Lamb Dinner at The India Restaurant

 Saturday, November 12, 2022

Eight of us tonight for a Lamb dinner planned by CJ months ago.  Finally came to be.. The India Restaurant in Artesia which is also known as "Little India" because of the numbers of Indian people in the area .Loads of shops, restaurants etc., Very unique area.  We will be back in January for another dinner. 

Table was loaded with wine bottles and glasses. Most of us had 4 wine glasses in front of us. CJ had the food sent out in 3 different timelines. Made the table easier to navigate. Even then I know I missed tasting a couple of the dishes. 

For appetizers we had Onion Bhaji which is onions floured and deep fried. Also Tawa Aloo. Pan roasted potatoes with Indian masalas. This dish had quite a bite to it but the dry Gewurztraminer was the perfect wine to pair with this dish.

6 more dishes along with garlic Naan and rice rounded out the selections.

Lamb Skeekh Kabab.

Lamb Garlic Masala - sauteed with tomatoes, green onions and garlic in a brown curry.

Saag Paneer - house made cheese cooked in spinach with herbs and spices.

Lamb Keema Masala - ground lamb with spices, onions, ginger, garlic, tomatoes and cilantro.

Rogan Rosh - boneless lamb cooked in a yogurt based sauce with kashmiri herbs in Muguali style.

Navratan Korma - assorted fresh vegetables cooked in yogurt cream and mild spices.

Everything was cooked on the mild side. There was nothing I tasted that I did not like. All the wines brought went well with the food. People did a really good job of pairing. A lot of thought on their part.

2012 Saxum, James Berry Vineyard. Blend of Grenache, Mouvedre, Syrah and Counaise.

2011 Rochioli, RRV, Pinot Noir

2010 La Croix de Boyd-Cantenac, Margaux

???? Hirsch, Reserve, Pinot Noir

2012 Private, Syrah Reserve from India

2020 Tercero, The Outlier, dry Gewurztraminer

???? Dovecote, Syrah

2018 Optimist, Sanguis. Blend of Syrah, Grenache and Petit Verdot

NV   E, Guigal, Cote-Rotie

NV   Veuve Cliquot, Rose Champagne

2012 Revelation, Champagne, 100% Pinot Meunier

Lunch at Cali-Chilli

 Monday. November 7, 2022

Impromptu lunch today. Had a dental appointment and CJ who drove me decided to walk around the area while he waited for me. Just around the corner from the dental office was a restaurant we have been wanting to try since it opened.

Cali-Chilli, a Mexican-Indian restaurant run by a Michelin star rated chef. Small restaurant with a really nice bar set up. Some tables are bar height and others normal height. A couple of booths at the front with big windows. Very subtle colors. Very nice in color selections. 

We ordered 3 dishes and a garlic-chive Naan bread.

Crispy calamari rings with crispy French green beans. Came with a lime aioli sauce. Subtle spices in the crunchy batter. Took the leftovers home and hours later they were still crunchy. Good flavor.

7 Spice crispy chicken wings. 6 wings to an order. Excellent flavors, Crunchy skin and very moist meat. A real winner. 

Tandoori mushrooms. Large button mushrooms that had a very slightly blackened skin form the Tandoori over.  Another winner.

Prices averaged about $20 per dish. A tad bit high but excellent quality so I have no problem with the pricing. We did not order any drinks this time. Wine menu was on the mediocre side.  They do have a full bar now so I would like to try a few of their specialty cocktails.   Corkage is $20 so when we go back, we will bring our own wine. 

I have an idea that this is not a menu that you would ask for substitutions. They had a large menu so anyone should be able to find something that they would like.

Not sure of the parking. Restaurant is located in a small neighborhood shopping area. There are a few lots available, but I do not know if this restaurant has availability to them. There is street parking and we lucked out to be able to park right in front. But on a Monday at 1:00 I would suspect is an off day and time. 

Can't wait to go back and try a few more new dishes.

Impromptu Lunch With The Boys at Seafood Cove # 1

 September 27, 2022

Spur of the moment lunch today with the guys.  Have graduated from the wheelchair to the walker which made it easier to transport me.   We all seemed to be hungry today so no leftovers. We devoured everything.

Hot Sour Soup - was thicker than normal but good flavor.

Salt and Pepper Fish Filet - very good, Light , crunchy batter and very good white fish.

Calamari House Special. Deep fried pieces of calamari with a light sauce and peppers. 

Beef Chow Fun. Pieces of flank steak seared in a extremely hot wok with wide, flat noodles Thai Style and sauce.  A bit dry today.

 Dessert was a warm Tapioca with dates and seaweed. 

Still not drinking but had a taste of the two wines

2015 Maison Rosier, Blanquet de Limo, Sparkling.

2019 Spyglass. Monterey. Pinot Noir

Lunch With The Boys, Seafood Cove # 1

 September 15, 2022

Great to be back doing lunches with the guys. CJ picked me up. Still in wheelchair. I wanted to pick upm the tab for today's lunch in appreciation for all the help Hanry and CJ have given me during this long recovery from the accident.  So I decided it was going to be lobster. With prices soaring in today's market this would be a real treat. 

Started out with the Hot Spicy soup. Always has a tendency to be different depending on the chef that day.

Seafood Cove cooks lobster about 6 different ways. We chose the scallion, ginger version today. Lobster comes out on a platter already cut in serving size pieces. Exceptionally good. 

Also had a dish of green beans with minced pork and basil.  Sliced, fresh oranges for dessert.

While we were eating the restaurant got in their shipment of fresh, live lobsters for the weekend crowd. They have numerous tanks for them.  

I still am not drinking but did have about a half ounce of each wine. The Sau Blanc was exceptional.

2018 Hands of Time, Sonoma County, Pinot Noir

2015 Jules Taylor. Marborough, Sauvignon Blanc.

Margies Monthly Dinner at Kings Fish House

 September 7, 2022

My first dinner out since my auto accident in June. Still in wheelchair but friend picked me up and took me. It was very beneficial to get out and socialize again.  18 people attended dinner tonight. We had a private room at the restaurant which made the accommodations nice. 

My appetite is still not up to par and since I contacted Covid in the nursing home by taste has dissipated. I had a grilled artichoke and a bowl of clam chowder for dinner. 

Lots of wine on the table. I did not taste any. Still waiting to get my balance issues taken care of before I start tasting again.

2017 Luciga Crochet, Sancerre, France, Rose Bue

2020 Dry Creek Vineyard, Clarksburg, Dry Chenin Blanc

2020 Seghesio Family Vineyards, Sonoma County, Zinfandel

NV   Piper Heidsieck, France, Brut Champagne

2020 Albino Armani, Colle Ara, Pinot Grigio

2020 Premier Cru, Chardonnay-Chablis

2020 Pomar Junction. Paso Robles, Viognier

2016 Tucamadera, Cabernet Sauvignon-Syrah

2021 Robert Mondavi, Napa Valley, Sparkling Rose

2021 Robert Mondavi, Stag Leaps District, Napa Valley, Sauvignon Blanc

2020 Fess Parker, SBC, Riesling

2017 Calera, Mt. Harlan, de Villiers Vineyard, Hollister, Pinot Noir

2019 Stolpman, Santa Ynez Valley, Sangiovese

2018 Chapin, Converson

2010 Opolo, Paso Robles, Zinfandel

2020 Broken Earth, Albarino

2019 Stanford, SRH, Chardonnay

2020 Vionta, Roias Baixas, Spain, Albarino

2019 Forefathers, New Zealand, Sauvignon Blanc

2017 Muldebosch, South Africa, Cabernet Sauvignon Rose

Lunch with The Boys at Sea Food Cove # 1

 Thursday, June 3, 2022

Short notice for lunch today. But it has been a bit since we have gone to Sea Food Cove. Exciting day, while we are having lunch a truck nails a car parked in front of the restaurant. Fortunately, it was parked in front of CJ's car. No damage to his. Had a good time hearing about CJ's recent trip up the coast to Sebastopol. And the wineries he visited. Said he was treated royally at Williams Selyem. But he should for as much wine he buys from them.  Management told him someone is calling and dropping his name trying to get access to wines that are not available to most buyers.

Started out with a Sweet-Sour soup with Tofu. Good flavors Then onto Thai Style Beef with Green Beans. The beans were nice and al dente. Beef had good flavor and was very tender.

Thai Spice Flavored Pork. Almost a curry sauce. Very good. Enjoyed this dish.

Peking Style Pork, Good sticky red sauce. Some pieces still had the bones, so it became a finger food.

Dessert was a Green Bean Tapioca. Rice and dessert comes with the lunch menu.

Had 3 wines. CJ brought a 2007 Sea Smoke One Barrel. Decanted for 2 hours but it was still tight when opened About an hour later it really opened up well. They have not made this wine in several years. I looked it up on Wine Searcher and could not find a 07 but the 08 was going for a shade under $400. Quite a treat.

A 2013 Tercero, Larners Vineyard Grenache and a 2019 Precision, Napa Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon were also opened. Both showing well . A nice group of wines for us. 

Altogether a very enjoyable afternoon. 

Alfresco Wine Dinner with Tercero Wines

 Saturday, May 21, 2022

First Alfresco dinner at Dave & Louise's for this year.  38 people in attendance in the backyard.  Guest wine maker was Larry Schaffer owner and winemaker at Tercero Wines. Nice to see people from last year's dinners. 

Started out with a Ahi Poke and Avocado Tower with Crispy Wontons. Very light appetizer and good flavors. Paired with a 2021 Tercero Trilogia. A new white blend of Grenache Blanc, Clairette Blanche and Gewurztraminer. Went quite well with the food but I would not be able to drink more than one glass of this on it's own. I think it is the Clairette Blanche grape that throws me off. 

Next is a Puree of Roasted Corn and New Potato Soup with a Parsley, Pecan Drizzle.  Excellent. Louise takes and roasts the corn.  Makes a broth with the ears after cutting the kernals off.  Adds roasted baby new potatoes and purees everything together. One of the best, flavorful soups I have ever had. The crushed parsley with the drizzle just added a bright element to the dish.  A 2016 Tercero Grenache Blanc was the wine selected. Good pairing and this wine is one of the ones I like best from Larry's portfolio. 

Third course is a Portobello Mushroom en Croute with Wild Mushroom Sherry Cream Sauce. Another excellent dish. Rich flavors from the mushrooms. Paired with a 2021 Tercero Nouveau Mouvedre. Another of Larry's newest wines. I was not a fan of this wine at all.  I would have preferred his standard Mouvedre instead. It would have been a much better pairing.

Entree is a Pepper Crusted Filet Mignon with Horseradish Butter, Broccoli and Potato Gratin. Meat was grilled to perfection, the horseradish butter was exceptional and  the gratin was so creamy and good.  Two wines with this dish. A 2021 Tercero Pommard Clone, Pinot Noir which is a new wine for Larry. Grapes sourced from Kessler Hawk. A nice Pinot. Also a 2019 Tercero Whitehawk Vineyard Syrah. Excellent wine and a great pairing for the steak.

Dessert is a Strawberry Meringue Roulade with Meyer Lemon Curd. A nice light refreshing end to a great dinner. 

No dinner in June as Dave and Louise will be in the UK visiting Louise's relatives. Next dinner is July  with Wes Hagen.