Margie's Monthly Dinner at Issara

 Saturday,   June 24, 2023

14 of us tonight attending dinner at Issara Thai Restaurant.  We all pre-ordered our food for tonight at the restaurant's request. Made it interesting on how they made and delivered the dishes to the table. Easy dishes came out first and those which took a bit more work were last. People who got served first were finished with their appetizers when the others were just starting to eat. The new owners have changed the way we as a large group can order food. No more large dishes to be shared. Everyone has to have their own individual orders.  So a person has a large portion of a singular food in front of them.  I liked it better when we passed the dishes around and shared equally. Much better variety that way.   I would not like that at other restaurants but at Issara it did work better when we could do that. But new owners, new rules.  Service was good, a bit chaotic because of the number of people at the table but the server did a really good job.

I shared an appetizer plate with CJ. Ate a few things that I knew I could. Vegetable Egg Rolls, Bangkok  Cups and Crab Ragoons. All very tasty.  I ordered the Fried Sole for dinner.  6 very large pieces of sole that was battered and deep fried.  Not greasy at all but the fish was "tough". How can sole be tough ?  I had a very hard time cutting through the piece with a knife.  Took leftovers home.  When I opened the bag at home there was a very distinct "fishy" odor.  Either the oil the fish was fried in had not been changed recently or the fish was "old". Possibly a combination of both. Into the trash it goes. Big waste of money.

Large assortment of wines tonight. I did try a few and what I did drink were good. Drank only reds. Stayed away from the bubblies and whites. Although there were a few whites I would have liked to try. Saw these when I typed up the wine list the next day. 

NV   Roederer Estate, Anderson Valley Brut Sparkling

2004 Joyau De France, Boizel, Champagne

2021 Kim Crawford, Rose France

2019 Sanford, SRH, Chardonnay

2020 Emma Reichart, Germany, Dry Riesling

2020  Stuart Fricke, Gewurztraminer, Home made wine with grapes sourced from Germany (would have liked to tried this one)

2021 Obere Steigen Huber Traisental Markus Hiber, Gruner Veltliner

2021 Viramonte Sauvignon Blanc

2021 Flemiana, Hungary, Gruner Veltliner

2014 Williams Selyem, Central Coast, Pinot Noir - very good

2014 Williams Selyem, Russian River Valley, Pinot Noir - very good

2017 Denner, Dirt Worshipper Syrah

2019 Twomey, Single Vineyard, Price Hill, Dundee Hills, OR, Pinot Noir - very good

2019 Forgotten Barrel. Santa Ynez Vallet, GSM

2021 Silk & Spice, Portugal Red Blemd - very good

NV   Twin Coyotes, Paso Robles. Moscato

2003 Duet, Creamy Sherry