Annual Christmas Soirée

 Saturday, December 2022

My annual Christmas get together tonight. Was not sure when I made plans the first of the year if it would pan out after my accident. Did not get my Christmas tree nor the house decorated this year but party went off as scheduled.  It did lift my spirits a lot to have the group in. 12 of us tonight. Same group every year. Very compatible. Some people I had not seen since 2021's party. It has been a slow recovery and not much socialization. It was so good to see them again. Only one missing and he was babysitting his grandson. 

I put out shrimp, smoked salmon, mini meatballs, cheese, dip and other small nibblies. A charcuterie board was brought by Tim & Maria and CJ made Samosas. Greg brought seared Ahi.  Big hit of the evening was the two pizzas Stan and Karen brought from Domino's. So simple but so good, Handmade dipped chocolates from Bob, Panettone from Kelly & Dimitry along with chocolates and chocolate covered strawberries which were to die for and cookies from Marc & Judy. A feast board. 

A lot of wine for us to choose from bubblies to port. The two Terravox wines from Missouri I put out was to be able to open and taste. They were drinkable but not stellar. But I needed the 16 different grape varietals that were in them. I now have 582 grape varietals tasted. (we all have our quirks) A Lemoncello was brought but not opened. In the freezer waiting for the next martini night. 

NV   Gruet, Blanc de Noirs

NV   Domaine Allimant-Laugner,  Cremant d'Alsace

2012 Moet & Chandon, Champagne, Grand Vintage

2020 Peake Ranch, Chardonnay

2002 Chateau St Jean, Sonoma, Cinq Cepages

2010 Elio Grasso, Italy, Barolo

2012 Stolpman, Ballard Canyon, Angeli

2016 INum Cellars, Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

???? Kistler, Sonoma Coast, Pinot Noir

2016 Longoria, SBC, Blues Cuvee

2020 Terravox, Missouri, Chateauneuf du Platte

1991 Croft, Portugal, Vintage Porto

2016 Terravox, Missouri, Norton Report

Dim Sun Lunch With The Boys at Seafood Cove # 2

 Tuesday, November 29

We had a hankering for Dim Sum so off to Seafood Cove # 2.  Which is in the heart of Little Saigon. # 1 does not serve Dim Sum but the rest of the menu is the same.

We arrived at 11:00 and the place was half filled. Seems they start serving Dim Sum at 8:30 am. Large dining area on second floor. Parking was a nightmare. They did have an elevator (dirty)  so that helped me a lot.

All of the food was good and Henry said it was on par with the Dim Sum places in the San Gabriel Valley area which is heavy Asian population.

We started out with Siu Mai which is a shrimp, pork and vegetable steamed dumpling. Then on to Har Gow which is shrimp and vegetables wrapped in a thin, translucent dough and steamed.

Then came Black Mushroom Sui Mai, pork ribs, and steamed BBQ pork dumplings.  Highlight for me was the Turnip cake. Henry explained how it is made and it seemed like a long process. But it was really good.   Egg tarts for dessert. These tarts had a heavier crust than the one we got at Duong Son when it was open. 

I brought a 2015 Lando, Russian River Valley, Pinot Noir which was showing very well. Other wines were a 2020 Daou, Cabernet Sauvignon. Nice wine but a bit too young and a Gruet Cuvee 89 sparkling Rose. The Rose went very well with the Dim Sum.

On the way out I noticed a small freezer with a translucent lid that had bags of frozen dumplings in it.  Next time I plan on buying a bag. Also had small containers of sauces.

Lamb Dinner at The India Restaurant

 Saturday, November 12, 2022

Eight of us tonight for a Lamb dinner planned by CJ months ago.  Finally came to be.. The India Restaurant in Artesia which is also known as "Little India" because of the numbers of Indian people in the area .Loads of shops, restaurants etc., Very unique area.  We will be back in January for another dinner. 

Table was loaded with wine bottles and glasses. Most of us had 4 wine glasses in front of us. CJ had the food sent out in 3 different timelines. Made the table easier to navigate. Even then I know I missed tasting a couple of the dishes. 

For appetizers we had Onion Bhaji which is onions floured and deep fried. Also Tawa Aloo. Pan roasted potatoes with Indian masalas. This dish had quite a bite to it but the dry Gewurztraminer was the perfect wine to pair with this dish.

6 more dishes along with garlic Naan and rice rounded out the selections.

Lamb Skeekh Kabab.

Lamb Garlic Masala - sauteed with tomatoes, green onions and garlic in a brown curry.

Saag Paneer - house made cheese cooked in spinach with herbs and spices.

Lamb Keema Masala - ground lamb with spices, onions, ginger, garlic, tomatoes and cilantro.

Rogan Rosh - boneless lamb cooked in a yogurt based sauce with kashmiri herbs in Muguali style.

Navratan Korma - assorted fresh vegetables cooked in yogurt cream and mild spices.

Everything was cooked on the mild side. There was nothing I tasted that I did not like. All the wines brought went well with the food. People did a really good job of pairing. A lot of thought on their part.

2012 Saxum, James Berry Vineyard. Blend of Grenache, Mouvedre, Syrah and Counaise.

2011 Rochioli, RRV, Pinot Noir

2010 La Croix de Boyd-Cantenac, Margaux

???? Hirsch, Reserve, Pinot Noir

2012 Private, Syrah Reserve from India

2020 Tercero, The Outlier, dry Gewurztraminer

???? Dovecote, Syrah

2018 Optimist, Sanguis. Blend of Syrah, Grenache and Petit Verdot

NV   E, Guigal, Cote-Rotie

NV   Veuve Cliquot, Rose Champagne

2012 Revelation, Champagne, 100% Pinot Meunier

Lunch at Cali-Chilli

 Monday. November 7, 2022

Impromptu lunch today. Had a dental appointment and CJ who drove me decided to walk around the area while he waited for me. Just around the corner from the dental office was a restaurant we have been wanting to try since it opened.

Cali-Chilli, a Mexican-Indian restaurant run by a Michelin star rated chef. Small restaurant with a really nice bar set up. Some tables are bar height and others normal height. A couple of booths at the front with big windows. Very subtle colors. Very nice in color selections. 

We ordered 3 dishes and a garlic-chive Naan bread.

Crispy calamari rings with crispy French green beans. Came with a lime aioli sauce. Subtle spices in the crunchy batter. Took the leftovers home and hours later they were still crunchy. Good flavor.

7 Spice crispy chicken wings. 6 wings to an order. Excellent flavors, Crunchy skin and very moist meat. A real winner. 

Tandoori mushrooms. Large button mushrooms that had a very slightly blackened skin form the Tandoori over.  Another winner.

Prices averaged about $20 per dish. A tad bit high but excellent quality so I have no problem with the pricing. We did not order any drinks this time. Wine menu was on the mediocre side.  They do have a full bar now so I would like to try a few of their specialty cocktails.   Corkage is $20 so when we go back, we will bring our own wine. 

I have an idea that this is not a menu that you would ask for substitutions. They had a large menu so anyone should be able to find something that they would like.

Not sure of the parking. Restaurant is located in a small neighborhood shopping area. There are a few lots available, but I do not know if this restaurant has availability to them. There is street parking and we lucked out to be able to park right in front. But on a Monday at 1:00 I would suspect is an off day and time. 

Can't wait to go back and try a few more new dishes.

Impromptu Lunch With The Boys at Seafood Cove # 1

 September 27, 2022

Spur of the moment lunch today with the guys.  Have graduated from the wheelchair to the walker which made it easier to transport me.   We all seemed to be hungry today so no leftovers. We devoured everything.

Hot Sour Soup - was thicker than normal but good flavor.

Salt and Pepper Fish Filet - very good, Light , crunchy batter and very good white fish.

Calamari House Special. Deep fried pieces of calamari with a light sauce and peppers. 

Beef Chow Fun. Pieces of flank steak seared in a extremely hot wok with wide, flat noodles Thai Style and sauce.  A bit dry today.

 Dessert was a warm Tapioca with dates and seaweed. 

Still not drinking but had a taste of the two wines

2015 Maison Rosier, Blanquet de Limo, Sparkling.

2019 Spyglass. Monterey. Pinot Noir

Lunch With The Boys, Seafood Cove # 1

 September 15, 2022

Great to be back doing lunches with the guys. CJ picked me up. Still in wheelchair. I wanted to pick upm the tab for today's lunch in appreciation for all the help Hanry and CJ have given me during this long recovery from the accident.  So I decided it was going to be lobster. With prices soaring in today's market this would be a real treat. 

Started out with the Hot Spicy soup. Always has a tendency to be different depending on the chef that day.

Seafood Cove cooks lobster about 6 different ways. We chose the scallion, ginger version today. Lobster comes out on a platter already cut in serving size pieces. Exceptionally good. 

Also had a dish of green beans with minced pork and basil.  Sliced, fresh oranges for dessert.

While we were eating the restaurant got in their shipment of fresh, live lobsters for the weekend crowd. They have numerous tanks for them.  

I still am not drinking but did have about a half ounce of each wine. The Sau Blanc was exceptional.

2018 Hands of Time, Sonoma County, Pinot Noir

2015 Jules Taylor. Marborough, Sauvignon Blanc.

Margies Monthly Dinner at Kings Fish House

 September 7, 2022

My first dinner out since my auto accident in June. Still in wheelchair but friend picked me up and took me. It was very beneficial to get out and socialize again.  18 people attended dinner tonight. We had a private room at the restaurant which made the accommodations nice. 

My appetite is still not up to par and since I contacted Covid in the nursing home by taste has dissipated. I had a grilled artichoke and a bowl of clam chowder for dinner. 

Lots of wine on the table. I did not taste any. Still waiting to get my balance issues taken care of before I start tasting again.

2017 Luciga Crochet, Sancerre, France, Rose Bue

2020 Dry Creek Vineyard, Clarksburg, Dry Chenin Blanc

2020 Seghesio Family Vineyards, Sonoma County, Zinfandel

NV   Piper Heidsieck, France, Brut Champagne

2020 Albino Armani, Colle Ara, Pinot Grigio

2020 Premier Cru, Chardonnay-Chablis

2020 Pomar Junction. Paso Robles, Viognier

2016 Tucamadera, Cabernet Sauvignon-Syrah

2021 Robert Mondavi, Napa Valley, Sparkling Rose

2021 Robert Mondavi, Stag Leaps District, Napa Valley, Sauvignon Blanc

2020 Fess Parker, SBC, Riesling

2017 Calera, Mt. Harlan, de Villiers Vineyard, Hollister, Pinot Noir

2019 Stolpman, Santa Ynez Valley, Sangiovese

2018 Chapin, Converson

2010 Opolo, Paso Robles, Zinfandel

2020 Broken Earth, Albarino

2019 Stanford, SRH, Chardonnay

2020 Vionta, Roias Baixas, Spain, Albarino

2019 Forefathers, New Zealand, Sauvignon Blanc

2017 Muldebosch, South Africa, Cabernet Sauvignon Rose

Lunch with The Boys at Sea Food Cove # 1

 Thursday, June 3, 2022

Short notice for lunch today. But it has been a bit since we have gone to Sea Food Cove. Exciting day, while we are having lunch a truck nails a car parked in front of the restaurant. Fortunately, it was parked in front of CJ's car. No damage to his. Had a good time hearing about CJ's recent trip up the coast to Sebastopol. And the wineries he visited. Said he was treated royally at Williams Selyem. But he should for as much wine he buys from them.  Management told him someone is calling and dropping his name trying to get access to wines that are not available to most buyers.

Started out with a Sweet-Sour soup with Tofu. Good flavors Then onto Thai Style Beef with Green Beans. The beans were nice and al dente. Beef had good flavor and was very tender.

Thai Spice Flavored Pork. Almost a curry sauce. Very good. Enjoyed this dish.

Peking Style Pork, Good sticky red sauce. Some pieces still had the bones, so it became a finger food.

Dessert was a Green Bean Tapioca. Rice and dessert comes with the lunch menu.

Had 3 wines. CJ brought a 2007 Sea Smoke One Barrel. Decanted for 2 hours but it was still tight when opened About an hour later it really opened up well. They have not made this wine in several years. I looked it up on Wine Searcher and could not find a 07 but the 08 was going for a shade under $400. Quite a treat.

A 2013 Tercero, Larners Vineyard Grenache and a 2019 Precision, Napa Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon were also opened. Both showing well . A nice group of wines for us. 

Altogether a very enjoyable afternoon. 

Alfresco Wine Dinner with Tercero Wines

 Saturday, May 21, 2022

First Alfresco dinner at Dave & Louise's for this year.  38 people in attendance in the backyard.  Guest wine maker was Larry Schaffer owner and winemaker at Tercero Wines. Nice to see people from last year's dinners. 

Started out with a Ahi Poke and Avocado Tower with Crispy Wontons. Very light appetizer and good flavors. Paired with a 2021 Tercero Trilogia. A new white blend of Grenache Blanc, Clairette Blanche and Gewurztraminer. Went quite well with the food but I would not be able to drink more than one glass of this on it's own. I think it is the Clairette Blanche grape that throws me off. 

Next is a Puree of Roasted Corn and New Potato Soup with a Parsley, Pecan Drizzle.  Excellent. Louise takes and roasts the corn.  Makes a broth with the ears after cutting the kernals off.  Adds roasted baby new potatoes and purees everything together. One of the best, flavorful soups I have ever had. The crushed parsley with the drizzle just added a bright element to the dish.  A 2016 Tercero Grenache Blanc was the wine selected. Good pairing and this wine is one of the ones I like best from Larry's portfolio. 

Third course is a Portobello Mushroom en Croute with Wild Mushroom Sherry Cream Sauce. Another excellent dish. Rich flavors from the mushrooms. Paired with a 2021 Tercero Nouveau Mouvedre. Another of Larry's newest wines. I was not a fan of this wine at all.  I would have preferred his standard Mouvedre instead. It would have been a much better pairing.

Entree is a Pepper Crusted Filet Mignon with Horseradish Butter, Broccoli and Potato Gratin. Meat was grilled to perfection, the horseradish butter was exceptional and  the gratin was so creamy and good.  Two wines with this dish. A 2021 Tercero Pommard Clone, Pinot Noir which is a new wine for Larry. Grapes sourced from Kessler Hawk. A nice Pinot. Also a 2019 Tercero Whitehawk Vineyard Syrah. Excellent wine and a great pairing for the steak.

Dessert is a Strawberry Meringue Roulade with Meyer Lemon Curd. A nice light refreshing end to a great dinner. 

No dinner in June as Dave and Louise will be in the UK visiting Louise's relatives. Next dinner is July  with Wes Hagen. 

Margie's Monthly Wine Dinner at Issara Thai Restaurant

 Saturday,  June 14, 2022

14 of us tonight for the June dinner organized by Margie. It has been a few years since we have met here. New Chef, new owner. 

II started out with a couple of appetizers.  Issara Chicken Wings with house special chili sauce. Had these before and remembered they were good. Not disappointed. 

Then onto Fried Calamari with two sauces, hot & spicy and sweet & sour.  Preferred the sweet and sour. Nicely cooked calamari rings.  I have had better but then I have had a lot worse. These were just average. Good.

Soup was Tom Yum Hot Pot with shrimp, tomatoes. lemongrass-kaffier lime broth, fresh mushrooms and cilantro bird eye chili. A very nice soup. Just enough tang to keep it interesting. Loads of flavor.

Main was Pompano Chu Chee. Whole Pompano fish, deep fried with red curry in coconut milk. Good flavors. Nice light white flesh on the fish and the sauce added a nice punch. 

Side was a plate of Tom Yum Dumplings, steamed in a spicy Tom Yum broth with egg noodles, coconut milk, chili paste, lime juice, crushed peanuts and green onions. This dish was mild compared to the other dishes I had. 

A wide assortment of wines tonight, most pairing well with the food. Have no idea what others ordered as we were each ordering off the menu individually.   I brought a 2020 Tercero, Outlier which is a dry gewurztraminer.  Pairs well with spicy foods. 

Other wines brought tonight:

2020 Broken Earth , Albarino - nice, clean wine

2020 Emma Reichart, Dry Riesling - did not taste

2021 Joel Gott, Sauvignon Blanc - did not taste

2013 Double Bond, Pinot Noir - did not taste

NV   Collet, Blanc de Blanc, Premier Cru - nice, light bubbly

2014 Kosta Browne , Koplen Vineyard, RRV, Pinot Noir - very good

2017 Kremstal Reserve, Riesling - did not taste

2018 Williams Selyem, Vista Verde Vineyards, Gruner Veltliner - did not taste

2020 J.Lohr, Grenache, Rose - did not taste

2019 Carol Shelton, Coquille Blanc - did not taste

2015 Guyomar, Monsigner Blend - interesting wine 

2021 Tablas Creek, Patelin de Tablas Rose - nice light wine

2021 Vento . Vermentino - went well with the food

2019  Connachigria Resilienza Benevutano, Falanghina - paired well with the food

2017 Doamine Sylvain Bailly, La Louie, Sancerre Rose - excellent wine

Dinner With The Boys at Flavors of Punjab

 Tuesday. April 27, 2022

Flavors of Punjab is a non-descript restaurant in a strip mall on Second St in Naples.  Saw it when we did a wine tasting at Wine on Second. Thought we would give it a try but we were a bit concerned at it never seemed busy. Good reviews on Yelp but that is not always indicative of much.  Interior is very plain and not much to get excited about. But the food turned out to be very good. We were there at 5:00 when they opened for dinner. 

We started out with Onion Bhaji which is basically pieces of onion, battered and deep fried. Dish was good but need to eat fast while it is still hot. 

Next we had Vegetable Pakoras. Which are basically mixed vegetables. fritter style and deep fried. This dish I did not care for. I have had much better other places. 

All the other dishes came out at the same time which really made the small booth crowded with all our wine glasses and bottles. 

Chicken Mushroom with Curry Sauce. Very good.

Lamb Do-piaza. Chunks of lamb in a sauce with extra onions and spices.  Lamb was tender and this again was a good dish.

Shrimp Saag, spinach and spices. Shrimp was OK but overcooked. Sauce was very good.

Navratan Korma. Mixed vegetables with nuts and spices. Another very good sauce.

Garlic Naan and Basmati Rice rounded out the meal.

While we were eating I noticed a lot of take out going through the door. I can understand because of the crappy parking situation here. There had to be at least 20 take out orders while we were there. Toward the end of our dinner a party of 8 came in and sat down.  And this was a Tuesday which generally is a slow night for restaurants. 

We will go back. We found the sauces were exceptionally good. Ambiance is so so but food is worth it.

Wines tonight were a NV Louis Roederer, Collection 242, Champagne. It was OK but nothing special. A NV La Raimbauder, France,  Sancerre  which was very nice and went well with most of the dishes. A 2012 Clos Pepe. Sta Rita Hills, Pinot Noir. Paired well . A 2019 Felino. Mendoza, Malbec. Wine was nice but bold and needed time. 

Lunch With The Boys at CJ's Pad

 Monday, April 18, 2022

CJ decided to host lunch at his house today instead of going to a restaurant. I suspect it was due to him wanting us to try his endeavor at cooking Pho. We all brought appetizers and CJ had Chinese food delivered from a local restaurant.

I will say his attempt at PHO was very good. Soup had layers of flavors and he offered bean sprouts, basil, mint and cilantro as adds to it.

Henry cooked his shrimp appetizer in a wok on CJ's stove so the shrimp were very succulent and fresh. Greg brought Shrimp Birds Nest  and I brought a baked pastry covered Brie with Fig Compote. 

For our mains we had Beef and Broccoli, White Fish with Green Beans and Chicken Kung Pao.

Dessert was the obligatory Almond Cookie and a Indian Butter Cookie which was very good. 

We started out with a NV Mumm's Brut Prestige sparkling which was really nice. Then onto a 2009 Clos Pepe, Sta Rita Hills, Pinot Noir. One of my favorite wines but this bottle was starting to flatten out. Just not as vibrant as it should be. A 2016 L'Hortus de bergerie, Pic Saint Loop Rose was showing quite well and really went well with most of the food dishes. A 2017 Swanson, Napa Valley, Cabernet  Sauvignon  rounded out the list. Big wine and needs a few more years cellaring. 

Margie's Monthly Dinner at Prime Cut

 Saturday, April 9, 2022

14 of us tonight for the April edition of dinner. Tonight it is at Prime Cut in Orange. Known for their Prime Rib and Steaks, They have a private room off the dining area which we always have our dinners in. Makes it nice and the noise level is better than sitting in the main dining hall.

I decided to go out of the box and order the Beef Bourgogne. It is supposed to be Julia Child's original recipe.  The liquid part of the dish was very good. Great, deep flavors. I could have sopped it up with bread if there had been any left. The bread hogs were at it. I did have mashed potatoes to help it along.  But the meat itself was very dry and stringy. Big disappointment.

I split an appetizer of Frito Misto which was very good. Very light touch on the batter and frying.

Had the Creme Brulee for dessert. It is always light so it is a go to for me. Do not like heavy, overly sweet or rich dishes after a meal. 

Since I knew beforehand that I was having the beef bourgogne I decided to bring a 2012 Roar, Rosella's Vineyard Pinot Noir.  Even though I had decanted it for a few hours it was tight went I first poured it. But after about an hour it really opened up. Not a drop left in the bottle at the end of dinner. People seemed to really enjoy it especially one of the female diners. She thought is was so delicious.  Not all the wines were passed down the table. It is difficult to get up and walk around the table and look at the bottles to decide what you want to try.  Especially in a tight room and with mobility issues. I only look at the list of wines the next day when I type them up for everyone. Then I am surprised at what was brought and I had  not seen  on the table.

2017 Denner, Dirt Worshipper - did not taste

2017 Castoro, Due Mila Quattordici - did not taste

2016 Firestone, Petit Verdot - did not taste

2017 Firestone, Gewurztraminer - did not taste

NV Marie Forget, Premier Cru, Extra Brut, Champagne - interesting

2017 J. Bucher RRV, unoaked Chardonnay - did not taste

2015 Ridge, Monte Bello - did not taste

NV Fess Parker, Traditions, Port Style Red - nice for a sweet wine, not overly complicated

NV Domanie Caneros Brut Rose - did not taste

2019 Paul Hobbs, Goldbrook, Pinot Noir - Did not taste

2020 Daou, Rose - did not taste

2018 Dewitt Vineyards, Barbera - liked this one

2007 Le Vigne Domenico, Cabernet Sauvignon - did not taste

2011 Redmon, Red Wine Blend - nice, really liked it

2002 J.Lohr, Grenache Rose - nice and light

NV Louis de Sacy, Rose Champagne - nice and bright

2005 McKeon Phillips, BPR, Cabernet Sauvignon - showed it's age. A bit flat but still had something going for it

Lunch With The Boys at Sushi Nikkei

 Tuesday, March 29, 2022

Decided to try a new sushi place in the Bixby Knolls area. Sushi Nikkei.   A lot of good hype coming from people regarding this establishment.  Run by a brother and sister who are Japanese descent and born in Peru. If you do not have a reservation, you just cannot get in on a Thursday, Friday or Saturday. We went on a Tuesday and were parked in front before they opened. At 10 minutes to 5:00 there were people standing in line waiting for the doors to open. Only open Tues thru Sat from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Small establishment. Some outdoor dining tables.   This place did not disappoint. Some of the best, freshest sushi I have ever had. Not cheap but good sushi anyplace is not inexpensive. 

We started out with the Sushi Nikkei Tasting plate. 2 pieces each of Sweet Salmon with Parrillera sauce, cream cheese, crispy, tare.  Tuma Power, Blue Fin Tuna, Parrillea sauce, aji amarillo, chalaquita. Parmesan Scallops, scallops, parmesan, butter lemon. Asian Shiromi, white fish, asian sauce, quinoa pop, lemon.  I was particularly taken with the scallops. So tender and just melted in your mouth.

We ordered a dish of their Peruvian Ceviche. Outstanding. Mixed fish (catch of the day) tiger milk, aji  amarillo, concha (toasted corn) and sweet potato. 

Ordered 3 "specialty rolls". All were hits with us. 

Acebichado,  crispy shrimp, avocado topped with tuna, acebichado sauce, togarashi and green onions.  This was my favorite of the 3.

Dusty Roll, crispy shrimp, avocado topped with octopus in ninja sauce, parmesan, tare. This roll came in 2nd place with me and 1st place with CJ.

Crab Salmon, blue crab, salmon and avocado.

Small surroundings and not much sound absorbing materials, By 7 pm the noise level was going up. That would be my only, very small negative. 

We opened a 10 year old bottle of Camille Saves Champagne which paired exceptionally well with everything.

We are already planning our next dining experience at Sushi Nikkei.

Lunch with the boys at Seafood Cove # 1

 Thursday, March 24, 2022

Last minute call from Henry for lunch so just 3 of us today at Seafood Cove # 1 in Westminister.

We started out with the normal serving of the hot, sour soup. Today it seemed to have more robust flavor and bit more bite to it. Different chef. 

Then onto Fried Whole Fish with Two Sauces. Nice crispy skin and flesh was very delicate and moist

String Beans with Garlic and Shredded Pork. Crisp green beans and the pork was shredded and fried so a very nice crispy bite. 

Shrimp with Garlic Sauce, Black Fungi and thinly sliced bamboo shoots.  Very tender, flavorful shrimp and the fungi was very thin. Would have liked to have seen what it looked like before it was cut. Looked like a large flower petal.

Thai Style Beef with String Beans and Thai Noodles.  We overdid the string beans today but they were all plump and fresh. Much better quality than I have been getting at the grocery store lately.

Dessert was Mung Bean Tapioca.

Our wines today were 2018 Schafer-Frohlich, Spatburgunder, Weissherbst, Trocken Rose. The hit of the day. Went with all the dishes we ordered.  2013 Tercero, Larner Vineyard, Grenache. Lighter red that paired well with the food also.  2019 Angeline, Mendocino, Reserve, Pinot Noir. Opened up quite well after 30 minutes or so. A lighter style Pinot from a cooler climate. 

Highlight of the day is when the restaurant got in their shipment of live lobsters for the weekend. 3 different tanks for the different size crustaceans. Some were huge. Interesting how the owner stood there and looked at every one and he did reject a few. Probably because they were not moving enough, a sign that they are not long for this world.  They get $34 per pound for cooked lobster so some of those large ones had to weigh 5 to 7 pounds each. Their claws were as large as some of the smaller lobsters. 

Margie's Monthly Wine Dinner at Wine on 2nd

 Wednesday, March 9, 2022

A different take this month on the wine dinner. A wine tasting with optional dinner at Wine on 2nd in Naples.  15 in attendance tonight.  Tasting consisted of appetizers and 5 wines. Service was good with a few glitches. I don't think they are used to serving a large group along with having to handle the other walkins.  Everyone in the group seemed to have a good time and I am sure a few will be back. 

We started out with a dish of olive and eggplant tapenade with crostini along with a charcuterie plate of salami, prosciutto, cheese, honey, figs. The appetizers were very good. A plate of each set on each table of 4. We lucked out as there were only 3 of us at our table.  I felt the quantity was a bit scrimpy since it was supposed to be shared by 4 people and last through 5 wines.  The tapenade was the same size we ordered off the menu a few nights before when there were 3 of us. I am assuming that it is a one size fits all on the menu. Their normal wine flight consists of 3 wines. So no adjustment for 5 wines. 

Optional dinner was a choice of shrimp with pasta or chicken breast. Neither of those appealed to me as I cook that at home. Not what I want when dining out.  I opted for an appetizer of rolled steak around peppers with a salad. Flavor was good. Greens and vinaigrette were very tasty. Meat was good but they gave a butter knife to cut. It took a bit of back and forth to cut through the meat. The meat was tender but when a slice is rolled with ingredients on the inside a sharp knife would have made a big difference.  But we were also in a wine tasting establishment not a restaurant per say.  

The wines served tonight were:

NV   J Laurens Brut Cremant de Limoux Languedoc-Roussillon, France

2018 Portia Verdejo, Rueda, Spain

2017 Benton Lane, Willamete Valley, Oregon, Pinot Noir

2019 Faustino, Rioja, Spain, Tempranello

????  Mazzolada, La Cantina Del Falco, Venezia, Merlot

Dinner at 555 East Steakhouse

 Saturday, February 26, 2022

Six of us tonight for dinner. Did start out on the right foot. Open Table did not relay to the restaurant that a 7th person was added several days prior to the reservation. Also they had us sitting at a table for 4 that they had tried to convert into a 7 seater. It couldn't accommodate 3 bottles of wine much less the 9 we had with us.  It was outside in the tented area. Wind was blowing, it was cold even with the heaters and the noise level was atrocious. Complained to the floor manager. She said she couldn't do anything to move us inside until someone emptied a table and that would be over an hour wait. The 7th person left because of the hassles.  Restaurant manager finally came out and heard our tale of woe. He gave us a table inside that was set up for 6 within 15 minutes. 

I ordered raw oysters to start. 2 each of Kumamoto, Fanny Bay and Wellfleet. Always good and fresh at 555.

One person ordered a filet and the rest of us had the dry aged Chateau Brion which was cooked to perfection. A few orders of mushrooms and potatoes filled the plates. 

2007 Stolpman,  Angeli (Syrah and Sangiovese blend)

1997 Venge, Oakville, Napa, Cabernet Sauvignon (excellent - bottle was emptied quickly)

2012 Piper-Heidsieck Champagne

2012 Revelation, Blanc de Meunier, barrel aged, Champagne

2013 Palmaz, Napa Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon

2006 Shafer, Napa Valley, Relentless, Cabernet Sauvignon

1996 Pahlmeyer, Napa Valley. Merlot  (This was the wine of the night)

All the wines were excellent. A nice group to do dinner with because of the quality of the wines brought and a fun bunch or people with good conversations. 

Dinner at Detention in The Trust Room

 Tuesday, February 22, 2022

The Playground restaurant in downtown Santa Ana has been renamed Detention. Detentiondtsa.com. The 2.0 Room is now called Trust. Other than name change everything is the same with some improvements. Same chef's, same owners, same format. Trust still sits 18 people at a long bar with cooking and plating in front of you. Only difference now in the serving of the food, instead of one plated shared by 3, it is one plate (different sizes) for the number in your party. I would assume tied into Covid somehow.

Justin Werner has taken over the reins at Trust and owner and chef Jason Quinn is concentrating on enlarging the back room and hosting different venues.  Justin's style of cooking is different than Jason's.

The dinner tonight was a winery dinner, Stolpman out of Santa Ynez. Jessica Stolpman was the host and she did a great job but personally I was extremely disappointed that neither Tom nor Peter was in attendance. 

We started out with a cocktail made of Italian rose vermouth, gin, cucumber water, prickly pear and orange liqueur. Very tasty. Then onto the 13 courses and 5 wines.

A fresh baked brioche bun with house made cultured butter. Perfect. Frash from the over, still soft and steamy. 

A salad of mixed greens, croutons and a very light, exceptionally good vinaigrette. 

Arancini with ramp vinaigrette. Light and so freshly made.

Very thin sliced beets with citrus, nuts. The slices were so thin, cut on a mandolin then piled high. Yummy.

Hush Puppy loaded with seafood and served with Old Bay Aioli.  A real winner.

Grilled fresh swordfish with a leek and caper salsa. Again excellent.

House made Gnocchi with beurre monte and very thinly grated parmesan. So light, like eating marshmallows.

Beef pasta with spinach and pine nuts in a cream sauce. Excellent flavors

Escarole and Farro soup with breadcrumbs. Had good flavor but was not my thing.

Duck breast with grilled endive and smoked cherry sauce. To die for. 

A5 Wagu beef slices Picanha, (top sirloin cap) chimichurri and fried potatoes. Meat was like butter. Potatoes were crisp outside and soft on the inside.

Chocolate Swiss roll with Creme Angelaise. Decadent.

Poached pear with chocolate, crisp pastry and almond whip. Excellent.

Hazelnut cake with semi fredo. Good ending to a fabulous meal.

Our wines tonight were: 

 Stolpman, 2021 So Fresh, Rose, Love you Bunches. Not my style and I just did not like it. I thought it was flat and non-discript. 

Stolpman , 2017 Rousanne, L'Avion. Tom Stolpman's favorite wine. I am not into white Rhone varietals. But it did pair well with the food. If you like white Rhones you would love this wine. 

Stolpman, 2016  La Croce, a blend of Sangiovese and Syrah. My favorite of all the Stolpman Wines. But a 2016 it is too young to drink.

Stolpman Estate Syrah. For some reason this wine never made it to the end of the room we were at. Did not see the bottle until we were leaving. 

La Cuadrilla, Syrah Blend "El Padrino". This wine is made by the crew that works the Stolpman Vineyards. A certain section of vines is set aside for them. They get to split the profit from the sales. This was a1.5 liter bottle, do not know the year but it was a bit harsh and way too young to be drinking.

Food was great as usual, always top quality ingredients, very disappointed in the selection of wines brought tonight. Do not who chose them but with all the wines they produce a few of these should have been kept at home. 

Will be doing another dinner at Trust in a few months. They price always includes food, beverages, tax and tip inclusive. But not inexpensive but well worth it. 

Margie's Monthly Wine Dinner At Red Table

 Saturday, February 5, 2022

Red Table Restaurant

This month's wine dinner was held at the Red Table Restaurant.  We had a table inside today. Last year it was held outside, and tables were set up for 4 people each. Wasn't best for sharing wines.  14 of us in attendance tonight and everyone ordered off the menu

I shared an appetizer of Baked Brie which was good but very overpriced.  Ordered a cup of Cream of Artichoke soup which was excellent.  Main for me was the Beef Stroganoff. Meat was very tender and had good flavor. Loads of mushrooms which I liked.

Someone ordered dessert for me since it was my birthday. A warm Red Velvet Cake in a mug with whipped cream. Cake flavor was good, but it was dry. They should have put a heavy cream sauce like custard or an ice cream on top. But it did have a candle lit on top for me.

I brought a 2013 Kosta Browne, Russian River Valley, Pinot Noir. It was drinking really well. Loads of flavor and very soft tannins. 

NV   Marquis De La Mysteriale, Cuvee Grand Espirit, Champagne - a nice bubbly

2015 Patricia Green Cellars, Ribbon Ridge, Sauvignon Blanc - did not taste

2018 La Jota Vineyard Co, Howell Mtn, Merlot - this wine was way too young to drink. In ten years it will be time to look at it again.  These wines are known for longevity. 

NV   De Margerie, Grand Cru, Champagne - this is always a winner

2011 Halter Ranch, Ancestor Estate, Reserve, Blend - OK

2011 Foley, Sta Rita Hills. Bar Lazy Ranch, Pinot Noir - decent wine

2017 Justin, Isosceles , blend - a good wine but not as outstanding as prior vintages

2013 Melville, Sandy's, Pinot Noir - did not taste

2017 Sanford, Sta Rita Hills, Chardonnay - did not taste 

2018 Roger Goulart, Reserve Brut - did not taste

2015 Talley, Stone Corral, Pinot Noir - good wine

2017 Blanco, Cote de Pomar, Paso Robles - did not taste

2019 Firestone, Sauvignon Blanc - did not taste

2019 Kermit Lynch, Cotes du Rhone - did not taste

2009 William Selyem, Sonoma Coast, Pinot Noir - Excellent wine probably top of the game right now

The Tibet Nepal House Restaurant

 Saturday, January 22, 2022

Four of us brave diners tonight at the "tibetnepalhouseresturant.com" in Pasadena. CJ picked this out because they serve Yak and none of us had ever tasted Yak before. No parking lot, very limited street parking and CJ had to park in a structure a couple of blocks away. At least restaurant patrons got a discount.  A very small restaurant but after 6:00 they became busy.   I am glad we had only four people at the table. Any more would have been way to crowded with bottles of wine, glasses etc., In this case fewer was much better. This restaurant is not set up for large groups of people. 

We started out with Potato Pickle Salad. Potatoes, spring onions, cilantro, chili, turmeric and roasted sesame seed paste. We forgot to ask for mild.  Very hot, my back palate was really feeling it. The white wine helped to tame it a bit. Flavors were very good but way to spicy for the rest of us.

Cj then went back and told the waiter that we needed mild on all our dishes. He could handle to heat but the rest of us could not.

Next was a plate of Vegetable Samosas with peas, potatoes and Tamarind paste. These were good. But I have had better and then again I have had worse. Just standard Samosas. 

A plate of Yak Momo's appeared. Momo's are like dumplings.  The Yak meat was ground and it tasted a bit like very lean, grass fed beef. These had good flavor but a tad on the dry side.

Then cane a large bowl of Yak Stew.  Had potatoes, caraway seed, onions, garlic and spices. Flavor was excellent. The Yak meat was sliced, a light grey in color and a tad bit chewy. I would say similar to grass fed beef that never saw a corn finish. We are spoiled in this country because our beef is finished off the corn and grains before slaughter. No where else except maybe Japan with it's Wagu beef does this happen.

Next was a plate of Vegetable Phling. Mushrooms, vegetables, tomato, spices and very, very thin transparent bean noodles. Again excellent flavors.

Tandoori chicken was exceptionally good. Moist and tender.

I did not try the Lamb Tiki Masala. It was made with onions - tomato creamy sauce with Himalayan spices. Fellow diners said it was good.

We had two types of bread. Garlic Naan and Dhopzi which is a stone ground wheat bread similar to Naan.

Topped off the dinner with a "Masala Teapot". Himalayan herbs, tea and cooked in milk. Very good. 

All the wines were good. The 2005 Chateau Montelena, Napa, Cabernet Sauvignon was outstanding. I brought the 2012 Clos Pepe, Sta Rita Hills, Pinot Noir which was exceptionally good also. The two other wines were a 2015 Tercero Verbiage Rouge which was good with the real spicy dishes and a 2014 Roco, Private Stash # 12, Pinot Noir. I believe this was from Oregon. A light pinot but very good.

A very good, interesting dinner. Always looking for a new adventure.  

Margies Dinner at Buon Gusto

 January 5, 2022

The first dinner of the new year hosted by Margie our dinner guru. Seated in a tent outside that we had to ourselves which made it nice.  It was heated which was good as it is a cold, damp night. Service was excellent. 12 people in attendance tonight.  Covid is still a big factor in socializations. 

At Buon Gusto portions are huge, prices are good. Food is decent.  I had the Veal Marsala. Veal was tender and the marsala sauce good. Pasta was Rigatoni and a lot of it.   Best thing I had tonight was the creamy basil tomato soup followed by the white chocolate, raspberry ice cream. I could have just had those two items and been content. As it was, I had a few bites of the pasta and doggie bagged it. Got two meals off the leftovers.

I brought a 2014 Lando, Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir. Drinking very nicely. Other wines were:

2018 Solosole, Toscano, Vermentino - wine was off, not corked but not up to par

NV   Paul Launois, Monochrome # 1, Champagne - very good, nice and dry

2019 Jermann, Vintage Tunina, Venezia, Giulia, white blend. Picked up another grape varietal with this wine.

2018 Trefethen, Oak Knoll District, Merlot - decent wine but not outstanding

2008 Talty, Dry Creek Valley, Estate Zinfandel - did not taste

2006 John Robert Eppler Wines, Sonoma County, Alexander Valley Blunome Creek Ranch, Late Harvest Zinfandel - did not taste

2019 St. Amant, Lodi, Zinfandel - did not taste

2018 Trattere Farms Vineyard "MR" - dis not taste

2017 Williams Selyem, Russian River Valley, Pinot Noir - nice wine a bit young

2019 Hart, Temecula, Vermintino - surprisingly good

NV   Segura Viudas, Brut, Cava - this wine is always a good selection

2020 Whidbey Island Winery, Yakima Valley Rose - this was exceptionally good, beautiful color

2015 Caparzo, Italy, Brunello de Montalcino - nice big red

2020 Longoria, Albarino - did not taste

Lunch with the boys at Seafood Cove

 Friday, December 31, 2021

Last minute decision to have lunch today at Seafood Cove # 1.  Not much ambiance but the food is damm good and authentic. The # 1 restaurant specializes in "fry". Henry said their woks are extremely hot which seals in the flavors.

Started out with Hot Sour Soup. Perfect for such a cold day.

We placed our order, and first dish out was a Twice Cooked Pork. Not what we ordered. Had a few pieces before they took it back. I have an idea that when it was returned to the kitchen they may have just re-sauteed it with the Peking sauce. Who really knows. But the Peking Twice Cooked Pork was excellent.

Up next was the Sauteed White Fish filet with baby corn, snow peas, carrots and mushrooms. Fish was very fresh.

Last was the Thai Style Beef with fat noodles and greens. Beef was tender and flavorful. But fat noodles are always a pain to eat with chopsticks because they are so slippery. I managed. CJ eats with a fork, so he had no problem.

Always have a plate of sliced oranges for dessert.  Do not know where they buy their oranges, but they are always sweet and juicy.

Our bottles of wine were all good, I brought a NV Palmer & Co. Champagne. Last bottle that I had. Need to get some more. 2011 Williams Selyem, Sonoma Coast, Pinot Noir which was showing very well and a 2018 Neyers, Sage Canyon, St Helena, Red wine. This wine was a bit young but opened nicely after an hour. 

Since this is New Years Eve a lot of people were ordered the fresh lobster. Tank was full of the critters. Large ones in top tank and smaller ones in bottom tank. The larger lobsters were weighing in about 5 pounds.  At $30 a pound. Lunch crowd was a lot bigger than usual because of the holiday. Nice lunch to end the year on.