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.