Tuesday, January 14, 2020
First wine dinner of the year at Arte Café. All the wines are from Terlato's portfolio. Good evening as one of the five us won a bottle of wine in the raffle. Not only is the food good and the wine dinners are reasonably priced there are the raffle perks.
Started out with a Rigatoni pasta, smoked salmon, cream sauce, Romano cheese and mushrooms Good dish. Hearty for a cold night. Salmon was moist. Paired with a 2018 Terlato Pinot Grigio. Clean, crisp wine
Next is a Grilled shrimp skewer with mango and pineapple salsa and herbed rice. Shrimp are tender and cooked perfectly. The rice, salsa combo was interesting contrast to the shrimp. Wine was a 2017 Sanford, Sta Rita Hills, Chardonnay. Clean chardonnay, just a slight hit of oak. Several of us thought the chardonnay would have been better with the smoked salmon and the Pinot Grigio with the shrimp. We passed this information to the wine rep.
Third course is a Lamb meatball with Harissa, coucous, percorino and rosemary. Excellent dish. The harissa added so much flavor to the lamb. Lamb was moist A 2015 Rutherford Merlot was the wine choice. A good merlot. Not my favorite varietal but this wine made my list
A Braised beef short rib with mild mushrooms, heirloom tomatoes, mushroom gravy on polenta was served next. Great flavor, moist and tender. Paired with a 2016 Chimney Rock, Stags Leap District, Cabernet Sauvignon. Another good pairing
Dessert is a Crème Brulee with sliced strawberry and a pour of NV Kracher Beernauslese. The grapes have been infected with "noble rot" hence making them super sweet.
Another good dinner at Arte Cafe. Richard has been bringing his game on quite a bit lately. Looking forward to the Chinese New Years dinner on the 24th.
Monday, January 20, 2020
Friday, January 10, 2020
Playa Amor
Thursday, January 10, 2020
Playa Amor was listed as one of the top 100 restaurants in the LA Area. www.playamorlb.com. Several in the group had been here before. First for me. We were seated in the area outside the building but had heavy plastic roll covers and outdoor heaters. In spite of the cool night air we were comfortable. I did find the restaurant on the noisy side. Inside and outside areas. A lot of tables and they were all full. The background music was not soft and soothing and a bit to loud for me. When I have a hard time hearing the person right across the table from me because of all the noises then I am for really not so into it.
When I first arrived I went into the bar and sat down. Ordered a house margarita, which was very good. But the bar counter top was full of tiny pieces of chips left behind from the person before me. I had been seated and ordered my drink before someone came and cleaned the area. They were very busy tonight so I can go with it for now.
At dinner we all ordered an item of the "started" menu. Not my thing normally but go with the majority. We had the Mexican Street Corn (off the cob). This was a very tasty dish. Then the Guacamole which one was of the better ones I had tasted.
The salsa was not too hot or spicy. Everyone except me liked it. There was a flavor in it that I could not get into. Maybe the cilantro. Whatever it was was off putting for me.
Charred Octopus had good flavor but I found it a bit chewy. Octopus is difficult to cook correctly. They almost had it but not quite.
Tuna Tartare Tostadas. Good flavor on the tartare but not exceptional. I would like to have this dish sands the tostada shells.
New Mexico Green Hatch Chile Spaghetti. Several people at the table have had this dish before. They all said it was not up to par. I found it very bland and could not get the chile flavor at all. Almost like they forgot to put in the sauce. Just stirred in the cheese.
Pork Belly Nachos. Great flavor. But again we are swarming in tortilla chips. Another dish I wish I could order with the half the chips. Maybe I will try that sometime. Pay for the dish but ask them to only put half the chips in the bowl before adding the pork belly and cheese mixture.
Someone ordered Churros for dessert. They came with a chocolate dipping sauce. I did not try them.
They have a large cocktail menu. Most of us had the house Margaritas. They were good. But the pricing of all the cocktails go from $10 and up. The margarita was served in a upright water glass, loads of ice, several good size pieces of fruit. The liquid to solid ratio was skewered. They are making money on the alcohol, which most restaurants do. But I think this drink should have been in the $6 to $7 range.
In spite of the lukewarm like of Playa Amour tonight I would come back. I would like to try one of the fish dinners. All restaurants have off nights and normally I will give them another try. Probably not much will be done on the noise level. That seems to be the in thing right now in restaurants. Loud loud and louder.
Playa Amor was listed as one of the top 100 restaurants in the LA Area. www.playamorlb.com. Several in the group had been here before. First for me. We were seated in the area outside the building but had heavy plastic roll covers and outdoor heaters. In spite of the cool night air we were comfortable. I did find the restaurant on the noisy side. Inside and outside areas. A lot of tables and they were all full. The background music was not soft and soothing and a bit to loud for me. When I have a hard time hearing the person right across the table from me because of all the noises then I am for really not so into it.
When I first arrived I went into the bar and sat down. Ordered a house margarita, which was very good. But the bar counter top was full of tiny pieces of chips left behind from the person before me. I had been seated and ordered my drink before someone came and cleaned the area. They were very busy tonight so I can go with it for now.
At dinner we all ordered an item of the "started" menu. Not my thing normally but go with the majority. We had the Mexican Street Corn (off the cob). This was a very tasty dish. Then the Guacamole which one was of the better ones I had tasted.
The salsa was not too hot or spicy. Everyone except me liked it. There was a flavor in it that I could not get into. Maybe the cilantro. Whatever it was was off putting for me.
Charred Octopus had good flavor but I found it a bit chewy. Octopus is difficult to cook correctly. They almost had it but not quite.
Tuna Tartare Tostadas. Good flavor on the tartare but not exceptional. I would like to have this dish sands the tostada shells.
New Mexico Green Hatch Chile Spaghetti. Several people at the table have had this dish before. They all said it was not up to par. I found it very bland and could not get the chile flavor at all. Almost like they forgot to put in the sauce. Just stirred in the cheese.
Pork Belly Nachos. Great flavor. But again we are swarming in tortilla chips. Another dish I wish I could order with the half the chips. Maybe I will try that sometime. Pay for the dish but ask them to only put half the chips in the bowl before adding the pork belly and cheese mixture.
Someone ordered Churros for dessert. They came with a chocolate dipping sauce. I did not try them.
They have a large cocktail menu. Most of us had the house Margaritas. They were good. But the pricing of all the cocktails go from $10 and up. The margarita was served in a upright water glass, loads of ice, several good size pieces of fruit. The liquid to solid ratio was skewered. They are making money on the alcohol, which most restaurants do. But I think this drink should have been in the $6 to $7 range.
In spite of the lukewarm like of Playa Amour tonight I would come back. I would like to try one of the fish dinners. All restaurants have off nights and normally I will give them another try. Probably not much will be done on the noise level. That seems to be the in thing right now in restaurants. Loud loud and louder.
Sunday, January 5, 2020
India Grill
Saturday, January 4, 2020
Margie's first wine dinner of the year. India Grill in Cypress. www.ocindiagrill.com. 12 of us tonight. 4 people had to cancel. There has been a change in ownership. I will say I think the food is better now. Fried foods are not oily like before.
The Papadam with sauces came out. I do not eat this fried bread. It is too dry for me. and lacks flavor. You have to have the sauces to make it palatable.But there was a lot of it for the table
We started out with Vegetables Pokoras and Paneer Pokoras. Both were very good but the Paneer was the best.
Butter Chicken which is chicken in a creamy tomato butter sauce. Mild sauce, chicken was not overcooked.
Shrimp Masala. Shrimp in a butter, tomato, cream sauce. Shrimp were tender.
Lamb Chau Chau. Pan fried noodles with diced lamb and vegetables. A bit of a spicy bite to it. Just the right amount.
Vegetable Korma. Mixed veggies in a creamy cashew curry. I thought it needed a bit more vegetables in it.
Overall the portion of the sauces were too heavy compared to the ingredients. But I do know they count the pieces of protein that are put in the dishes. Cost saving for the restaurant. We had two dishes with a creamy tomato based sauce. Would have liked to have a Saag or Vindaloo for one of them. Esthetically it would have made a better presentation.
We also had, Garlic Naan and Basmati rice. The Naan was good . Rice is rice.
Dessert was Rice Pudding with Cardamom and nuts. It was not a pudding but a soup. Flavor was bland. Needed more cardamom and I never tasted any nuts.
Wines were a real mix tonight. We were at one long table and the wines didn't really transfer from one end to another. Also there was a large wine cooler bucket at the end of the table with wines in them., I personally do not like getting up and wandering around to get a pour of wine. Last night wouldn't have been to bad because I was and the end of the table but when you have people on both sides and you are constantly getting up to look for wine it becomes an issue. Most of those wines could have set on the table and they probably would have been drank by more people. Out of sight out of mind. They would not have warmed up that much and if they did they could then be put back into the bucket for a brief chill.
NV Tattinger, Domiane Carneros, Napa, Sparkling - always good
2016 Fallbrook Winery, 33* North, South Coast, Syrah - was not impressed
2015 Klipson Winery, Arbor Brook Vineyards, Columbia Valley. "Sydney" Semillon - did not taste
2017 J. Rochioli, RRV, South River, Sonoma County, Chardonnay - did not taste
NV Mailly, Grand Cru, Champagne - good
2018 A to Z, Newburg, Oregon, Riesling - did not taste
2018 Sunstone, Santa Ynez Valley, Grenache Rose - did not taste
2012 Tercero, Larner Vineyard, Ballard Canyon, Grenache - showing really well
2000 Chateau St. Jean, Cinq Cepages, Sonoma, Cabernet Sauvignon - for 20 years old a nice wine. I thought wasted on Indian food. Would have been so much better with beef
2016 Buttercream Frosting, Reserve Chardonnay - did not taste
NV Domaine Michelle, Brut, Champagne - did not taste
2018 Bridlewood, Grenache Rose - did not taste
2008 Williams Selyem, eastside Road Neighbors, RRV, Pinot Noir - one of the best wines tonight
2015 Elizabeth Chambers, Russel-Grooters Vineyard, Pinot Noir - OK - but not really taken with it
NV Segura Viudas, Brut, Cava - did not taste
2018 Dr. Konstantin Frank, Finger Lakes, New York, Gruner Veltliner - very good
2011 Trombetta. Gaps Crown, Sonoma, Pinot Noir - another one of the best of the evening
Margie's first wine dinner of the year. India Grill in Cypress. www.ocindiagrill.com. 12 of us tonight. 4 people had to cancel. There has been a change in ownership. I will say I think the food is better now. Fried foods are not oily like before.
The Papadam with sauces came out. I do not eat this fried bread. It is too dry for me. and lacks flavor. You have to have the sauces to make it palatable.But there was a lot of it for the table
We started out with Vegetables Pokoras and Paneer Pokoras. Both were very good but the Paneer was the best.
Butter Chicken which is chicken in a creamy tomato butter sauce. Mild sauce, chicken was not overcooked.
Shrimp Masala. Shrimp in a butter, tomato, cream sauce. Shrimp were tender.
Lamb Chau Chau. Pan fried noodles with diced lamb and vegetables. A bit of a spicy bite to it. Just the right amount.
Vegetable Korma. Mixed veggies in a creamy cashew curry. I thought it needed a bit more vegetables in it.
Overall the portion of the sauces were too heavy compared to the ingredients. But I do know they count the pieces of protein that are put in the dishes. Cost saving for the restaurant. We had two dishes with a creamy tomato based sauce. Would have liked to have a Saag or Vindaloo for one of them. Esthetically it would have made a better presentation.
We also had, Garlic Naan and Basmati rice. The Naan was good . Rice is rice.
Dessert was Rice Pudding with Cardamom and nuts. It was not a pudding but a soup. Flavor was bland. Needed more cardamom and I never tasted any nuts.
Wines were a real mix tonight. We were at one long table and the wines didn't really transfer from one end to another. Also there was a large wine cooler bucket at the end of the table with wines in them., I personally do not like getting up and wandering around to get a pour of wine. Last night wouldn't have been to bad because I was and the end of the table but when you have people on both sides and you are constantly getting up to look for wine it becomes an issue. Most of those wines could have set on the table and they probably would have been drank by more people. Out of sight out of mind. They would not have warmed up that much and if they did they could then be put back into the bucket for a brief chill.
NV Tattinger, Domiane Carneros, Napa, Sparkling - always good
2016 Fallbrook Winery, 33* North, South Coast, Syrah - was not impressed
2015 Klipson Winery, Arbor Brook Vineyards, Columbia Valley. "Sydney" Semillon - did not taste
2017 J. Rochioli, RRV, South River, Sonoma County, Chardonnay - did not taste
NV Mailly, Grand Cru, Champagne - good
2018 A to Z, Newburg, Oregon, Riesling - did not taste
2018 Sunstone, Santa Ynez Valley, Grenache Rose - did not taste
2012 Tercero, Larner Vineyard, Ballard Canyon, Grenache - showing really well
2000 Chateau St. Jean, Cinq Cepages, Sonoma, Cabernet Sauvignon - for 20 years old a nice wine. I thought wasted on Indian food. Would have been so much better with beef
2016 Buttercream Frosting, Reserve Chardonnay - did not taste
NV Domaine Michelle, Brut, Champagne - did not taste
2018 Bridlewood, Grenache Rose - did not taste
2008 Williams Selyem, eastside Road Neighbors, RRV, Pinot Noir - one of the best wines tonight
2015 Elizabeth Chambers, Russel-Grooters Vineyard, Pinot Noir - OK - but not really taken with it
NV Segura Viudas, Brut, Cava - did not taste
2018 Dr. Konstantin Frank, Finger Lakes, New York, Gruner Veltliner - very good
2011 Trombetta. Gaps Crown, Sonoma, Pinot Noir - another one of the best of the evening
Thursday, December 19, 2019
"Left Bank" at Arte Cafe
Wednesday, December 18, 2019
Last wine dinner of the year tonight. Restaurant is packed, large crowd and tables put everywhere. I have never seen so many people here for a wine dinner. Napa Valley & Bordeaux comparison. 12 wines, 6 courses and dessert. At the price of $69, Biggest bargain of the year. All wines were good but I and the people I was with all agreed that Bordeaux had the edge. Some of the pairings left a little to be desired. Don't know who did the selections but they missed the mark on several pairings.
Assorted cheeses paired with Scattered Peaks, Napa Valley and 2015 Chateau Blaignan, Medoc. 3 cheeses, one a smoked gouda that did not pair with the wines.
Herb Meatball with Truffle oil, bok choy and slivers of yellow and red pepper. Large meatball but mine was under cooked. I could not taste the truffle oil but I could get a real hint of chile. I wondered if someone in the kitchen grabbed the wrong oil.. A very definite bite . The two wines were St Supery, Rutherford and 2014 Chateau Dufort-Vivens, Margaux.
Roasted root vegetable salad with greens, oregano and sage. Baby root vegetables were very good but I felt that if we had a plate of just the vegetables and it was warm it would have paired much better with the wine. Nevers, Left Bank Red and 2015 Chateau Malmaison, Moulis-en-Medoc.
Beef broth with beef, chives and sour cream. This was a winner. Simple but effective in flavor. 2016 Hall, St. Helena and 2014 Chapelle de Meynay, St. Estephe.
Petite Filet with asparagus and Roquefort cheese , balsamic reduction. Cooked perfectly Reduction had loads of flavor. 2016 Whitehall Lane, St, Helena and 2017 Chateau Mongravey, Margaux.
Grilled Rib Eye with diced Yukon potatoes, green beans and a Bordelaise sauce. Again meat was cooked perfectly. Richard has upped his game in cooking beef. Always been a fabulous seafood, lamb, duck cook but had a tendency to over cook beef. 2015 Clos du Val, Stags Leap and 2015 Chateau Clarke, Listrac-Medoc.
Dessert was a chocolate mousse with macaroons.
Last wine dinner of the year tonight. Restaurant is packed, large crowd and tables put everywhere. I have never seen so many people here for a wine dinner. Napa Valley & Bordeaux comparison. 12 wines, 6 courses and dessert. At the price of $69, Biggest bargain of the year. All wines were good but I and the people I was with all agreed that Bordeaux had the edge. Some of the pairings left a little to be desired. Don't know who did the selections but they missed the mark on several pairings.
Assorted cheeses paired with Scattered Peaks, Napa Valley and 2015 Chateau Blaignan, Medoc. 3 cheeses, one a smoked gouda that did not pair with the wines.
Herb Meatball with Truffle oil, bok choy and slivers of yellow and red pepper. Large meatball but mine was under cooked. I could not taste the truffle oil but I could get a real hint of chile. I wondered if someone in the kitchen grabbed the wrong oil.. A very definite bite . The two wines were St Supery, Rutherford and 2014 Chateau Dufort-Vivens, Margaux.
Roasted root vegetable salad with greens, oregano and sage. Baby root vegetables were very good but I felt that if we had a plate of just the vegetables and it was warm it would have paired much better with the wine. Nevers, Left Bank Red and 2015 Chateau Malmaison, Moulis-en-Medoc.
Beef broth with beef, chives and sour cream. This was a winner. Simple but effective in flavor. 2016 Hall, St. Helena and 2014 Chapelle de Meynay, St. Estephe.
Petite Filet with asparagus and Roquefort cheese , balsamic reduction. Cooked perfectly Reduction had loads of flavor. 2016 Whitehall Lane, St, Helena and 2017 Chateau Mongravey, Margaux.
Grilled Rib Eye with diced Yukon potatoes, green beans and a Bordelaise sauce. Again meat was cooked perfectly. Richard has upped his game in cooking beef. Always been a fabulous seafood, lamb, duck cook but had a tendency to over cook beef. 2015 Clos du Val, Stags Leap and 2015 Chateau Clarke, Listrac-Medoc.
Dessert was a chocolate mousse with macaroons.
Wednesday, December 11, 2019
Bubbles and Bites at Gelsons
Tuesday, December 10, 2019
First time going to the expanded wine bar at Gelsons market. www.gelsons.com. Have not been in this grocery store in years. Wine/Beer bar sits 10 at the higher level and has a low set up for 2 because of ADA requirements. This was a Champagne tasting on the medium to higher scale. Bottles were available for purchase, which many people did, but I found the "special tonight prices" to be on the high side. The Clicquot Yellow Label special price was $55. Regular price was listed at $65 - I know several places that it can be purchased anytime in the $43 to $45 range. But Gelsons is a high end market and prices reflect that.
We were served a plate that had 4 cheeses and 4 proteins. Each set was to go with a particular wine. All the pairings worked well together
First in the line up was Veuve Clicquot Yellow Brut along with Campofrio Jamon Serrano Spanish Ham and Brillat Savarin (triple Brie) cheese.
Veuve Clicquot Rose with Les Trois Petits Cochons Duck Mousse and Emmi Gruyere Cheese.
Moet & Chandon Brut Imperial with Creminelli Varzi Salami and La Tur Mixed- Milked Cheese (slightly funky)
Moet & Chandon Brut Imperial Rose with Les Trois Petits Cochons Duck Confit and Red Cow Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese (too much hard rind that was uneatable)
Ruinart Blanc de Blanc with Lobster Salad Slider.
Ruinart Rose with Chocolate Covered Strawberry (huge).
I preferred the Ruinart Blanc de Blanc. All the wines were very good but that one was my favorite of the evening.
The wine bar is a nice set up. You can have lunch there and order a glass or wine or beer (tap). Great if you live in the neighborhood.
First time going to the expanded wine bar at Gelsons market. www.gelsons.com. Have not been in this grocery store in years. Wine/Beer bar sits 10 at the higher level and has a low set up for 2 because of ADA requirements. This was a Champagne tasting on the medium to higher scale. Bottles were available for purchase, which many people did, but I found the "special tonight prices" to be on the high side. The Clicquot Yellow Label special price was $55. Regular price was listed at $65 - I know several places that it can be purchased anytime in the $43 to $45 range. But Gelsons is a high end market and prices reflect that.
We were served a plate that had 4 cheeses and 4 proteins. Each set was to go with a particular wine. All the pairings worked well together
First in the line up was Veuve Clicquot Yellow Brut along with Campofrio Jamon Serrano Spanish Ham and Brillat Savarin (triple Brie) cheese.
Veuve Clicquot Rose with Les Trois Petits Cochons Duck Mousse and Emmi Gruyere Cheese.
Moet & Chandon Brut Imperial with Creminelli Varzi Salami and La Tur Mixed- Milked Cheese (slightly funky)
Moet & Chandon Brut Imperial Rose with Les Trois Petits Cochons Duck Confit and Red Cow Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese (too much hard rind that was uneatable)
Ruinart Blanc de Blanc with Lobster Salad Slider.
Ruinart Rose with Chocolate Covered Strawberry (huge).
I preferred the Ruinart Blanc de Blanc. All the wines were very good but that one was my favorite of the evening.
The wine bar is a nice set up. You can have lunch there and order a glass or wine or beer (tap). Great if you live in the neighborhood.
Monday, December 9, 2019
Christmas Dinner at The Silver Trumpet
Saturday, December 7, 2019
Silver Trumpet Restaurant at the Avenue of The Arts Hotel
Last dinner of the year arranged by Margie. Beautiful restaurant, Silver Trumpet in Costa Mesa.
www.silvertrumpetrestaurant.com. Hotel was decorated beautifully for the holidays.
We had the choice of regular menu of a prix fixe. Opted for the Prix Fixe. 3 courses and it was more than enough for me. I chose the onion soup which was very good for a starter.
My main was lamb chops which were very flavorful and cooked perfectly along with a medley of vegetables.
For dessert I chose the Tiramisu. Had favor but was the strangest Tiramisu I have had. Round, tall stack with what looked like crushed Oreo cookies.
Wines were an interesting mix. Some never made it to our end of the table so I did not get a chance to taste them. I brought a 2011 Tercero, "The Climb", Petite Syrah and Syrah. Bigger, bold flavors, Soft and elegant on the palate. Went very well with the lamb.
2017 Merry Edwards, RRV, Meredith Estate, Pinot Noir - did not taste
2016 Zosia, Diamond Mountain District, Napa Valley, Red Blend - interesting blend, medium body.
NV Beau Joie, France, Brut Champagne - copper clad bottle, very impressive. Slightly yeasty, a tad acidic, good wine.
2016 The Hilt Vanguard, SBC, Chardonnay. - Very slight oak on the back palate but overall the taste was similar to Chablis.
2012 Saxum, Broken Bones, Syrah blend - Saxum is always big and good. Bold flavors.
2016 Schramsberg, Calistoga, Brut Rose - this wine is always a winner.
2018 Weiussenkirchen Riesling, Austria - Nice, clean Riesling.
2013 Dragonette, MJM, Syrah - did not taste.
2012 Sea Smoke, SRH, Seaport - a port style from Pinot Noir grapes. A bit on the sweet side, not rich in flavor.
2014 Melville, SRH, Syrah - good balance, soft tannins, drinking very well now
2015 Story of the Soil, SM, Pinot Noir- very light in color and taste, light cherry
Silver Trumpet Restaurant at the Avenue of The Arts Hotel
Last dinner of the year arranged by Margie. Beautiful restaurant, Silver Trumpet in Costa Mesa.
www.silvertrumpetrestaurant.com. Hotel was decorated beautifully for the holidays.
We had the choice of regular menu of a prix fixe. Opted for the Prix Fixe. 3 courses and it was more than enough for me. I chose the onion soup which was very good for a starter.
My main was lamb chops which were very flavorful and cooked perfectly along with a medley of vegetables.
For dessert I chose the Tiramisu. Had favor but was the strangest Tiramisu I have had. Round, tall stack with what looked like crushed Oreo cookies.
Wines were an interesting mix. Some never made it to our end of the table so I did not get a chance to taste them. I brought a 2011 Tercero, "The Climb", Petite Syrah and Syrah. Bigger, bold flavors, Soft and elegant on the palate. Went very well with the lamb.
2017 Merry Edwards, RRV, Meredith Estate, Pinot Noir - did not taste
2016 Zosia, Diamond Mountain District, Napa Valley, Red Blend - interesting blend, medium body.
NV Beau Joie, France, Brut Champagne - copper clad bottle, very impressive. Slightly yeasty, a tad acidic, good wine.
2016 The Hilt Vanguard, SBC, Chardonnay. - Very slight oak on the back palate but overall the taste was similar to Chablis.
2012 Saxum, Broken Bones, Syrah blend - Saxum is always big and good. Bold flavors.
2016 Schramsberg, Calistoga, Brut Rose - this wine is always a winner.
2018 Weiussenkirchen Riesling, Austria - Nice, clean Riesling.
2013 Dragonette, MJM, Syrah - did not taste.
2012 Sea Smoke, SRH, Seaport - a port style from Pinot Noir grapes. A bit on the sweet side, not rich in flavor.
2014 Melville, SRH, Syrah - good balance, soft tannins, drinking very well now
2015 Story of the Soil, SM, Pinot Noir- very light in color and taste, light cherry
Saturday, December 7, 2019
Haewah Dal Korean restaurant
Friday, December 6, 2019
New restaurant in the Belmont Shore area of Long Beach. www.haewahdal.com. There were six of us tonight. We all had good opinions of the place. Interior is beautiful, table settings are upscale and the wine glasses are good quality. Service was very good. Food was excellent. But I do think that this will be a short lived restaurant in the place it is at. It is too pricy for the area. The area is "walking". The foot traffic will bypass it because of the pricing. It is a great destination restaurant and would be better suited someplace else.
There were six of us tonight. We all had good opinions of the place.
All of us choose the six course tasting menu at $80 per. plus $20 corkage for each bottle They did give us a few "amuse bouches" along with the six courses.
Started out with a Heirloom tomato marinated in 2 year aged plum juice. The marinating took the acidity out of the tomato. Next we had fried oyster in squid ink with mustard grain aioli And a dish of sweet potato fries, Very thinly sliced and salted. Presentation is everything.
A bowl of Seaweed soup with Kimchi fritter and spinach. Great flavor.
I choose for my tasting menu Diver scallop, mushroom, roasted beets and butternut squash. Scallop cooked perfectly. Flavors were great. This is a three bite dish.
Tuna tartar, trout roe, Korean pea and seaweed cracker. A tasty morsel. Again 3 bites. But with the long gold metal chopsticks it became a few more.
Chilean sea bass with Doenjang marinade (soy bean paste) berry chutney, green beans, Korean black raspberry wine reduction. Again a extremely good dish. This one was about four bites.
3 day processed braised short rib with gingko nut, dikon radish. I was a bit disappointed in this dish. Meat was tender and flavorful but a bit on the dry side.
Lastly came Bansang. Small side dishes served with rice.. Kimchi, spinach and a few other bites. There was sauce that you mix in with the rice along with some shredded vegetables. I ate a couple of the side dishes and left the rest. At this pint I was full. Dishes were small in portion but I was full at this point and we did have dessert coming.
Two desserts were served. Cheesecake ice-cream with raspberry compote and a Red bean gelee with chestnut.
There were four wines tonight6 I brought a champagne from Reims, France. Parker and Co. Fiurst year imported into the US. Bought a six pak at a tasting a few months ago. It was as good as I remembered. Everyone seemed to agree.
2015 Arbe Garbe, Sonoma, blend of bianco, tocai and ribolla gialla..
2016 Mail Road, Sta. Rita Hills, Pinot Noir
2017 Williams Selyem, Russian River Valley, Pinot Noir
New restaurant in the Belmont Shore area of Long Beach. www.haewahdal.com. There were six of us tonight. We all had good opinions of the place. Interior is beautiful, table settings are upscale and the wine glasses are good quality. Service was very good. Food was excellent. But I do think that this will be a short lived restaurant in the place it is at. It is too pricy for the area. The area is "walking". The foot traffic will bypass it because of the pricing. It is a great destination restaurant and would be better suited someplace else.
There were six of us tonight. We all had good opinions of the place.
All of us choose the six course tasting menu at $80 per. plus $20 corkage for each bottle They did give us a few "amuse bouches" along with the six courses.
Started out with a Heirloom tomato marinated in 2 year aged plum juice. The marinating took the acidity out of the tomato. Next we had fried oyster in squid ink with mustard grain aioli And a dish of sweet potato fries, Very thinly sliced and salted. Presentation is everything.
A bowl of Seaweed soup with Kimchi fritter and spinach. Great flavor.
I choose for my tasting menu Diver scallop, mushroom, roasted beets and butternut squash. Scallop cooked perfectly. Flavors were great. This is a three bite dish.
Tuna tartar, trout roe, Korean pea and seaweed cracker. A tasty morsel. Again 3 bites. But with the long gold metal chopsticks it became a few more.
Chilean sea bass with Doenjang marinade (soy bean paste) berry chutney, green beans, Korean black raspberry wine reduction. Again a extremely good dish. This one was about four bites.
3 day processed braised short rib with gingko nut, dikon radish. I was a bit disappointed in this dish. Meat was tender and flavorful but a bit on the dry side.
Lastly came Bansang. Small side dishes served with rice.. Kimchi, spinach and a few other bites. There was sauce that you mix in with the rice along with some shredded vegetables. I ate a couple of the side dishes and left the rest. At this pint I was full. Dishes were small in portion but I was full at this point and we did have dessert coming.
Two desserts were served. Cheesecake ice-cream with raspberry compote and a Red bean gelee with chestnut.
There were four wines tonight6 I brought a champagne from Reims, France. Parker and Co. Fiurst year imported into the US. Bought a six pak at a tasting a few months ago. It was as good as I remembered. Everyone seemed to agree.
2015 Arbe Garbe, Sonoma, blend of bianco, tocai and ribolla gialla..
2016 Mail Road, Sta. Rita Hills, Pinot Noir
2017 Williams Selyem, Russian River Valley, Pinot Noir
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