Groth Wine Dinner at Arte Cafe

 Thursday, March 12, 2026

Full house tonight at Arte Cafe for a Groth wine dinner. Started out with a hefty pour of  2024 Groth Estate Sauvignon Blanc. Not to acidity.  This was paired with Citrus Cured Hamachi with Finger Lime, Olive Oil, Sea Salt and Micro Herbs. Very tasty dish. Wine paired very well with this dish.

Next was a Super Lump Crab Cake with Watercress, Apple, Pepper Slaw. The crab cake was to me "deconstructed" but very good. I did like the why it was served. A 2023 Groth Estate Chardonnay was the wine selection. Nice that it was not over oaked and buttery. Two things I really dislike in my chardonnays. Again a very nice pairing. 

Third course is a Filet Mignon with Black Pepper Sauce, Roasted Beets with Humboldt Fog goat cheese and pistachios. Meat was tender and sauce was very flavorful. Paired with a 2022 Groth Cabernet Sauvignon. Wine was good but not outstanding. But a good pairing.

Fourth course is Roasted Leg of Lamb with mint chimichurri. Again nice flavors and tender meat.  Richard does do food quite well. A 2021 Groth Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon was the selected wine. This wine had much more going for it than the last wine. 

Dessert is a simple but very good custard with chopped walnuts and cinnamon. Light after a heavy meal. A Terra d'Oro Zinfandel port was the selection. Just a bit to sweet for me.

A very good dinner, nice dinner companions. But there was a table close to ours that had about 5 or 6 people seated and one of those people was so loud. It did detract from the ambiance. But that is unusual for this restaurant.  

Lunch with the Boys at Masala Waves

 Thursday, March 12, 2026

It had been five months since "the boys" and I got together for lunch. Between holidays and medical procedures we just couldn't find the right time. That is what age does to you.  Masala Waves and Seafood Cove are then two places we patronize the most. Only one bottle of wine today. One person is having medical test tomorrow so no alcohol.  I brought a bottle a of 2015 Sinor-LaValle, Basi Vineyards, White Label, Pinot Noir. This wine is drinking exceptionally well right now.  This was a pleasure to drink.

Started off with Daal Soup, made with lentils which is really not my favorite. It had good flavor if you like lentils. I did finish the bowl. Glad it was a small one.

A plate of "Loaded Fries" was next. French Fries covered with Chicken Tika, Cheese and Masala Sauce. Wish they would put the sauce on the side. They plop it on top which makes the fries soggy. Good flavor.

Lamb Korma appeared. Lamb was very tender today.

Then onto Tandoori Fish. This is a dish I really like. Great flavor and the presentation is always right on. Sizzling on the plate when it comes to the table and loads of heat steam coming from it.

Dessert on the house. They brought us a bowl of Kulfi. Pistachio flavor. I do like this version of "ice cream"

A good lunch and nice to see everyone again. 

Dinner at Carthay Circle Restaurant at Disneyland

Monday, March 9, 2026

After nibbling all day at the Wine & Food Fest at Disneyland we had dinner at the Carthay Circle. Replica of the same restaurant in Hollywood in the 1930's. It is a bit higher end than the other restaurants at Disneyland but not as high as Napa Rose. 

I had the Braised Short Rib Raviolis with Celery Root, Sundried Tomatoes, Mushrooms, Shallots and Shallot Confit. Very good Flavor. Ate half and took the rest home. After eating all day at the "fest" it was hard to consume a large meal. 

Ordered at 2018 Go Gi "LaMer" wine. Pinot Noir from Sta Rita Hills. The actor Kurt Russell has a stake in this wine. First pours weren't impressive but as the wine opened up it started drinking really nicely. At the end it turned out to be a good wine. A bit of a sleeper. 

Disneyland's Wine & Food Festival

 Monday, March 9, 2026

Second time doing this event. A bit different from 2025. Only did a few of the food tastings and one wine tasting. Have dinner reservations at 4:30 at the Carthay Circle restaurant. 

The "Sirloin Gruyere Mac & Cheese from Garlic Kissed was dynamite.. They could have left the sirloin tips off. The mac & cheese was outstanding by itself. 

Big disappointment was Asa'Dos from Cluck-Doodle-Moo. The spice on the chicken was so hot that it singed your tongue. I like a bit but not a burn. The piece of beef steak was chewy and dry. Set on a bed of non-descript Spanish Rice.

At the Hollywood Louge we had a Chicken & Waffle Mole Taco. The taco shell was a crisp waffle with great chicken flavor. How they did that I don't know but I could have nibbled on a stack of those waffles all day. The Mole had good flavor. But the rice was just a blob of sticky white rice. They could have left that part out. 

For a sweet touch there was a Mickey Shaped Macaron made with Snickers Candy Bar pieces from Uncorked California. Really good flavor.

I had a red wine flight. Alcohol is not included like the food is when you purchase a pass. $23 for 3 each 1-1/2 oz pours.  My flight consisted of Famille Perrin, Cotes du Rhone Reserve Rose. Extremely light, frankly not much flavor. A Nielson Pinot Noir from Santa Barbara. OK, again on the light side.  And the third taste was Tablas Creek, Paso Robles, Patelin de Tablas Rouge. This was the best wine of the 3.  

I did taste the white wine flight from my companion. None was that good for me. Kendall Jackson, Chenin Blanc. La Crema, Chardonnay and Tablas Creek, Patelin de Tablas Blanc. The Tablas Creek was the best. 

Interesting event. Would do it again. A big learning curve on how this event works.