Dinner at Amaravati

 Saturday, March 28, 2026

Amaravati Cuisine

6 of us tonight for dinner. Second time dining here for me.

Started out with Peshawari Naan and Garlic Naan. Then onto a plate of Samosa's. For me the dough of the Samosa way to crunchy. Difficult to cut without sending pieces all over the table. I suppose if I had put sauce all over the Samosa it would have soften. Taste was OK but I have had better.

Then a plate of Spring Rolls appeared.  A two bite size. Good flavor

New dish for me that I have not had before. Palak Chutney Dosa with Masla Filling with Chutneys.  I was told that the restaurant will be taking this dish off their menu. Apparently it is time consuming to make. Similar to a crepe but larger and dough was crispier. Nice flavors. Glad I got to try it once.

A bowl of Chicken Tikka Masla and a bowl of Navratan Korma rounded out the meal. Both had very good flavors but not enough of the meat or vegetables in the bowls compared to the amount of sauce.

Six wines tonight. I brought a 2016 Roar, SLH, Rosellas, Pinot Noir. Showing very well. Think it is at it's prime.

2009 Scherrer, RRV, Pinot Noir. Nice wine but not exciting.

NV Tenuta, Villa Crespia, Franciacorta, Brolese, Extra Brut Rose. A blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Went very well with the Indian food flavors. A bit on the light side but refreshing. 

2022 EenzaAmheid, South Africa, Cinsult. A very nice wine. Also paired well with the Indian flavors.

2022 Silk & Spice, Portugal, Red blend. 30% Alicante, 40% Touriga National and 30% Baga. Interesting blend and again went well with the food.

2022 Two Wolves, SBC,  Semillon. A nice clean wine All the wines tonight seemed to pair with the Indian food flavors.  Good choices from the attendees.

Eco Terreno Wine Dinner at Arte Cafe

Wednesday, March 25, 2026

Arte Cafe & Eco Terreno Wines

Two wine dinners in one month at Arte Cafe. Can't beat the pricing which is always great compared to other restaurants and the food has been consistently good all these years. This dinner was $105 plus tax & tip. A bargain in today's financial climate.

I had not heard of Eco Terreno wines before. A new one for me. Mark Lyons, the owner was with Sebastiani's for 30 years before he took off on his own. His vineyards are in the Alexander Valley. 

Unfortunately for the restaurant it wasn't full compared to the Groth dinner two weeks ago. Probably because of the unknown winery. People really missed the boat on this one. 

Appetizer was a Hamachi Tartare with Asian Pear, Avocado and Micro Greens. Very good, Hamachi was tender and full of flavor.

First course is a Miso Black Cod, Coconut Rice and Bok Choy. The Black Cod was flown in fresh from South Korea that day. It was the best Black Cod I have ever had. Cooked to perfection. Moist, silky and succulent. 

Up next was a Spatchcocked Grilled Quail, Figs, Lemon,. Rosemary. Quail was moist and had very good flavor (no birdshot). Again a moist entree with crisp skin and cooked perfectly.

Third course is a Lamb Loin Chop with Greek Salad and Lemon Yogurt Sauce. Lamb was pink and flavorful

Dessert is a Lilikoi Chiffon Pie. Light and full of flavor.

Richard really shined tonight with his cooking. He puts a lot of love into his cooking. People missed an excellent dinner tonight. I am glad that I am not a stickler for known names in wine and always willing to try something I don't know about. I am like that with food. Will taste anything once. If I not a fan I don't have to order it again. 

Wines tonight were a mixed bag of my likes and not so liked. But I personally liked these Eco Terrano wine better than the far more expensive Groth wines from two weeks ago. Groth wines are very good but the price point is up there.

2022 Eco Terreno "Cuvee Arcero" Sauvignon Blanc. Not steely but a perfect balance of acid. This wine I was impressed with and so were my tablemates. One tablemate bought a case of it. I purchased a few bottles.

2020 Eco Terreno "Cultura, Chardonnay. Just a hint of oak and no butter. A good wine. But I still prefer my Chard's with no oak at all.

2020 Eco Terreno "Cuvee Tierro".  A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Malbec. I really liked this wine. Easy drinking with a a lot of character.  I did purchase several bottles of this wine.

2018 Eco Terreno , Lyon Vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon.  A nice cab but I am not a cab person.

2006 Ferrari-Carano, RRV, "Eldorado Noir" a black muscat. This was supplied by Arte Cafe. I have an idea Richard may be cleaning his extensive wine cellar he acquired by his other location a few years back, This location and area is much smaller. 

A very good dinner and good wines to accompany it. Reasonable pricing for food and wine. Mark Lyons the winery owner gave us "logo" wine openers. Great to add to my collection. He was personable and informative. Made for a very pleasant and fun evening. 

Dinner at Irrawaddy Burmese Restaurant

 Saturday, March 21, 2026

Irrawaddy Burmese Restaurant

8 of us tonight for dinner. Been awhile since I have been to Irrawaddy. I was content to let CJ do all the ordering. These dishes are not on my everyday radar. A few I have had before but most were new ones.

Started out with a couple of salads. Tea Leaf which I have had before and Ginger salad which was a new one. Both had very good flavors. Much different from salads we are used to eating.

Next was Paratha with Curry Sauce. This is a type of flatbread.  Also a plate of Burmese Falafel. Falafel was a bit dry. Served with a sauce which added flavor but not much else.

A plate of Mandalay Style Coconut Noodles with Chicken appeared. I did like this dish. Subtle flavors. Followed by a bowl of Mango Chicken. Again nice flavors.

Next was Paprika Shrimp. Flavors were nice but to me the shrimp was overcooked for my taste. Then onto a plate of Basil Fish. The fish was tender and had good flavor. I am not a big fan of basil so I didn't partake in the extras that were on the plate.

Next dish I have had before. Tea Leaf Lamb. Meat was tender and had good flavors.

Dinner was accompanied by Burmese Fried Rice, Steamed Rice and Coconut Rice.

For dessert I had Par lu dar which is Jelly, Tapioca, Pudding and Ice Cream in a Coconut Cream Milk. Interesting flavors. Personally I think I would prefer just a bowl of ice cream, But it was nice to try a Burmese dessert. 

Wines brought tonight were an assortment.   I did taste most of them. I brought a 2017 a.p.vin, Garys Vineyard, Pinot Noir. I personally thought it was a bit on the weak side but several people thought it was one of the better wines on the table. All the wines were showing quite well. 

2022 McPrice Myers, Larner Vineyard, Viognier

2020 McPrice Myers, Paso Robles, Assoutrements. A red blernd.

NV   Marc Hebrart, Premier Cru, Brut, Blanc de Blancs, Champagne

2015 Joseph Swan, Solas Vineyard, RRV, Pinot Noir

???? amfora, Vino Naranja, San Luis Potosi, Mexico, Orange Wine

2017 Launois, Grand Cru, Maxime, Champagne

2014 Clairborne & Churchill, Twin Creeks, Clone 2A, Edna Valley, Estate Pinot Noir

2010 Williams Selyem, Eastside Road Vineyards, RRV, Pinot Noir

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.