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.