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.

Birthday Dinner at Napa Rose

 Tuesday, February 24, 2026

Napa Rose at Grand Hotel, Disneyland

I was taken out to dinner for my birthday. I had not been in the Napa Rose in over 20 years. When first opened they did wine dinners. After a few years the restaurant became more popular and they stopped the dinners. Had not been back since they stopped those dinners.  Napa Rose just underwent a large renovation. The interior is amazing. Lighting and rugs are spectacular. The service was excellent as it should have been for the price. Fixed menu, 3 courses and dessert with an Amuse Bouche. Each course has 4 selections. They change the plates and serving utensils at every course. Very nice stemware. The dress code leaves a bit to be desired. No flip flops, shorts, cut offs, but very casual dress is allowed.  I suppose it has something to do about guests staying at the hotel for $700 to $800 a night and spending a small fortune going to Disneyland. After hours at the park people are not too interested in getting super dressed up. 

We started out with an "extra", Osetra Caviar on Puff Pastry. Add on at $30 each. These were delightful and very good. One of those items you could overindulge in. 

Then onto "Amuse Bouche" which tonight was a mushroom cream style broth with bits of mushrooms in it. Very good. Probably about a quarter cup in a very small shot type glass. 

First course I selected was Oak Roasted Forest Mushrooms with Kyoto Carrots, Lime and Salt. To die for. 

Second course is a Wild Boar Agnolotti, Tuscan Kale, Butternut Squash Puree. Loads of flavor.

Next was Colorado Boneless Rack of Lamb, Land Shoulder, Dried Fig-Orange Gremolata. Very tender and good flavor.

Dessert is a Fiscalini Reserva, White Cheddar Cannoli with Quince and Savory Almond Crumble.  I could have eaten a dozen of these.

After the table was cleared the waiter came with a box of 3 different hand dipped chocolates. I unfortunately had to steer clear. Had a scheduled medical procedure the next morning so no alcohol, caffeine or chocolate 24 hours ahead. Timing is everything in life and I messed up on this one. 

I had the non-alcohol wine selection. First time for me. A couple of the selections were strangely good. Labels were Kolonne-Null from Berlin and Copenhagen Company from Denmark. Herbaceous teas seem to be the main ingredients. The whites were far better than the reds. 

Not priced for the faint of heart. Fixed dinner at $188 per person, Caviar Puff Pastry $30 each. Wine pairing $125 but has option for a $300 pairing and a $500 pairing. Parking at the hotel $70.  They have a "Chef's Table" that I would like to try. Time to save the shekels.  

 Orin Swift Wine Dinner at Arte Cafe

February 11, 2026

After dinner a few weeks ago at Arte Cafe I was really looking forward to this one.  Unfortunately it just did not live up to my expectations. Aggressive menu that did not live up to its description and wines that were OK but nothing to write home about. I think this is the first time in all the years of attending wine dinners at Arte Cafe that I felt so disappointed. Granted a lot of dinners don't live up to some of the exceptional ones but they were all good.

Started off with Citrus-Poached Scallops with Fennel-Apple Slaw and Micro Herbs. Scallopes were very tender and sweet.  Barely cooked and served cold. Very good. Paired with Orin Swift "Blank Stare" Sauvignon Blanc.  Had a small pour because of the acidity in Sau Blanc. Nice wine, clean and refreshing.

Second course is a Butter Poached Lobster Tail with Sweet Corn Risotto, Vanilla Bean Aioli and Olive Creme Fraiche. Excellent dish. especially the risotto. Lobster was perfect.  Wine was a Orin Swift "Mannequin" Chardonnay. I am not a Chardonnay fan so it was OK but not outstanding. But that is my personal taste.

Next was Herb-Crusted Rabbitt with Cherry-Fig Reduction, Roasted Fingerling Potatoes, Wilted Frisee, and paired with an Orin Swift "Abstract" Red Blend.  Hard to believe this was young rabbit. Pieces were on the tough side and hard to cut. I have raised rabbit and know what it should be like. This was not it.  Perhaps the purveyor sold Richard old rabbit instead of young or wild.  Don't know but it was no where close to being tender and having good flavor as it should have had. A huge disappointment. Wine served was an Orin Swift "Abstract" Red Blend. 

Dessert is a Green Tea Creme Brulee which was good. Paired with Orin Swift "6 Years in The Desert" Red Zinfandel Blend. Personally I did not like the pairing. Wine was way too big for the food dish

Wines were OK but not stellar. Nothing stood out. Dinner was half and half. Just an off day.

Michael - David Wine Dinner at Arte Cafe

 Wednesday, January 28, 2026

Arte Cafe

So glad to get back to doing dinners at Arte Cafe. Missed Richards culinary expressions. Also the fact that these dinners are reasonably priced compared to other restaurants and to me the food is far superior in most cases. The wine rep Heidi was personable and made for an enjoyable evening. 

Started out with a glass of Charles de Cazanove Champagne. Nice to have a bubbly to start the festivities.

First course is a Shrimp Cocktail with Remoulade Sauce. Served in a non-stemmed wine glass. 3 large shrimp. Personally I found it a bit messy to eat with my fingers. If the shrimp were smaller it may have been easier but these were large. Would have preferred them on a plate so I could cut them. But the flavor was very good.  This dish was served with a 2024 Michael David Legacy Sauvignon Blanc. I had a very small pour of this wine because of the acidity of it. It did pair well with the shrimp.

Second course is a Romaine Salad with Toasted pecans, Feta Cheese, Cherry Tomatoes and a Balsamic Maple Dressing. Again a very large serving.  Dressing was very tasty. Wine was a 2024 Michael David Legacy Rose. Nice, light and complimented the salad,

Third Course is a Roast Pheasant with Plum Sauce and Butternut Squash Puree, Green Beans were cut in very small pieces and curved around one side of the plate. Beautiful presentation. Good flavor. Last time I had Pheasant I had to pick the bird shot out of it. But these were farmed raised so not a problem.  A 2022 Michael David Ancient Vine Cinsault was the choice for this dish. I thought this was the best wine of the evening.  Cinsault grows well in hot climates and this winery is in Lodi. The vines were over a 100 years old. I did order a couple of bottles of the Cinsault. 

Main Course is A5 Japanese Wagyu Beef Filet with a Cabernet Sauce, Roasted Baby Vegetables and Yukon Potatoes.  Excellent meat. Exceptionally tender which you expect for Wagyu. Wine choice was a 2022 Michael David Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. My least favorite wine of the night. Personally, I don't think Lodi is the best place to grow cabernet because of the hotter temperatures.  The wine wasn't bad but it just did not have much going for it. At least for me. 

Dessert is a Fruit Tart. Nice and light to finish the meal. Paired with a 2024 Michael David Symphony. A clean white wine and the grape varietal is named "symphony".  Add that to my list and now I am at 611 grape varietals tasted. 

The bottles that Michel David wines are in are beautiful. They have an old mold from France that they use for their bottles. 

A good dinner and usurpingly good wines. Best of all it was only $105 which in todays climate is a bargain, Richard has always been very fair with his pricing and his food is always good.