Sunday. April 10, 2016
On the 10th of every month Working Class Kitchen in Long Beach, www.workingclasskitchen.com,
has a dinner limited to 14 people. $140 inclusive, paid in advance. No advance menu. Everything is selected as to what the chef's whimsey's are.
Started out with a couple of appetizers, a flatbread with gooey cheese and sausage along with a miniature open face Rueben sandwich. . A glass of Valdobbiadine Preseco accompanied them.
First course was a salad of various greens, Guanaciale and Sea Salt, dressed with Olive Oil. It needed something. I asked for pepper thinking freshly ground black pepper but I got a shaker with regular old table pepper. This did not impress me. For a division of restaurants owned my Michael Dene I really expected a bit more. The flavor on the salad were very good an portion was large.
Second course served was my favorite. Chicken Fried Rabbit Thigh with Calabrian Chiles and Sonoma Valley sour Pickles. In all my years of eating and cooking rabbit this is the first time I have had it deep fried. Excellent flavor.
Third course of the evening turned out to be Chianina Beef Heart Bolognese with Chitarra Pasta, Pasta was lightly al dente and had good flavor. The Bolognese was spot on.
Fourth course served was a Roast Liberty Farms Duck Beast with Ramps, Morels and Polenta. At this point in the meal I was starting to fill up. Had a couple of bites to taste the flavors and had it boxed up to take home. Flavor was good but I have had much better duck breast before. Nothing wrong with it but it was OK not great.
Fifth course I knew I was taking home also. Had a couple of bites again to taste flavors Whole Roasted Veal Loin (cooked perfectly), Tono Sauce, Green Garlic Puree and New Potatoes. This was an excellent dish. Had a thick sauce on top made with artichokes.
An Animal Fat Tart (means the tart crust was made with lard like they used to in the "old" days) filled with Black Berries, Cream and Goat Cheese. Very tasty. A 2014 Henri di Batasioso, Bosc Dla Rei, Moscato di'Asti was served this this dish
They did not list the wine son the menu. Kelly took pictures of them but I really have no idea what order they were served. All were good. I do not think anything was overly expensive. But good food wines.
Rustico Nino Franco, Lupi Pigato, 2010 Rossese di Dolceacqua, 2013 Gran Passione Gavi, 2005 il gauno di arcanum Toscano, 2013 Colli Lune Rosso, Il Torchon. A lot of wine was poured. Kept the kitchen busy washing the stemware.
This was a fun dinner, food was good, portions were good size, wines went well with the food. Dinner is the 10th of every month so it is always on a different day of the week. They do sell out. Seems to be very popular. I would go back. Go sit in the middle of the butcher shop by the display cases. One window had a whole pig hanging. They do have sandwiches and burgers during the day.
Beautiful meat in the case. Not cheap but excellent quality.
Monday, April 11, 2016
Sunday, April 10, 2016
Tonight it's Thai at Nayada
Saturday, April 9, 2016
Margie choose Nayada in Lakewood for her monthly wine dinner. www.nayadathaicuisine.com 13 of us here tonight.
We started out with the traditional Tom Yum Shrimp Soup. Flavors were spot on but the soup itself was warm not hot. Maybe if it had set on the heat source for a few more minutes it would have helped.
Then onto Lettuce Wraps with Chopped Chicken Breast, Water Chestnuts, Green Onion, Glass Noodles, Mushrooms. The lettuce was Iceberg which most places use for wraps but I have always had a problem with that type of lettuce. It has a tendency to fall apart easily. Makes a mess. Flavors were excellent but I ended up eating most of mine with a fork.
Two more appetizers, Golden Bags and Thai Springs Rolls. Both had good flavors.
Main entrees starting showing up. No room on the table because of all of our wine glasses and bottles of wine but the waitstaff seem to be good at finding a small opening to set a platter down.
Tantalizing Style Mixed Vegetables, Basil, Eggplant, Asparagus, Cauliflower, Tomatoes fried in a Kra Prao Sauce. Way too much Basil for me. It so overwhelmed the other flavors for me. I am finding for me personally a little Basil, Cilantro, Lemongrass and Ginger go a very long way. I know others really like these flavors but I want very small does of them. I like Asian cuisines and they all seem to use these flavors heavily so I have to adjust.
Siam Apple Catfish was next. Fried Catfish with a Lime Juice of Apple Slivers, Onions, Garlic and
Chilies. This has always been one of my favorite dishes at Nayada, But tonight it really fell off. The catfish itself was on the dry side. The coating was a bit to hard. It had been overcooked. Perhaps the kitchen was too busy. And for some reason the apples slivers just didn't seem to come through.
Next was a platter of Green Curry Chicken made with Coconut Milk, Eggplant, Bell Pepper and Basil Leaves. Had a few pieces of the chicken. The curry had really nice flavor.
Garlic Pepper Beef was the next dish. Stir Fried Beef with Garlic, Ground Black Pepper in an Oyster and Mushroom Sauce. Good flavors, Beef was tender
Last up for the evening was Pork Kai Kua Noodles. Flat Noodles, stir fried with Pork, Green Onions, Eggplant, Bean Sprouts, Peanuts, Egg and Thai Style Oyster and Mushroom Sauce. Very good flavors.
Wines were a real mixed bag.
2014 Stolpman Carbonic Sangiovese - a good bet for spicy foods
2013 Tercero Outlier (dry Gewurztraminer) - another wine that goes with with Thai
2010 Francois Chidaine, Rose of Pinot Noir - this wine is always good, the best Rose on the table
2011 Evening Land Chardonnay - did not taste
2011 Ken Brown, Santa Barbara County, Pinot Noir - always a winner
NV Cremant D'Alsace, Albrecht Tradition - nice pleasing bubbly
2015 Romana Rose, Sancerre, 100% Pinot Noir - was not to my taste
NV Tattinger, Brut Reserve, Champagne - good bubbly
2014 Louis Jadot, Beaujolias, Villages - did not taste - I am not a Gamay grape fan
2013 Lincourt, Sta. Rita Hills, Pinot Blanc - did not taste
2015 Halter Ranch, Rose - Cloying sweet strawberry flavor
2013 Williams Selyem, Pinot Noir ( the vineyard did not get written down) - can't go wrong with a WS
2013 Dr. Konstantin Frank, Rkatsitelli - very good wine, went well with the food
2014 Kaena, Granache Rose - did not taste
2012 Melville Block , Pinot Noir - Excellent wine
2013 Bridgeman, Rielsing - did not taste
2014 Kung Fu Girl Riesling - have had this wine at restaurants numerous times - a good wine for $10
Margie choose Nayada in Lakewood for her monthly wine dinner. www.nayadathaicuisine.com 13 of us here tonight.
We started out with the traditional Tom Yum Shrimp Soup. Flavors were spot on but the soup itself was warm not hot. Maybe if it had set on the heat source for a few more minutes it would have helped.
Then onto Lettuce Wraps with Chopped Chicken Breast, Water Chestnuts, Green Onion, Glass Noodles, Mushrooms. The lettuce was Iceberg which most places use for wraps but I have always had a problem with that type of lettuce. It has a tendency to fall apart easily. Makes a mess. Flavors were excellent but I ended up eating most of mine with a fork.
Two more appetizers, Golden Bags and Thai Springs Rolls. Both had good flavors.
Main entrees starting showing up. No room on the table because of all of our wine glasses and bottles of wine but the waitstaff seem to be good at finding a small opening to set a platter down.
Tantalizing Style Mixed Vegetables, Basil, Eggplant, Asparagus, Cauliflower, Tomatoes fried in a Kra Prao Sauce. Way too much Basil for me. It so overwhelmed the other flavors for me. I am finding for me personally a little Basil, Cilantro, Lemongrass and Ginger go a very long way. I know others really like these flavors but I want very small does of them. I like Asian cuisines and they all seem to use these flavors heavily so I have to adjust.
Siam Apple Catfish was next. Fried Catfish with a Lime Juice of Apple Slivers, Onions, Garlic and
Chilies. This has always been one of my favorite dishes at Nayada, But tonight it really fell off. The catfish itself was on the dry side. The coating was a bit to hard. It had been overcooked. Perhaps the kitchen was too busy. And for some reason the apples slivers just didn't seem to come through.
Next was a platter of Green Curry Chicken made with Coconut Milk, Eggplant, Bell Pepper and Basil Leaves. Had a few pieces of the chicken. The curry had really nice flavor.
Garlic Pepper Beef was the next dish. Stir Fried Beef with Garlic, Ground Black Pepper in an Oyster and Mushroom Sauce. Good flavors, Beef was tender
Last up for the evening was Pork Kai Kua Noodles. Flat Noodles, stir fried with Pork, Green Onions, Eggplant, Bean Sprouts, Peanuts, Egg and Thai Style Oyster and Mushroom Sauce. Very good flavors.
Wines were a real mixed bag.
2014 Stolpman Carbonic Sangiovese - a good bet for spicy foods
2013 Tercero Outlier (dry Gewurztraminer) - another wine that goes with with Thai
2010 Francois Chidaine, Rose of Pinot Noir - this wine is always good, the best Rose on the table
2011 Evening Land Chardonnay - did not taste
2011 Ken Brown, Santa Barbara County, Pinot Noir - always a winner
NV Cremant D'Alsace, Albrecht Tradition - nice pleasing bubbly
2015 Romana Rose, Sancerre, 100% Pinot Noir - was not to my taste
NV Tattinger, Brut Reserve, Champagne - good bubbly
2014 Louis Jadot, Beaujolias, Villages - did not taste - I am not a Gamay grape fan
2013 Lincourt, Sta. Rita Hills, Pinot Blanc - did not taste
2015 Halter Ranch, Rose - Cloying sweet strawberry flavor
2013 Williams Selyem, Pinot Noir ( the vineyard did not get written down) - can't go wrong with a WS
2013 Dr. Konstantin Frank, Rkatsitelli - very good wine, went well with the food
2014 Kaena, Granache Rose - did not taste
2012 Melville Block , Pinot Noir - Excellent wine
2013 Bridgeman, Rielsing - did not taste
2014 Kung Fu Girl Riesling - have had this wine at restaurants numerous times - a good wine for $10
Wednesday, April 6, 2016
The Breakfast Club at The Playground
Tuesday, April 5, 2016
Breakfast for dinner ? I always used to make waffles for dinner when my sons were young so the theme intrigued me. So off to the Playground 2.0 room for the second week in a row. www.playgrounddtsa.com,
Dinner was sold out. 12 different dishes on the menu tonight. You never know what you will be getting until the plate is put down in front of you. You watch them cook and plate but until then there is no clue of what is coming.
We started out with a drink made with Breton Vouvray Brut, Pampel Mousse ( a grapefruit liqueur) orange and lemon. Quite refreshing. First offering was a Biscuit with quail gravy. Same biscuit we had last week and just as good. This was followed by a Blini with Siberian Sturgeon Caviar, whipped creme fraiche and chopped chives. A very nice way to start dinner. Caviar always has its place.
A glass of 2008 Kruger-Rumpt Riesling was poured to accompany a plate of Cured Tasmanian Ocean Trout, Smoked Egg Aioli, Grapefruit, Avocado and Frisee. Needless to say I am very happy right now.
A Scallion pancake showed up with Iberico de Bellota Bacon, Hollandaise made with sherry vinegar. So good.
Doushy Hash Brown, made with lamb fat, Adult Apple Sauce (Cayenne, dried Chipotle powder) and Creme Fraiche was served next. We also had a new wine. A 2009 JJ Prium Spatlese Riesling. Good combination. This definitely was not your McDonald's hashbrown.
A plate of Cheesy Grits, Chipolte Adobo Shrimp. Pan Roasted Mushrooms, Shallots, Sweet Dried Corn. We are really on a roll. The flavors are so good.
The old "Toad In A Hole" Playground version was the next dish to look forward to. House made Brioche with Quail Egg, Spicy Tomato Jam made with Fresno Chiles. The flavor of the jam was outstanding And the 2009 Weingut Joseph Spitzers 101 Riesling was a perfect wine to go with the spicy flavors.
A dish that I would not have considered "breakfast" was plated. A PLT - Pork Belly Lettuce Wrap with Fresh Tomato, Red Onions, Stewed Chilies, Sherry Vinegar with a dash of sugar and a Onion Tomato Jam. These chefs are very talented young people and they have a no holds barred attitude and are willing to go way out of the box. It really shows in their innovation and flavors.
A "Johnny Cake" was next. Cornbread baked in a cast iron skillet, Crispy Wagu Beef Tongue with Piquillo Piperade, Carmelized Onions, Pickled Mustard Seed and Toasted Hazelnuts. The food just keeps coming and getting better.
A house made Grilled Chorizo, Masa Gnocchi, Smoked Potatoes with Oaxaca Cream with Charred Paquito was to die for. By this time I am so full I have to force myself to keep going. Do not want to miss out on anything that they are putting in front of us tonight.
A 2013 Bedrock, Evangelho, Hertitage Red, A blend a many different red grapes was out next pour. Interesting flavors. The Zin was really predominate. This was followed by a 2007 R. Lopez de Heredia, Vina Tondonia "Vina Cubillo", Crianza Rioja.
A refreshing bowl of Strawberries, Blueberrries, Blackberries, Yogurt, Granola and a Meringue Cookie was welcome after all the rich, heavy flavors. But they did not stop there. This was followed by a French Toast Strusel, Sliced Banana, House made Vanilla Ice Cream, A Chocolate Choquette. A Maple Choquette and drizzled with an Aged Maple Syrup.
Last drink of the evening was a very sweet Sparking Red that I did not finish. It was so cloyingly sweet that I could not handle it.
A beautiful dinner, with exceptional flavors and very innovative ideas. Who would have thought breakfast could be so good.
Breakfast for dinner ? I always used to make waffles for dinner when my sons were young so the theme intrigued me. So off to the Playground 2.0 room for the second week in a row. www.playgrounddtsa.com,
Dinner was sold out. 12 different dishes on the menu tonight. You never know what you will be getting until the plate is put down in front of you. You watch them cook and plate but until then there is no clue of what is coming.
We started out with a drink made with Breton Vouvray Brut, Pampel Mousse ( a grapefruit liqueur) orange and lemon. Quite refreshing. First offering was a Biscuit with quail gravy. Same biscuit we had last week and just as good. This was followed by a Blini with Siberian Sturgeon Caviar, whipped creme fraiche and chopped chives. A very nice way to start dinner. Caviar always has its place.
A glass of 2008 Kruger-Rumpt Riesling was poured to accompany a plate of Cured Tasmanian Ocean Trout, Smoked Egg Aioli, Grapefruit, Avocado and Frisee. Needless to say I am very happy right now.
A Scallion pancake showed up with Iberico de Bellota Bacon, Hollandaise made with sherry vinegar. So good.
Doushy Hash Brown, made with lamb fat, Adult Apple Sauce (Cayenne, dried Chipotle powder) and Creme Fraiche was served next. We also had a new wine. A 2009 JJ Prium Spatlese Riesling. Good combination. This definitely was not your McDonald's hashbrown.
A plate of Cheesy Grits, Chipolte Adobo Shrimp. Pan Roasted Mushrooms, Shallots, Sweet Dried Corn. We are really on a roll. The flavors are so good.
The old "Toad In A Hole" Playground version was the next dish to look forward to. House made Brioche with Quail Egg, Spicy Tomato Jam made with Fresno Chiles. The flavor of the jam was outstanding And the 2009 Weingut Joseph Spitzers 101 Riesling was a perfect wine to go with the spicy flavors.
A dish that I would not have considered "breakfast" was plated. A PLT - Pork Belly Lettuce Wrap with Fresh Tomato, Red Onions, Stewed Chilies, Sherry Vinegar with a dash of sugar and a Onion Tomato Jam. These chefs are very talented young people and they have a no holds barred attitude and are willing to go way out of the box. It really shows in their innovation and flavors.
A "Johnny Cake" was next. Cornbread baked in a cast iron skillet, Crispy Wagu Beef Tongue with Piquillo Piperade, Carmelized Onions, Pickled Mustard Seed and Toasted Hazelnuts. The food just keeps coming and getting better.
A house made Grilled Chorizo, Masa Gnocchi, Smoked Potatoes with Oaxaca Cream with Charred Paquito was to die for. By this time I am so full I have to force myself to keep going. Do not want to miss out on anything that they are putting in front of us tonight.
A 2013 Bedrock, Evangelho, Hertitage Red, A blend a many different red grapes was out next pour. Interesting flavors. The Zin was really predominate. This was followed by a 2007 R. Lopez de Heredia, Vina Tondonia "Vina Cubillo", Crianza Rioja.
A refreshing bowl of Strawberries, Blueberrries, Blackberries, Yogurt, Granola and a Meringue Cookie was welcome after all the rich, heavy flavors. But they did not stop there. This was followed by a French Toast Strusel, Sliced Banana, House made Vanilla Ice Cream, A Chocolate Choquette. A Maple Choquette and drizzled with an Aged Maple Syrup.
Last drink of the evening was a very sweet Sparking Red that I did not finish. It was so cloyingly sweet that I could not handle it.
A beautiful dinner, with exceptional flavors and very innovative ideas. Who would have thought breakfast could be so good.
Friday, April 1, 2016
Birthday Party at Buon Gusto
Thursday. March 31, 2016
9 of us tonight to celebrate an old geezers birthday . These are not high end wine people so I had my bottle of 2009 Clos Pepe Pinot Noir to save me. No corkage at Buon Gusto. Personally I would have been embarrassed to bring some of the wine that these people brought. They would have been better off buying wine off the menu. But this a really "cheap" crowd.
The food is decent. But the portions are huge. I took home enough of of my Seafood Fettuccine to have two more meals. Their house salads are good. Greens are exceptionally crisp. Their appetizers are winners.
Place is always busy and very noisy. But you do have a fun time here. Parking can sometimes be a hassle. But it always seems to work out.
9 of us tonight to celebrate an old geezers birthday . These are not high end wine people so I had my bottle of 2009 Clos Pepe Pinot Noir to save me. No corkage at Buon Gusto. Personally I would have been embarrassed to bring some of the wine that these people brought. They would have been better off buying wine off the menu. But this a really "cheap" crowd.
The food is decent. But the portions are huge. I took home enough of of my Seafood Fettuccine to have two more meals. Their house salads are good. Greens are exceptionally crisp. Their appetizers are winners.
Place is always busy and very noisy. But you do have a fun time here. Parking can sometimes be a hassle. But it always seems to work out.
Thursday, March 31, 2016
Playground vs. Chianina
Two dinners in two nights. Both at very good restaurants.
One all steak the other all lamb.
One at $125 and the other at $130 inclusive.
One at a quiet higher end decor venue and the other at a noisy old reclaimed bar.
My overall vote goes to the Playground, www.Playgrounddtsa.com.
Edged out by the quality of the food , overall taste and flavors, the number of plates served and the innovation of the food dishes.
One all steak the other all lamb.
One at $125 and the other at $130 inclusive.
One at a quiet higher end decor venue and the other at a noisy old reclaimed bar.
My overall vote goes to the Playground, www.Playgrounddtsa.com.
Edged out by the quality of the food , overall taste and flavors, the number of plates served and the innovation of the food dishes.
Chianina, Bianchi Wines and Spring Lamb
Wednesday, March 30, 2016
Chianina in Naples hosted another wine dinner. www.chianina.com, Decided that this might be an interesting dinner. All courses are "spring lamb". (Margie knows why she was asked to join us LOL).
Met Beau Bianchi who is at the helm of the winery now. His grandfather founded the winery in the Paso Robles area about 75 years ago. Beau indicated they made their wines "heavy on the brix" which means overly fruity to me. That turned out to be right.
Started the dinner with a Chilled English Pea Custard. Tasted much better than is sounds. The custard had Lamb Cracklings on top which gave it crunch and texture. They poured a 2013 Bianchi "El Camino Vineyard", Chardonnay. Some oak but the fattiness of the custard cut the oak quite well. A decent pairing.
Second course was a Lamb Crepinette. Ground lamb with spices rolled like a sausage but with no casing on it. Had excellent flavor. Also on the plate was green garlic, chickpeas and fennel. Tasted the fennel (one of the few foods I do not care for) It was alright. Not to much of a licorice taste to it. The wine was a 2012 Bianchi "Garey Vineyard", Pinot Noir. Way too fruity. Was not that good of a wine. Definitely not my style of Pinot.
Braised Lamb Shank and Neck with mint, parsley, cavatelli, fava beans and pecorino romano cheese was next. Very good flavor. The cavatelli was "al dente" so it was not over cooked which made a better dish. The best wine of the evening was paired with this dish. A 2011 Bianchi "Geste" GSM.
Fourth course is a Roulade of Lamb Loin and Belly with fiddlehead ferns, asparagus, morel mushrooms, spring onion and pea puree. Again excellent flavors. Wine was decent. A 2012 Bianchi "Lakeside Ranch" Merlot.
By the end of roulade I was stuffed and we had one more course to go. Bet I take it home.
Fifth course served was a Roasted leg of Lamb, olive tapenade, baby artichokes, spring onion and rancho gordo beans. Had one bite to taste the lamb which again was excellent and had them box it up for me to take home. The wine was a 2012 Bianchi Estate Cabernet Sauvignon. I was not impressed.. Did not finish the glass of wine.
Dessert was very good. A Vanilla Panna Cotta with rhubarb and strawberry. Light enough to eat without being overfilling. a 2014 Bianchi Estate Moscato was paired with the dessert and it was the best pairing of the dinner.
Chianina in Naples hosted another wine dinner. www.chianina.com, Decided that this might be an interesting dinner. All courses are "spring lamb". (Margie knows why she was asked to join us LOL).
Met Beau Bianchi who is at the helm of the winery now. His grandfather founded the winery in the Paso Robles area about 75 years ago. Beau indicated they made their wines "heavy on the brix" which means overly fruity to me. That turned out to be right.
Started the dinner with a Chilled English Pea Custard. Tasted much better than is sounds. The custard had Lamb Cracklings on top which gave it crunch and texture. They poured a 2013 Bianchi "El Camino Vineyard", Chardonnay. Some oak but the fattiness of the custard cut the oak quite well. A decent pairing.
Second course was a Lamb Crepinette. Ground lamb with spices rolled like a sausage but with no casing on it. Had excellent flavor. Also on the plate was green garlic, chickpeas and fennel. Tasted the fennel (one of the few foods I do not care for) It was alright. Not to much of a licorice taste to it. The wine was a 2012 Bianchi "Garey Vineyard", Pinot Noir. Way too fruity. Was not that good of a wine. Definitely not my style of Pinot.
Braised Lamb Shank and Neck with mint, parsley, cavatelli, fava beans and pecorino romano cheese was next. Very good flavor. The cavatelli was "al dente" so it was not over cooked which made a better dish. The best wine of the evening was paired with this dish. A 2011 Bianchi "Geste" GSM.
Fourth course is a Roulade of Lamb Loin and Belly with fiddlehead ferns, asparagus, morel mushrooms, spring onion and pea puree. Again excellent flavors. Wine was decent. A 2012 Bianchi "Lakeside Ranch" Merlot.
By the end of roulade I was stuffed and we had one more course to go. Bet I take it home.
Fifth course served was a Roasted leg of Lamb, olive tapenade, baby artichokes, spring onion and rancho gordo beans. Had one bite to taste the lamb which again was excellent and had them box it up for me to take home. The wine was a 2012 Bianchi Estate Cabernet Sauvignon. I was not impressed.. Did not finish the glass of wine.
Dessert was very good. A Vanilla Panna Cotta with rhubarb and strawberry. Light enough to eat without being overfilling. a 2014 Bianchi Estate Moscato was paired with the dessert and it was the best pairing of the dinner.
Wednesday, March 30, 2016
The Playground and Wagu Steak
Tuesday, March 29, 2016
Had reservations for the 6:00 seating at the Playground in Santa Ana, www.playgrounddtsa.com
This was the Ultimate Steak Dinner in the 2.0 Room. 5 different cuts of grade 5 Wagu beef . $125 included tax, tip and the wine pairings
Started out with a house made biscuit, 1" x 1" x 3" high with a medallion of honey, thyme, butter. I could have eaten a dozen of these. Crispy outside and very flaky inside. Several glasses of a Los Pilares, sparkling Cabernet Sauvigon from San Diego was served.
Next a salad with Little Gem Lettuce, Fuji Apples, garlic and a buttermilk dressing. Excellent flavor.
First steak of the evening was a grilled tri tip. Again excellent flavor, tender cooked medium rare which it should be.
Next glass of wine was the 10th release of Cain Cuvee, non-vintage. Benchland Vineyard, blend of Merlot, Cab France and Petit Verdot.
A Wagu beef tartare was set before us. Spicy on the back palate was very good. Had some chiles in it along with their house made puffed rice which added a nice crunch to the tartare.
A plate of grilled asparagus on a bed of mashed English peas with Quiona, brown butter, garlic, thyme and pixie tangerines was served.. Again excellent flavors
Second steak was a Hangar Steak. Sliced thin. Wine was a 2009 Altrovin, Merlot, Cab Franc from Tuscany.
Next plate was sauteed mushrooms with pea tendrils, caramelized shallots and red wine vinegar. Again excellent flavors. It just keeps getting better.
Third steak was a cut called Picahna. Similar to Hangar steak but I like this cut better. Never heard of it before. Apparently there is one per beef.
Interesting plate of Sunchokes with brown butter on a bed of pureed celery root with parsley and toasted almonds. Cannot get enough of these great flavors
Next wine was a 2012 La Colima Vineyard, Cabernet Franc. I cannot read my own hand writing but I think my notes say the winery was Oro en Paz.
Fourth steak of the evening is a Outside Skirt Steak. Very tender almost a butter like flavor.
A glass of 2012 Brown Family, Columbia Valley, Merlot was served.
Then the boneless Rib Eye. Justin the chef sent the uncooked steak around for everyone to get a look or take a picture of it. Most beautiful piece of meat I have seen in a long time. Perfect marbling
A glass of Mansville Chocolate Malt Stout was served with our dessert. Housemade Profiterole's with house made peanut butter ice cream and sauteed bananas, chocolate sauce, carrot cake crumble, pecan crunch and French Chantilly cream. Words cannot describe. It was the ultimate.
This sound like a tremendous amount of food. But the plates are made up each for 3 people and set in front of you. Everyone takes what they want Fortunately there was a younger man sitting 2 places down from me that had a bottomless pit for a stomach. After the 3 of is served what we wanted from the plate he was happy to have us offer the rest to him. The steaks are all cut into slices and set on a plate for 3. Works out great for me because this way I can adjust my food consumption for me personally. I was fully satisfied at the end of the evening. In fact too full. But totally happy.
All the food was excellent. The steaks were some of the best I have ever had. There is no menu so you do not know what the chefs are cooking besides steak. I like this kind of dining. It's an adventure. The 2.0 Room sits 17 people at a long bar. Stools are high bar style. All cooking and plating are done in front of you. The cooks interact with you throughout the evening. A really unique experience.
When I left a little after 8:00 the line was starting for the 8:30 seating and at the main restaurant there were a least 10 people waiting to get in. Obviously they did not make reservations and it was too cold and windy to sit outside on the patio area. And this was on a Tuesday night.
Looking forward to dinner at the Playground 2.0 Room next week. Breakfast for dinner.
Had reservations for the 6:00 seating at the Playground in Santa Ana, www.playgrounddtsa.com
This was the Ultimate Steak Dinner in the 2.0 Room. 5 different cuts of grade 5 Wagu beef . $125 included tax, tip and the wine pairings
Started out with a house made biscuit, 1" x 1" x 3" high with a medallion of honey, thyme, butter. I could have eaten a dozen of these. Crispy outside and very flaky inside. Several glasses of a Los Pilares, sparkling Cabernet Sauvigon from San Diego was served.
Next a salad with Little Gem Lettuce, Fuji Apples, garlic and a buttermilk dressing. Excellent flavor.
First steak of the evening was a grilled tri tip. Again excellent flavor, tender cooked medium rare which it should be.
Next glass of wine was the 10th release of Cain Cuvee, non-vintage. Benchland Vineyard, blend of Merlot, Cab France and Petit Verdot.
A Wagu beef tartare was set before us. Spicy on the back palate was very good. Had some chiles in it along with their house made puffed rice which added a nice crunch to the tartare.
A plate of grilled asparagus on a bed of mashed English peas with Quiona, brown butter, garlic, thyme and pixie tangerines was served.. Again excellent flavors
Second steak was a Hangar Steak. Sliced thin. Wine was a 2009 Altrovin, Merlot, Cab Franc from Tuscany.
Next plate was sauteed mushrooms with pea tendrils, caramelized shallots and red wine vinegar. Again excellent flavors. It just keeps getting better.
Third steak was a cut called Picahna. Similar to Hangar steak but I like this cut better. Never heard of it before. Apparently there is one per beef.
Interesting plate of Sunchokes with brown butter on a bed of pureed celery root with parsley and toasted almonds. Cannot get enough of these great flavors
Next wine was a 2012 La Colima Vineyard, Cabernet Franc. I cannot read my own hand writing but I think my notes say the winery was Oro en Paz.
Fourth steak of the evening is a Outside Skirt Steak. Very tender almost a butter like flavor.
A glass of 2012 Brown Family, Columbia Valley, Merlot was served.
Then the boneless Rib Eye. Justin the chef sent the uncooked steak around for everyone to get a look or take a picture of it. Most beautiful piece of meat I have seen in a long time. Perfect marbling
A glass of Mansville Chocolate Malt Stout was served with our dessert. Housemade Profiterole's with house made peanut butter ice cream and sauteed bananas, chocolate sauce, carrot cake crumble, pecan crunch and French Chantilly cream. Words cannot describe. It was the ultimate.
This sound like a tremendous amount of food. But the plates are made up each for 3 people and set in front of you. Everyone takes what they want Fortunately there was a younger man sitting 2 places down from me that had a bottomless pit for a stomach. After the 3 of is served what we wanted from the plate he was happy to have us offer the rest to him. The steaks are all cut into slices and set on a plate for 3. Works out great for me because this way I can adjust my food consumption for me personally. I was fully satisfied at the end of the evening. In fact too full. But totally happy.
All the food was excellent. The steaks were some of the best I have ever had. There is no menu so you do not know what the chefs are cooking besides steak. I like this kind of dining. It's an adventure. The 2.0 Room sits 17 people at a long bar. Stools are high bar style. All cooking and plating are done in front of you. The cooks interact with you throughout the evening. A really unique experience.
When I left a little after 8:00 the line was starting for the 8:30 seating and at the main restaurant there were a least 10 people waiting to get in. Obviously they did not make reservations and it was too cold and windy to sit outside on the patio area. And this was on a Tuesday night.
Looking forward to dinner at the Playground 2.0 Room next week. Breakfast for dinner.
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