig & Chili jam, parmesan potato puree and grilled whole baby zucchini. Pork was perfect, the jam to die for. Perfect touch to the meat.  I was not taken with the zucchini. Just a bit to al dente for me. Almost raw. not into having to cut a vegetable with a knife.  Paired with a 2019 Optik, Bien Nacido, Black 11D1, Syrah. 

 Not impressed with the wine. Joey Tensley is a great winemaker but have no idea where he is going with this new venture. 

Dessert is a Sunshine Cake with mixed berry gelee and lemon curd. Nice  light and airy with just a hint a sweetness., Dave did go into his personal cellar and a few of us got pours of a 2001 Sauterne. Nice ending to a great meal

Beautiful weather, great food, good wine, nice outdoor setting and fun people. Not a bad evening. 

Margie's Monthly Wine Dinner at Sebastiani's

 Wednesday, June 7, 2021

This month Margie chose Sebastiani's Italian Bristo "sebastianis.net"   in Huntington Beach as our destination. I had not been back to this restaurant in years. A brother and sister of Italian heritage from Peru owned the place then.  New owners name is Phil.  Margie chose Wednesday night as there is no corkage this night.  Other nights it is $15 per bottle. I am fine with week night dinners. In fact I do prefer them. With a large group you will get better cooperation with restaurants if you don't tie up their facilities on weekend nights.   

There was 22 people tonight. Unfortunately we were crammed in two tables that were so close together that when someone needed to get out everyone had to stand and move out of the way.  Someone stated that the fire department would close the place down if they came in and saw that.  Fortunately I was on an end. I would have had to leave the dinner if I was shoved in the middle of that mess. Another unfortunate thing was the waitstaff announced that the first 22 bottles would be no corkage (one bottle per person) after that it was $15 a bottle corkage This should have been stated when Margie negotiated the reservation. Also someone said that the owner expected everyone to order entrees not just appetizers. Guess to make up for lost revenue during Covid.

CJ and I split orders of Empanada's,  chicken and beef. I have never had a "soft" empanada before. I am used to the pie crust type dough. I ate my beef one and took the chicken home. They were good but odd. I had the Veal Gorgonzola for dinner. Very large serving. Two good size pieces of veal and loads of vegetables. It was good. All the other dishes people ordered looked good and there were no complaints.

Since it was Nancy's birthday on the 8th, Stuart got permission to bring in a birthday cake for dessert, It was excellent. He also had a 2016 Husch, Anderson Valley, Late Harvest Gewürztraminer wine to accompany it. Wine was not cloying sweet and it was a treat. 

I brought a bottle of  2013 Stolpman degli Angeli Sangiovese and a Moretti, Valdobbiadene. Prosecco Superiore DOCG. Both wines were excellent and bottles were emptied. Needless to say with as many bottles on the tables I only got to taste a few of them. Some I did not know were on the tables until I looked at the list that I had everyone fill in.

2019 Mastrobevavdino, Nova Sevva, Greco di Tuffo - very nice

NV Mionetto Prosecco DOC Treviso Brut - a light wine but good

2017 Inama Vigneti di Carbunave Soave Classico - did not taste

2016 Isole Olena Estate Chianti Classico - did not taste

NV Ducks Amiss by Deus Amis, Healdsberg - did not taste

2007 Le Vigne Domenico, Paso Robles, Cabernet Sauvignon - did not taste

2018 Alavera Rosso Veronese Corvina - did not taste

2019 Palmina, Pinot Grigio - did not taste

2012 Chateau Margene, Paso Robles, Cabernet Franc - did not taste but would have liked to 

2019 Vermentino de Montverro Toscana - did not taste

2019 Carol Shelton, Placer Co Wild Thing Viognier - did not taste

2018 Cooper Vineyards, Shenandoah Valley, Amador County, Sangiovese - did not taste

2015 Vino Nobile di Montepulciano - did not taste

2018 Vigna del Cristo Cavicchioli d'Figli - did not taste

2007 Sea Smoke, Sta Rita Hills, Southing Pinot Noir (magnum) - good wine, typical Sea Smoke

NV Weingut Lothat Kettern, Mosel, Germany Spatburgunder Rose Sket - nice, light German Skets are not appreciated like they should be

2018 Sea Smoke, Sta Rita Hills, Chardonnay - did not taste - I have had it before and not impressed

2014 Chateau Le Dome, France, Saint-Emilion Red wine - blend of Malbec, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Sauvigon and Cabernet Franc - excellent wine needs a lot more time aging - I really enjoyed this wine

NV Murari Prosecco Brut - did not taste

2020 Harral Vineyards, (must from Piemonte, Italy)  Nebbiolo - did not taste

2016 Ripassa Valpolicella,  Ripasso Superiore, Zenato - did not taste

2020 Gemme Cellars, Topazo, Napa Valley, White wine  - did not taste

2016 Taylor Noelle, Ballard Canyon, Tempranillo - did not state but would have liked to

Tolosa Wines and Arte Cafe

 Friday, June 25, 2021

Not sure why Richard keeps having these wine dinners on Friday nights.  Really prefer the old day of Thursday. I expected the place to be packed and it was only about half full and part of that was due to a band playing on the outside patio.  Tolosa is a winery in the Edna Valley area inland from Pismo Beach. Take Price Canyon Road out of Pismo, drive 20 minutes and the valley opens up.  A lot of good wineries in the area. 

Dina the wine rep was there with her "board" of information. But no raffle prizes. Maybe a new trend ?  Also noticed that the waitstaff was not as generous in the pouring of the first wine. Usually we end up with 2 to 3 glasses of the cheaper offering. Today only one unless you stood up and flagged someone down. Maybe they are trying to keep the price of dinners down to make them more attractive to more people. Tonight's dinner is $65,  4 courses and dessert , 4 wines.  With inflation setting in I can understand. You still have to have that margin of profit to stay in business. Cut back or raise prices. 

Started out with a Shrimp Kabob with mushrooms,. zucchini, celery. Excellent flavors but my shrimp was just this side of raw.  Tail was pink but flesh was still grey. If the waitstaff had not been running ragged I would had sent it back. But I have eaten raw shrimp before.  A 2018 Tolosa "No Oak" Chardonnay was the wine selection. I have had this wine at the winery before and really liked it but tonight if the bottle had not had "no oak" on the label I would put money on it that it was barrel fermented. It smelled and tasted oaky to me. Made me wonder if there was  a label mix up at bottling. 

Second course is a Mediterranean watermelon salad with greens and Feta cheese.  Very good   and a nice refreshing taste after the rich shrimp kabob. Paired with a 2019 Tolosa Rose of Pinot Noir. Nice, very slightly sweet wine. More on the dry side but not overly. Went very well the with watermelon and feta.

Third course is a Spicy Chicken Flatbread. It had a bit of a bite to it but not much. Loads of flavor. A 2017 Tolosa, Edna Ranch. Syrah was poured.  A good pairing.

Main is steak with garlic mashed potatoes and sautéed spinach. Good flavors but nothing special.  Richard said the steak was a New York but I have big doubts on that.  A 2016 Perinet, Priorat,  Red Blend,  (Merlot, Syrah, Grenache and Carignan). Apparently Tolosa has bought this winery in Spain.  It was a nice wine and went  with the beef.

Dessert is a Brownie with a cream sauce and a light custard. A bit dry, I did not finish mine. Was not impressed. 

OK dinner, decent wines, good company so no real complaints. 

Dinner at Gingers

 Thursday, June 17, 2021

Ellie's Cafe in Long Beach had started a prix fixe dinner 3 nights a week in a room next to the restaurant. It is called Gingers. www.ellieslbc.com.  Right now it is open for 8 people but that will be changed back to 12 as the restrictions ease up. Communal dining, private room. Reservations only.  $75 for dinner and $40 for wine pairing. Tonight we had 7 courses, dessert and 7 wines. Chef / Owner Jason Witzl has done a great job at both restaurants, Unfortunately the location demands alternate transportation. In a high density residential area there is  literally no parking.

 We started out with a Amuse Bouche. Arancini. Fried perfectly a with a whipped cheese, scallion sauce. Then onto a mixed green salad with butter stuffed  radish and Paddlefish Roe.

 A Delamotte Brut Champagne . and a Scarpetta Prosecco were paired. Generous and numerous pours

A plate of charred baby corn on a bed of Masa, black truffle and chili crisp. Excellent flavors.  The chef is also using a lot of calabrian chiles in his sauces. Paired with a 2017 Domaine Weinbach Pinot Blanc.

Third course is Maine Lobster over a Tallow cake, Shiro Dashi and black garlic. Really liked the Tallow Cake, Interesting. Wine was a M-A-N Family , South Africa. Chenin Blanc. Good pairing.

A plate of sautéed  Sea Scallops, white asparagus and Trubo Onion. Scallops cooked perfectly. A 2020 Giant Step. Yarra Valley, Chardonnay was selected. A very good, non-oaked wine.

Fifth course is  Gnudi, spring peas, mushroom's and Australian  white truffles.  At this point in dinner I had to stop eating so this was packed for me to go. Everyone said flavors were very good.   Wine is a 2018 Comtesse de Malet, Roquefort, Bordeaux. Earthy flavors melding together. 

Last is a roasted Lamb Loin with whipped feta, peppered lentils and pickled green strawberries. Again a dish I could not eat. It will lunch tomorrow along with the Gnudi. A 2018 Opolo, Paso Robles. Mountain Zinfandel was poured. I am sure it went well with the lamb loin. I will never know since I couldn't take the wine home. By not eating the last courses is leaves room for dessert,

Dessert is a French Vanilla Gelato with pickled cherries and Saba. Saba is similar to Balsamic. The pickled cherries were surprisingly good.

All the food was good. Some strange combinations but they all worked. Lots of Calabrian chiles used in sauces. Not overly but just on the edge. Did add a lot on interest to the sauces. Wines were on the medium side with a couple of stands outs,  The price for dinner is a bargain. The price of the wine pairing is really a bargain  since they were extremely generous . Chairs at the table were upholstered and comfortable. Long wood communal table. Dishes are set out for two to share.

I hope some day they will move to a better location. I would frequent them more.  Parking is such an issue in this part of town.

Lunch with The Boys

 Tuesday, June 15, 2021

Henry was able to get away from his full time care duties to his wife for a few hours so an impromptu lunch at the original Seafood Cove in Garden Grove.  At 11;45 no one was in the restaurant. At 12.00 noon it was packed.  This is the original Seafood Cove and probably the dumpiest. But food is good and best for us is no corkage as Henry has "face" here.  We were seated at a large table toward the back side of the restaurant and had an open door near us. For a hot day it was very welcome.

Started out with a sweet, sour, spicy soup which was better than a few weeks ago. A bit more spicy which adds to the flavor.

Next is one of Henry's favorite dishes, Beef Chow Fun. Strips of beef with very wide noodles and onions.

Thai scallops with green beans was full of flavor. Scallops were extremely tender.

French Style Chicken. small cubes of dark meat chicken, light batter with a bit of honey in it and stir fried on a bed of lettuce, onions and tomatoes. 

Very juicy navel oranges for dessert.

3 wines today. 2015 Schaefer-Frohlich, Blanc de Noir, Troken. very dry Rose which was very good. 

2018 Sanford, Sta. Rita Hills, Pinot Noir and a 2011 Tercero Verbiage. A blend of Grenache, Syrah, Mouvedre and Viognier.

Margie's Monthly Dinner at Mahe

 Saturday, June 12, 2021

14 of us tonight at Mahe in Seal Beach, This building has been a restaurant ever since I was a small child. It used to be the Glider Inn and had a glider plane on top of the roof. I was always fascinated on how that plane landed on the roof of the building and why they didn't take it down. I know I was less than 10 years old when we first drove by it. 

Mahe is a seafood restaurant but they are known for their sushi.  They have a sushi bar inside if you are not interested in sitting at a table. 

I ordered a bowl of clam chowder. It was OK but I have had so much better elsewhere. It was a disappointment.

I do not eat large portions so I ordered the Queen Roll Sushi,  Cajun Shrimp, Shrimp Tempura, Albacore inside soy paper topped with avocado and green onions.  Also ordered the Asparagus Tempura. Excellent flavors on both dishes. 

14 people and 19 bottles of wine. There is no way I can taste 19 different wines. After I saw the list of wines brought I was disappointed that I did not get to taste some of them.  Margie had everyone pass their bottles of wines down the table but for some reason 80% of them ended up mid table and sat there. I always ask to sit on an end because it is so much easier for me to maneuver.  But I am cutting myself short on the wines making it down to the end. Such is life. Somehow I will survive. I am not a big fan of Chardonnays and Sauvignon Blancs  so I would not seek those out anyway. 

2014 Trump, Monticello, Charlottesville, VA, Sparking Rose - surprisingly  a decent wine

2019 Soldier Creek, Fort Dodge, Iowa, LaCrescent - a white grape and a new one for me , tart on the front palate and then it fell off dramatically. 

2018 Cartograph, RRV,  CA, Pinot Noir - very light, bright cherry

202? Ferrari-Carano, Fume Blanc - did not taste

2019 Vincent Vineyards, Los Olivos. V Cuvee - did not taste

2019 Beetlejuice,  (homemade) Cabernet Sauvignon - did not taste 

 2016 Lusso Della Terra, Paso Robles, Petite Verdot - did not taste

2019 Duckhorn, Sauvignon Blanc - did not taste

2013 Ken Brown. "A" Cuvee, Syrah -did not taste

2018 Vicente Farina, "Animus", Vinho Verde - did not taste

2017 Story of Soil,  Mirabella Vineyards, Sauvignon Blanc - did not taste

NV   Indio Eyes, CA,  White Sparkling - way too sweet for my palate

2016 Dancin, Brise, OR, Pinot Noir - did not taste

2017 Foley, Sta Rita Hills, Barrel Select, Chardonnay - did not taste 

2018 Carol Shelton, Coquille Blanc -A white Rhone blend which was surprisingly good

2018 Ancient Peaks, Santa Margarita Road, Paso Robles, Cabernet Sauvignon - a good wine, well made

2017 Foley Johnson,. Napa Valley, Chardonnay - did not taste

2017 Goosecross, Napa Valley, Pinot Noir - did not taste

2017 Longoria, Santa Ynez Valley, Clover Creek Vineyard, Albarino - I brought this wine and it did not disappoint

Neyers Wine Dinner at Arte Cafe

 Friday, June 11, 2021

Can't say that I have had Neyers wines before, maybe or maybe not. I cannot remember. There are so many wineries in CA you just cannot keep track of all of them.  The wine reps name was Jennifer. Personable person. But half way through dinner she disappeared not to be seen again.

We started off with a Tomato Bouillabaisse with clams, mussels, shrimp and scallops along with a couple of pieces of garlic toast. Light and very flavorful  Paired with a 2019 Neyers , Sonoma Cty unoaked Chardonnay. Stainless Steel fermented. Decent wine. I am not that big of CA chardonnay fan. But it did pair well with the Bouillabaisse. 

Second course is a Hazelnut  Pesto crusted Chilean Seabass with a salad of frisee greens and a tarragon Dijon vinaigrette.  Excellent flavors. Seabass cooked perfectly. Wine is a 2018 Neyers, Carneros Chardonnay. Some oak but not undrinkable for me with food. Without food I would not touch it. 

Third course served is a Quail braised with red wine, thyme and mushrooms over a bed of French lentils. Great flavors even for lentils. They are not high on my list. I do not cook them but I will eat them if served.  The wine selected to be paired with this dish is a 2018 Neyers, CA, Sage Canyon, Rhone Red, blend of Carignane, Syrah and Mouvedre.  Wine was ok on its own but did not blend well with the food. One of my dining companions had some chardonnay left and said it was a far better pairing than the red wine. 

Next was Flank steak with pepper cream sauce and thick frites and broccoli. Good flavors. Meat was perfect. Paired with a 2017 Neyers, Napa Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon. Wine was good. All the wines were good but nothing that would make me get up and dance much less buy. 

Dessert is a cooked custard with whole cherries and bourbon whipped cream. Exceptional flavors.  A Manhattan  cocktail of Amador double barrel whiskey and Trincheri Rosso Vermouth. Tasty and he did go well with the dessert which surprised me.

Another good dinner put away at Arte Cafe. Best bargain in town. Good food and decent prices.

Dinner at the Bungalow Kitchen

 Thursday, June 10, 2021

Five of us tonight at the Bungalow Kitchen in Long Beach.  www.BungalowKitchen.com.   Reservations were made two months ago for tonight. Indoor patio seating was requested at that time. We were seated inside. When we requested patio seating and told them it was requested with the reservation they said they could not accommodate us in the indoor patio area. It was popular and everyone wanted to sit in that area. They did move us to a "porch" like area a few steps above the indoor patio area. We were seated on the very end next to the waiters station and the door where the carts taken in. I personally felt it was discrimination because we were older than the majority of the patrons. We were not the "beautiful" people and we asked to be moved. That made us a "problem" table. 

View was great. Large windows looking out over the Second Street bridge and the end part of the Marina. If we had been 3 or 4  tables down the other way we would have had a view of the Marina and  the Yacht Club. 

The music was way too loud. The waitstaff had to raise their voices to be heard. We had to raise our voices to have conversation at the table. The restaurant itself has no soft surfaces to absorb noises. Between the din of the voices of the patrons and the loud music it was not a good experience.

All the staff was young and slim, male and female.  Females had clingy beige legging type pants, If you are not slim you will not be hired here. Can't  wait for the lawsuit. 

We started out with a round of cocktails. I had a " Spill the Tea", Bulleit Rye, Compari, Tamarind Chai - infused Italian Sweet Vermouth. Nice drink but small.  Maria had a Gin Martini made with Amass Gin which is produced locally in the Los Angeles area. She said the gin was very good. Not sure what the other cocktails were. I seemed to have lost ii in taking notes and pictures. It was not a relaxing evening.

I started out with what seems to be a very popular dish. Short Rib "Pop Tart".  Short Rib meat baked inside a puff pastry shell with a horseradish cream , crispy shallots and sauce Au Poivre. It was very good. Something I would order again. 4 of us had this dish.

Someone one ordered a Sweet Potato Pancakes with house smoked salmon,  creme fraiche and apple butter. There comments were favorable also. 

For dinner I ordered the Wild Mushroom Agnolotti with Parmesan fonduti and crunchy black truffle streusel. Flavors were excellent. Again a dish I would order again. But  it was was on the small side. Just barely above "appetizer" portion. 

I did have a glass of red wine with my pasta. A Jean-Luc Colombo "Les Abeilles" Grenache Blend. Mediocre wine. 4 ounce pour.  Most restaurants give 5 ounce pours. Not impressed with their wine glasses. But we did notice that a table down from us ordered a bottle of wine and they had nice large format glasses. 

Other mains ordered were a Carbonara Pizza, with crispy guanciale, Yukon  gold potatoes, Pecorino Romano drizzled with a a poached egg. 

Grilled Seam Bream with roasted cauliflower, Matbuche (Arabic for cooked salad)  pine nuts, and crispy chiles. 

Smash burger with white American cheese, tomato-onion relish, Sesame sliced potato bun and crinkle fries.

Everyone was happy with their selection and everyone said their food was good.  But again a bit on the small size for portions especially for the price except for the pizza. 

Dessert for me was a Meyer Lemon Crepe Cake with creme faiche, Hazelnut Praline, Meyer lemon Curd and fresh raspberries. Exceptionally good. 

Another dessert ordered was a Vairhona Milk Chocolate Caramel Cream Pudding drizzled with Maldon Sea Salt and crunchy toasted Hazelnuts. 

My bill for 2 small drinks, appetizer, small main and dessert was a C note.  At least they validated parking. 

Pros:  Location, view, quality of food and service.

Cons: Non existent acoustics, loud music, small portions,  higher prices

Dinner at 555 All American Steak House

 Saturday, May 29, 2021

It was so nice to be able to get out and actually eat in a restaurant not a tent. Granted we were seated in the patio area that is there all the time. Still have restrictions on indoor dining but the night was pleasant and the restaurant was packed as they could legally do. And it was like that all night. I was surprised at the number of people dining at 555. The restaurant is not the cheapest in town. We hogged the table in the corner for close to 5 hours. Food was great along with my dining companions. 

Started out with  raw oysters. I had 2 of each offered that night/ Kumumoto, Malpec and Kings Tide.

Then grilled artichoke with garlic aioli and a plate of smoked octopus. 

Main was a whole Chateaubriand. cooked perfectly medium rare and loaded baked potatoes.

Wines were an interesting group.

2012 Delamotte Champagne - good bubbly is always good

2017 Palmaz Vineyards,  Louise,  Napa Valley, Riesling  - disappointed

2010 Tablas Creek, Paso Robles, Tannat - good wine

1994 Flora Springs, Rutherford Hillside Reserve, Napa Valley, Cabernet  Sauvignon - it had seen it's best days 

2013 Pride, Mountain Vineyard, Sonoma county, Merlot - drinking really well

2011 Tensley, Noir, Syrah  -  good wine

Lunch with the Boys at Cambalache Grill

 Thursday, May 27, 2021

The restaurant Cambalache Grill in Fountain Valley was recommended by a fellow wino. 

www,CambalacheGrill.com.   Three of us decided to try it today for lunch. Sat outdoors in the tent as we still have Covid restrictions. There were several diners sitting in the outdoor patio area. Have no idea what the interior of the restaurant looks like but we will be going back soon perhaps for a wine dinner.  Service was excellent.

The Chef /Owner is Italian descent born in Argentina. Hence the food from two countries. Menu is very extensive. Anything over 3 items I cannot make up my mind what I want.  So we just let CJ do the ordering. 

Started out with a trio of Empanada's. Two Spinach and one Chicken. The dough was very tender and flaky. A good selection.

Next we had a Prosciutto di Parmacon Rusa. Freshly sliced , paper thin Prosciutto which was excellent and a potato salad that had interesting vegetables added to it.  I put my Prosciutto on top a a piece of house bread with a thin layer on butter on the bread. It was delectable.

 A dish called Scampi Cambalache was next. Very large, tender, succulent scampi with fresh steamed broccoli, zucchini and carrots. Cubed potatoes that were very crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. An excellent dish.

Last we had a Rigatoni Cambalclache.  Large Rigatoni with a marinara sauce, sliced sausage and meatballs. At this point I was stuffed so I did not have any of this dish. The boys said everything was good except for the meatballs. Their opinion was that they were tough. It was like someone forgot to add something to the meat mixture.   We let the waiter know our opinion and he said he would let the chef know.

I brought a 2008 Stolpman degli Angeli Sangiovese. Decanted it for about an hour, A lot of sediment in the bottle so I used a filter pourer. Started out drinking very nicely but seemed to loose something after about an hour. Still good but you could tell it was not feeling well.  I will drink the last of the bottle tomorrow night and see what has transpired.

The two other wines were a 2018 Decoy, Cabernet Sauvignon.  Young wine but really started opening up after about an hour. The 2009 Clos Pepe, VS Pinot Noir was drinking very well but there was a light halo and very slight color loss. The bottle was probably just beginning to go downhill. Glad we rescued it from its decline.

Dinner at Chez Lomita

 Saturday, May 15, 2021

Eight of us gathered at the table for dinner tonight. Mains were Tri Tip, Ribs and Lamb Chops. Food was good. Everyone brought a side to share. But the stars of the night were the wines that were opened. Not a bad one in the bunch and a few outstanding. I was very appreciative of being invited.  Nothing more needs to be said. 

2011 Saxum, Paso Robles Broken Stones, Syrah. Mouvedre and Petite Syrah

2009 Huber, Sta Rita Hills, Pinot Noir

2007 Lancaster, Alexander Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon

2005 Charles Heidsieck, Rose Millesime, Champagne

2002 Billecart-Salmon, Cuvee Nicholas Francois, Champagne

2001 Chateau 'd Yquem, Sauterne

2000 Chateaneuf du Pape, Domaine Deux  Telegraphe

2000 Chateau Les Carmes, Haut-Brion,  Pessac-Leogman, White Bordeaux

1999 Murphy-Goode, Alexander Valley, Petit Verdot

1993 Arrowood, Sonoma County, Cabernet Sauvignon

1985 Chateau Lynch-Bages, Pauillac, Bordeaux

1982 Chateau La Louvier, Graves,  Bordeaux

Lunch With The Boys at Seafood Cove

 Wednesday, May 12, 2021

Since we have had a few issues with Diamond Seafood Palace we went to Seafood Cove . There are 2 or 3 restaurants of this name. We were at the one on Westminister in the 8500 block.  I am always taken by some of these Chinese restaurants. A dump outside, walk in and there are crystal chandeliers  but the rest of the interiors is from nice to really mediocre. 

This Seafood Cove had their original extensive menu and almost everything was available. Henry knew the manager so we got no corkage. Otherwise $10 a bottle.

Started out with a complimentary soup. Chinese Style Hot & Sour Soup with Bean Curd, Woodear and Bamboo. Good taste but lukewarm. Reason being when Henry sat down at the table and told the waitress that there would be 3 of us she came out with the soup. Of course the 2 of us were several minutes later so it had time to cool down by time we got to the table and got our wine glasses out and poured a glass of bubbly to start. Then we got to the soup. 

Dish called Beef Chow Fun. Beef slices with wide noddle. The kind that you can never seem to get your chopsticks to cooperate. Decent dish but I thought it needed more flavor. A bit dull.

Then a whole fried fish, head and all.  Sweet and light. Coating  was good. Served with two sauces.

Salt and Pepper Pork Chops.  Cut up pork chops with breading and deep fried. This coating was bit heavier than it should be. Henry remarked that it wasn't as light as it usually was.  But I ate a lot of it. Loved the crunch.

We had a dish of Sautéed Chinese Spinach with Garlic. A foil for all the protein. 

Complimentary dessert was a Green Bean Tapioca with Seaweed.

This restaurant caters to the Asian population and is not Americanize at all.  My kind of Chinese food. 

We had a a bottle of Gruet 89 Cuvee Sparkling Rose which was really nice. A good sparkling for the price.

2017 Stags Leap, Napa, Merlot. This will be a nice wine in 3 or 4 more years. 

2014 Trinitas , Mysteriama Red Wine. California Grapes, Winery in Napa.  Blend of  Old Vine Zinfandel, Carignane, Old Vine Petite Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Mataro. This was showing exceptionally well.

Margies Monthly Dinner at Derricks on Atlantic

 Saturday, May 8, 2021

15 of us tonight for indoor patio dining at Derricks BBQ. www. derricksonatlantic.com. First time at this particular restaurant and I will probably never go back. I doubt if they last until the end of the year.  Our group was the only people tonight. There was maybe 10 take out orders in a 4 hour period. One cook in the kitchen and one waitstaff. People at one end of the row of tables were almost finished before the people at the other end got their plates. Food very slow coming out of the kitchen. 

Large , interesting menu. Texas style BBQ which is dry rubbed. You add your sauce as you eat. I have relatives in Texas and have had Texas style BBQ before.  Menu looked very good. Maybe some of the other dishes were good but I was not happy with my selection.  I ordered a sampler plate. Out of 5 items I choose 3. Pork Ribs, Brisket and Tri Tip.  My sides were collard greens and bourbon glazed carrots. I will say the sides were very good. My ribs were a bit on the dry side. Not overly.  The Tri Tip was way over cooked. It even looked dry on the plate.  The brisket was cooked decent but lacked flavor.  They gave us small plastic cups with the BBQ sauce in them, Maybe a tablespoon of sauce in each cup. I realize with Covid restrictions they could not put  out bottles of sauce on the table but what is wrong with using a dish like the sides came in for sauce and have it on the plate.  When I reheated the meat the next day at home for dinner I slathered BBQ sauce all over the meat. Made it palatable but it was still dry.  Person next to me order the same sampler plate but got the Tri Tip, which was dry like mine,  Pulled Pork and Meaty Beef Rib. Rib was not meaty. Pulled Pork was good. Such a hit and miss. 

The wines tonight were an interesting collection. I will say I thought they were a better selection than at past dinners.  I know everyone's palate is different but I sometimes wonder why certain people have to bring such mediocre wines. I am surmising that they have mediocre palates. Of course that is what they might think of me. 

I brought a 2011 Stolpman, Santa Yenez Valley LaCroce which is a blend of Sangiovese and Syrah. This is my favorite wine that Stolpman makes. But I was a bit disappointed in tonight's wine. Maybe bottle variation. I have several more bottles. I will try another one in a month or so to check it out.  Good and drinkable but lacked the punch  I expected. I just couldn't get the nuances out of it. Perhaps a bit over the hill but I have had older LaCroce's before and they have been outstanding. 

2015 Brutaco Coro, Medocino Red Blend - good

2014 Tobin James, Paso Robles, 5 Varietal, Red Blend - good

2011 Windsor Oaks, Chalk Hill. Mountain Cuvee, Red Blend - very good

2006 Lancaster Estate, Sophia's Hillside Cuvee, Red Blend - Excellent

2017 Rock Wall, Napa, Henory Vineyard, Block 29, Zinfandel - good

2016 Occidental Road Cellars, RRV, Horseshoe Bend Vineyards, Syrah - did not taste

2017 McClain, Lodi, Dream Keeper, Sparkling - Interesting. sweet on front palate but more citrusy on back palate

2017 Selbach Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr. Mosel, Germany, Riesling. Kabinett - did not taste

2015 Pomar Junction, Paso Robles, El Pomar District, Reserve Zinfandel - did not taste

NV Domaine Carneros by Tattinger, Brut Rose -nice and refreshing

2016 Rombauer, Sierra Foothills, El Dorado Vineyards, Twin Rivers Single Vineyard Zinfandel - did not taste

2019 Rombauer, Sauvignon Blanc - did not taste

2019 Curran, Santa Barbara County, Grenache Blanc - always good

2015 Saddleback, Napa, Cabernet Sauvignon - did not taste

2009 Domaine Rouge-Bleu Mistral, France, Cotes du Rhone - very good after sitting for over an hour to open up more

2018 Castoro Cellars,  Paso Robles, Whole Rock Vineyards, Temparnillo - did not taste

Lunch With The Boys at Diamond Seafood Palace

 Thursday, April 29, 2021

Must be something in the air. Screw ups the other day at Arte Cafe on their Sanford wine dinner and today at lunch at the Diamond Seafood Palace .  And out waiter was not the brightest light bulb on the string. 

We ordered Kung Pao Fish,  unbreaded - came to the table breaded. Fish was still good but it is much better without the breading. 

Next screwup was the Salt Fish and Chicken  Fried Rice which we ordered with thin rice noodles instead of rice. Dish came out with rice. Henry said he would keep and take home but then reordered the dish with thin noodles. When that dish came out it had loads of noodles but no salt fish and no chicken. Just noodles and vegetables. 

The Diced Filet of Beef was good but not the quality we had a couple of weeks ago. 

The Salt & Pepper Shrimp was good and no screwups. Still had the shell and head on . When shrimp in cooked with the body intact the meat becomes more flavorful. A bit messy to eat but worth it.

Our wines today were an interesting lot. 2018 Raymond, Napa, Cabernet Sauvignon. Good but way to young. Needs more years on it.  ]

NV Veuve Cliquot Brut - always a winner. Bottle was emptied really quick.

A 2012 Vosne-Romanee and a 2011 Roar, Rosellas Vineyard, Pinot Noir were both just a bit off when opened. I had decanted the Roar for two hours and the Vosne-Romanee was opened at tableside. They both looked exactly alike in color in the glass. Both had a small halo around the edge and both had an off nose to them.  After about an hour the Roar opened up. Beautiful wine. Another 15 minutes and the Vosne-Romanee opened up. Again a beautiful wine.

Never be too fast in tossing an off putting wine. Strange things happen.  But both wines were just past prime and glad we opened them now when they were still in a beautiful, drinkable state then later when there would be no hope of salvaging them. 

Sanford Wine Dinner at Arte Cafe

 Friday, April 23, 2021

A big turnout for  dinner tonight. Inside dining area was full and much closer than 6 feet apart for tables. with chairs and people sitting in them. The outside was about half filled.  People are so tired of staying in. Wines were from Sanford Winery. The rep was a chef with Teralto, which is a conglomerate He brought fresh ingredients down from the Santa Barbara area and did the menu.  Unfortunately he and was the only one talking about Sanford and the wines. It was hard to hear what he was saying because he was straddling two areas and so you got maybe one half of the verbiage. 

For some reason everything tonight seems to be bit frenzied. But slow about pouring wine. Just not enough hands to go around.  After dinner was over, Richard the chef/owner was sitting by the kitchen. He normally walks around and talks with people. He made to remark that he was really tired tonight.  Bet he doesn't have someone do a menu for him again. I think the kitchen and staff taken by surprise.  Ambitious menu, more plating details than usual,  and lack of wine reps to help pour. 

First Course is called the "Tail of Two Fish". Dry aged wild caught Ahi and Fresh Ahi, sesame crusted with a Strawberry Balsamic Gastrique and sticky rice. Excellent, fresh, good flavors.  Paired with a Sanford , Sta Rita Hills Rose. 100% Pinot grapes. LaEncanta and Sanford-Benedict vineyards. Decent wine. Not to overly sweet as some Rose's are.

Up next is a "Sashimi Trio". Santa Barbara Spot Prawns, tempura head, dry aged wild caught salmon and fresh wild caught salmon with truffle essence. A lot of plates left the kitchen without the truffle essence. waitstaff had to come to each table and add it. Shows the kitchen is overwhelmed. The tempura head of the prawn was good but the raw body was not to my liking. I have had this issue before is sushi bars. For some reason raw shrimp gets bigger in your mouth as you eat it.  Plating was beautiful.  Wine is a Sanford, Sta Rita Hills, Chardonnay.  A non-oaked wine which I appreciated. For a chardonnay it was good.  This wine was also poured with the third course.

Third course is "A Grazer". Santa Barbara greens with a Ginger-Miso dressings and seared pork loin. Dressing was very good, The greens are nightmare to each because of all the "tentacles". I am not into any "greens" that have lots of small leaves off the stem. Not into the texture and it feels like you have green things hanging out you mouth, Even if you try to cut them into smaller pieces. I know it is the "in thing" but I am not interested in tendrils. The pork tenderloin was OK  but not as good as I can make at home.  Rather bland and a bit dry.

Main course is "Where The Surf and Turf Meet",  Filet Mignon topped with Santa Barbara fresh crab with a Miso butter and a Wasabi mashed Hawaiian purple potato. My filet was cooked perfectly and had good flavor. The crab was shredded. The potato was something new for me. I have had purple potatoes before but done that was "Hawaiian" Interesting color or the plate but it was a potato. Paired with a Sanford, Sta Rita Hills, Pinot Noir. Good wine. Not great. Frankly I am a bit disappointed in the wines tonight. I expected better.

Dessert was more like an appetizer. A piece of toasted Brioche with Santa Barbara Uni. A savory dish. tasted good but not impressed as a "savory dessert".  Paired with a Sanford, Sta Rita Hills, Sparkling Cuvee Brut. OK wine but nothing to rave about. 

 I doubt if Richard will let someone else do a menu again. What should have been a great dinner was slowed down by plating details, time consuming  ambitious menu,  overworked staff and only one wine rep with his friend who helped pour but knew not much about the wine.

The Playground

 Thursday, April 16, 2021

Took off for the Playground in Santa Ana tonight for dinner with a friend, www.playgrounddtsa.com. Outdoor dining again but the weather was cooperative.  Also had the same waitperson that we had last month.  I was also surprised at how busy they were. Which is a very good sign.

We shared plates again. Started off with Grilled Asparagus with garlic, lemon and Parmesan cheese.  Good flavors. Then onto Sweet Potato Tacos. Had no idea what we were getting but sure glad we ordered them.

A  Masienda Tortilla with a roasted baby sweet potato, Salsa Seca (nuts and seeds), Crema, Cilantro,  pickled red onions and lime. This was so good. Flavors were outstanding. So glad we ordered this dish.

Then a plate of Fried Chicken Pot Pie. Croquettes filled with chicken pot pie, deep fried with Black Truffle Zest. These were a 2 to 3 bite delight. Have no idea how a creamy filling gets rolled up and fried but they were delicious. 

Jolie brought a 2019 Kings Carey, Spear Vineyard, Rose, 100% Grenache. James Sparks is the winemaker and this is his label. He also is the winemaker for Liquid Farms. Very nice, dry and light hints of strawberries and fruit. My style of rose. Wine Enthusiast gave this a 91 rating.

I brought a 2014 Tercero, Verbiage Rouge,  blend of  Grenache, Syrah, Mouvedre and Cinsault.  Larry Shaffer is the winemaker.  Robert Parker gave it a 93 rating. Showing very well and could go a few more years easily. One of my favorite Tercero wines. 

Margie's Monthly Dinner at The Red Table

 Saturday, April 10, 2021

Margie was able to get seating for 15 of us tonight at The Red Table in Huntington Beach. Outdoors, a bit cool but we were up against a wall which really helped. Not like last month at Kings Fish House when we were right along side the street. 

We had heaters and the wall. Since there was 15 of us there were 3 tables of 4 and a table of 3. The 3 all being single.  No issue with that but I had a big issue that the table for 3 was at the very end of the line of tables. We were really a bit isolated from the others. I felt a bit isolated and rejected. If the table for 3 was in between 2 tables of 4 we would have felt like we were part of the group. Yes some people did come down with their wines to share but somehow it just did not seem like we belonged. I wonder if we were 13 people with 1 single where that single would have been seated. At a table for 1 at the end ?  The tables were for 4 people. That is what the restaurant had outside so it was a situation that was not under anyone's control except for the restaurant. Nice to have 15 people but I really would have preferred to be inside at the Red Table in the middle with 11 or 12 people. 

CJ and I decided ahead of time to share appetizers for dinner. We have Roasted Brussel Sprouts with French Fried Onion Rings, Roasted Beets, Crispy Calamari Rings, Meatball Sliders and Garlic French Fries. Most were very good. I would not order the Calamari again. Too rubbery and the meatball slider had  an off putting taste to me. Fries and beets were great. 

I brought a 2012 Grassini, Articondo, from Happy Canyon AVA. Blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Verdot, Big wine. I decanted it for about 2 hours after opening. It was still very tight at dinner and did not begin to open up for at least another hour at dinner.  Probably be really good tomorrow. But a very good wine. Other wines brought were:

2011 Walter Hanzell, South Slope Vineyard, RRV, Pinot Noir - very good

2018 St, Supery, Napa valley, Sauvignon Blanc.  Not to acidic.

2014 Sanglier, Boars Camp, Sonoma, GSM,  did not taste

2016 Wrath,  Sansaba Vineyard, Monterey, Chardonnay - did not taste

2015 High Dive, Napa Valley, Red Blend - did not taste

NV   Marquis de la Mysteriale, Champagne - very good , yeasty

2017 Brewer-Clifton. Sta Rita Hills, Chardonnay - bit oaky

2015 Scott Paul, La Paulee, Willamette Valley, Oregon, Pinot Noir - very good

NV   Scharffenberger, Methode Traditionale, Sparkling - did not taste

2018 Latah Creek, Reserve, Cabernet Sauvignon - did not taste

2018 Williams Seylem, Olivet Lane Vineyard, Pinot Noir - good but way to young

2018 Wild Think,  Mendocino County. Rendevous Rose, Sparkling - OK but not to my liking

NV   Monopole Bue Top, Brut Champagne - good

2018 Eden Ridge. Mendocino County, Barrel Select, Chardonnay - did not taste

2018 Courtney Benham, Cabernet Sauvignon - did no taste.

Lunch at The Diamond Seafood Palace with the Boys

 Thursday, April 8, 2021

Been a long time since we got together for lunch. Just 3 of us today. So only 3 wines.  A NV Gruet Cuvee 89 Rose sparkling, a 2011 Clos Pepe VS Pinot Noir and a 2018 Martin Ray Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir.

Very limited menu due to the effects of Covid had the dining scene. Most restaurants are like this. anymore. They cannot afford to keep a big inventory of fresh food because of such a decline in diners. 

We had 3 dishes, A French Style Beef Filet with onions, lettuce and tomatoes. Beef was very tender and seasoned well.

Kung Pao Fish Filet with Squid. Good flavor but not much "kung  pao".

House Special Chicken with salted fish, stir fried thin rice noodles and scallions. Interesting flavors. I did like it.

Nice to get together again. Hoping to do it next week also. It has been too long.

Whispering Angel Rose Wine dinner at Arte Cafe

 Tuesday April 6, 2021

New winery for me. Never heard of them but that is nothing new. From Provence, France.  Small crowd tonight. Maybe 25 people at the most. 

We started out with a Moet and Chandon Imperial rose. We were fortunate to get a pour. Some people did not. Seems the wine rep, Alex,  only brought a couple of bottles.  We finished our glass before the first course arrived. No seconds here. 

First course is a Crab  and Cheese Rangoon. Very tasty. They did our the second wine with this course as well as the second course. The Palm Rose, blend of Grenache, Vermentino and Shiraz. Not to my liking. Had an odd metallic after taste on the back palate.

Second course is a Ahi Carpaccio with Ponzu, Crispy Onion and Arugula. Clean, fresh dish. Loads of flavor. Same wine as before.

Next was a Korean BBQ Lamb Tacos with Sesame, Asian Slaw and Pickled Onions. Great flavors but needed a bit of a sauce, Tad on the dry side. Paired with a Whispering Angel Rose, 10 year old vines. This wine I did like. Soft fruit flavors, a bit on the dry spectrum which I like. 

Fourth Course is a Roasted Duck with Hoisin Sauce and Black Bean Puree. Way too much black bean. Half would have been adequate. It took away from the crispy skin on the duck. Wine was The Rock Angel Rose.. 15 year old vines. I did like this wine also. Had body to it without being too over heavy.

Dessert is a Poached Asian Pear with Creme Fraiche and Macadamia Nuts. Light, refreshing. They served this with a cocktail of The Palm Rose, Jasmine Liqueur. Bitters and a Edible Orchid for flash. 

I would have bought a few bottles but they did not have any order sheets available. Seems like something is very off tonight. Not the usual super efficient Arte Cafe as usual.

Road Trip To Temecula

 Saturday, April 3, 2021

3 of us on this trip. Hired a car and driver to take us to Temecula for wine tasting. The driver came with a SUV which had a very high running board. Made it very difficult for me to get in because of my bout with Sciatica. May be a long trip.

We arrived in Temecula about 10:30 am . First tasting was at 11:00. I had not been here in over 15 years. Huge buildings housing the wineries. Looked more like sets for Hollywood. Not sure if I like it. If fact I really disliked it. 

First stop was Doffo winery. Big motorcycle collection. If you are a bike nut this would be right up you alley.  We had a flight of 4 wines. Decent wines but not putting out any money for them.

We were scheduled for lunch and tasting at Avensole.  Went inside for lunch first. It took 2-1/2 hour's so we had to forget the tasting. There was wine at the table for lunch. Tasted decent. Food was very good. We started out with an appetizer of oven roasted Brie cheese with a fruit compote. It was very good, Then a pizza style flatbread which also was very good. At this point I am full and I still have an Ahi burger coming. Burger got packed to go. Ate it the next day and it also was very good. If I would come to Temecula again I would probably eat here. 

We had a 3:00 appointment at Wiens for a Cellar Room tastings. This was held outdoors in a private patio setting. Best wines of the day but so over priced. $115 for a Cabernet Sauvignon from Temecula. I don't think so. Wine was good but should have been in the $45 range. 

On the way out we stopped at Akash. Their tasting stopped at 5:00 but we got a bottle and sat outside. They had a DJ playing music. I was not overly impressed with the wine.

Temecula is not for serious wine drinkers. It is playing to the party buses, birthday girls, bachelor and bachelorette parties etc., Loaded with wannabe's.  I am sure there are exceptions to the wineries. and probably a few really good ones, Wiens being one of them. But on the whole it is party time. Probably be another few years before I am back. 

Duckhorn Wine Dinner at Arte Cafe

 Friday, March 26, 2021

Almost a full house tonight. Not sure about the six feet apart table rule being adhered to . The tables themselves were but by time you o\put a chair and a person it left a lot to interpretation.  But not nearly as jam packed as the dining room normally is. We opted to sit outside on the patio.  Said hello to eight people I knew that were attending also.

Started out with Pan Seared Diver Scallops with a caper beurre blanc sauce and baby bok choy. As usual Richard had cooked the scallops to perfection.   Served with a 2019 Duckhorn, Napa Valley, Sauvignon Blanc. Wine was a good pairing. The wine was not overly acidic and had a nice slight creamy texture to it.

Second course is a shaved pear and goat cheese salad with a chardonnay and Dijon vinaigrette. My salad was prefect. Had at least 10 slices of cherry tomato. and was dressed well. My two dining companions had no tomatoes and no dressing. They did bring out bowls of dressing I did notice that a few other tables had the same issue. Apparently a big  screw up in the kitchen. Salad was very good. But the wine, Oh My. A 2019 Duckhorn, Napa Valley, Chardonnay.  So oaky and buttery. A typical California style Chardonnay which I really dislike.  Sherry and I both gave Douglas our wine. We were able to get another pour of the Sau Blanc but it really did not pair well with the salad. 

Next was a Duck Breast with cherries and Port sauce over a round of crispy polenta and roasted turnips. My duck was cooked a tad to much for me but had great flavor. I prefer my meats to be more red than dark pink.  Paired with a 2018 Duckhorn, Napa Valley, Merlot. Good pairing. Wine was good. Not a big Merlot fan but this wine held its own. Was told that it received a 94 rating. 

Fourth course is a double herb crusted lamb chop with spring root vegetable mash and Chinese broccoli.  Again I felt my lamb was a bit over cooked for my palate. But flavors were spot on. A 2017 Duckhorn, Napa valley, Cabernet Sauvignon was the wine choice. A very nice cab, It was about 80% Cabernet grapes and balance were at least 3 other reds among them Cab Franc. 

Dessert was a flourless chocolate cake with icing and raspberry coulis. Rich and decadent.

A few glitches tonight but I will attribute that to the fact that inside dining rooms are now open and the kitchen and wait staff may be a bit rusty due to the long shut down. I am sure by the Whispering Angel Rose wine dinner on the 6th things will be working smoother. 

Outdoor Dinner at The Playground

 Wednesday, Match 17, 2021

An impromptu dinner tonight at the Playground,  www.Playgrounddtsa. com,  Had not been here since Covid started.  Still dining outdoors,  but tables are spaced apart, heaters are going and great company.

Limited menu because of all the issues generated by restaurants having to be closed, open, closed etc., 

Decided to share plates. started off with "Fried Green Beans" with cashews, puffed rice, Thai basil, lime leaf curry. Great flavor. Beans were not overcooked, still had a bit of a bite to them,  curry sauce was excellent.

Next we ordered "Catalan Spinach", spinach, apple, apricot, sunflower seed, pine nut, sultana and lemon. Spinach was bright green, no over cooking here. Wonderful blend of flavors.

For the main "Deep South Congee", congee with Rootbeer glazed Beeler's Pork Cheeks, unicorn grits, fried sweet potato, braised collard greens, buckwheat-sorghum crunch, roasted turnips and ham crispies. I know it sounds weird but the flavors were spot on. The congee was an gray lavender color, odd but good. 

The chef / owner Jason Quinn has a real gift with blending flavors and incorporating "odd" things together. It always amazes me what he comes up with.  I like "different" and he always comes through. 

Two bottles of wine tonight.  A 2011 Clos Pepe, VS Pinot Noir which was showing exceptionally well . A 2010 Chateau D'Aiguilhe, Bordeaux. This wine took a bit to open,  Barnyardy for the first half hour or so before it blew off. Another good wine.

Margie's Monthly Dinner at Kings Fish House

Saturday, March 13, 2021

Back to being able to have outdoor dining for a couple of months now.  Tonight's dinner is at Kings Fish House in Huntington Beach.  Outdoor, open patio area. A bit cool and breezy. I was hoping we would be seated under the awning. Guess with 12 people you can't be too choosy. But I found the tables to be a bit on the small size for all of our wine glasses, bottles etc.,  Had to be careful maneuvering things around.

I started out with 1/2 dozen Oysters. None that I recall having before.  One each of Night Tide, Oishi, Baywater Sweet, James River, Rappahannock and Riptide. Most were on the medium to large size and all had nice salinity to them.

Main dish was grilled Chilean Sea Bass with grilled zucchini and glazed carrots. Fish cooked perfectly and the vegetables were on the crisp side which I like.

Had Creme Brulee for dessert. I did not have any of the bread,  rolls or starches so I could treat myself. 

A large assortment of wines brought tonight. Lots of whites but some varietals I wasn't too sure about with Seafood. Most I did not taste as the varietals were not to my palate.

2018 Hook or Crook, Lodi, Field Blend. and a Cava from Spain, Campo Viejo. The Cava I had a few weeks back at a dinner. A person at out table had found it at Costco. I liked it so went looking.  When I was in the store I stumbled across the Hook or Crook. Great price, bought one bottle to try. Went back a few days later on bought a case. Both bottles had a $5 off  promo going. So at $6 for each it was the bargain of the month.  You can stumble across a deal once in awhile. 

2015 Iron Horse, Ocean Breeze, Blanc de Blanc - nice wine, went well with the oysters as did the Cava

2020 Akash Winery, Parley Vous Rose - OK just not my style of Rose

2017 Brooks Cahiers, Pinot Noir, - nice, light, cool climate wine.

2018 Brander,  Sauvignon Blanc - did not taste

2018 Titus, Sauvignon Blanc - did not taste

2018 Carol Shelton, Coquille Blanc, a white Rhone grapes blend - did taste but not my style at all

Lason , Black Label, Brut Champagne - I cannot remember tasting this wine.

Rombauer, Proprietors Select, Chardonnay - did not taste

2014 Sea Smoke, Ten, Pinot Noir - OK wine but not impressed. I think Sea Smoke is a very overrated wine for the price

2017 Foley, Chardonnay - did not taste

2020, Nebbiolo,   home made wine and it was decent

2016 Steinbeck, Viognier - did not taste

2017 Shed Horn, Zinfandel - did not taste

Blandy's 10 year old Maderia - nice touch to end of meal

Valentine's Day Dinner At Arte Cafe

Saturday, February 13, 2021 Two dinners right in a row at Arte Cafe. We had a "threesome" tonight. Same as last night. This dinner included the wine on the menu. Sat at the same table as last night. Lets keep a good thing going. Started off with a heart shaped Raviolio stuffed with lobster. Mild sauce and topped with caviar. ("Raviolio" is single. Ravioli is multiple) Great flavors, tender pasta. Also a heart shaped piece of red beet on the plate. Very colorful. The wine with this dish was a Prosecco which was much better quality than the night before. I did not get the label name. Second course is a Diver Scallop with a Ginger Lemon Risotto. Talk about being devine. Scallop cooked perfectly. The Risotto was really good. Perfect matchup of flavors. Richard excels at seafood. A 2018 Planeta ll Blano La Segreta. A white wine from Italy. Chardonnay based with 3 other white grape varietals in it. A very odd taste but it did pair well with the food. It is not a wine that I would drink on its own. Next is a Frisee salad with asparagus and Chenel goat cheese. I just cannot get into Frisee. Too many tentacles in my mouth. Goat cheese was creamy and tart and the dressing was good. It made the salad. We had a 2018 Elouan Pinot Noir. The pairing was Ok but. Main is a Filet Mignon with Chanterelle mushrooms, demi glaze and root vegetables. Good flavors. Meat cooked perfectly medium rare. Served with a 2017 Educated Guess North Coast Cabernet Sauvignon. I had one sip of this wine and finished my steak off with the Pinot we had with the salad. This Cabernet was so sweet. Dessert is a White Chocolate heart shaped shell filled with white chocolate ice cream and raspberry sauce and fresh raspberries. I could have eaten many more of these tonight. Perfect ending to a good dinner.

Lunar New Year Dinner at Arte Cafe

Friday, February 12, 2021 LA County finally opened up to outdoor dining again. Richard was "Johnny on the spot" to get a dinner scheduled. Perfect timing for the Lunar New Year. LKargfe , appreciative crowd tonight, Tables are set far apart for the required social distancing. Started out with house made egg rolls. Light, delicate wrapper, perfect chruncy vegetables inside. Next was "West Lake" soup. This was a real new one for me. Loads of flavor and really hit the spot in the cold weather. Looked up online to see what it really is made of. Minced beef, minced chicken, mushrooms, coriander, cilantro and a beaten egg drizzled into the broth. Our third course is a steamed Sole stuffed with Shrimp and Ginger soy. Sole was cooked perfectly and was in a wrapped coil position. A very large grilled shrimp was on top. The ginger soy was delicious. Perefct for the light fish. Main course is a Wagu beef ribeye with a hoisin BBQ sauce and grilled bok choy. Beef was cooked perfectly medium rare and very good flavor. The hoisin bbq sauce was excellent. Richard outdid himself in this one. Another new item for me. Long Noodles. Also looked it up online. They basically are a very long, very thin wheat noodle with garlic, ginger, onion and muchroom. The idea is to eat the "long" noodle without breaking it. This is for longevity. Really liked the garlic flavor to a simple noodle. Dessert was a housemade almond cookie with a heavy, dense, smooth cream on top and berries. We were given a cocktail after dinner. Part of the original menu. Had a choice of 4 different Hennessy's Cognac cocktails. I chose the "Fortune Cookie" Side Car. Really into side cars and this was a bit different. Hennessey's VSOP Cognac, Grand Marnier. lemon juice and a sugared rim. We were surprised that wine was served with dinner. Not on the original menu. Douglas brought a Gran Campo Viejo Cava to start. Beautiful,colorful bottle and the Cava was very good. Then Arte Cafe poured a Lamarca Prosecco. We also had a 2016 Conundrum which I do not care for. Have never liked it. But I will admit that it did pair very well with the sole. On it's own not so good. Then a Belle Glos Pinot Noir. Decent for an inexpensive wine. The wines were poured in addition to the origional menu. They were not the best, but not the worse either. Inexpensive, decent wines. Dinner including the cocktail was only $58 so you should not expect a "gift" of free wine to be La Tache. So good to be able to get out again. have no issues dining out at Arte cafe as they are set up for it year around. I have an adversion to those tents that the restaurants are using to circumvent the no indoor dining rule right now. How can a 3 sided with roof, vinyl tent not be considered indoors". If you are seated at the back of the tent you are no way "outdoors". I did a dinner once in one and was not comfortable even though I was seated at the end near the open side. So those tents are off my list for "outdoor" dining that is in place right now due to Covid.