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.