I originally intended this blog to focus on wine, what I was drinking, what I like to drink, and what I was thinking about what I was drinking and like to drink, although the last several posts have focused on food restaurants. At least I am drinking wine while I am eating!
On Thursday I had dinner at Black Pearl. This was a great restaurant and eating outside at the communal table, near the fire pit, in beautiful Denver weather, really made for a great experience. The wine list was really well done, focusing on smaller producers or limited releases of the major varietals but also some really nice grapes you don't see a lot. I started with a beautiful Rose from Provence. Speaking of Rose, it's a great summer wine, with the structure of a red but with the refreshing acidity of a white. It's typically associated with crappy, low quality blush wines, as they have light to medium pink color, but Rose is nothing like that. They can well balanced, structured complex wines, that generally pair with food pretty depending on the producer and the vintage, but knowing that is not required to find a good bottle. You typically can't go wrong from anything from Provence.
Dinner was great. They post weekly "Seasonal Menus" with 3 courses at a fixed price. Thursday nights included a refreshing salad, some very well done scallops and a clean, lemon tart for desert. A very solid white burgundy, minimal oak and a nice apple nose, paired very well with the scallops. I also ordered truffle mac and cheese, because I have been on this mac and cheese thing recently and everyone loves truffles. Great meal, great atmosphere.
If you are in Denver, which is quickly becoming on of my favorite US cites, go down to Little Raven Vineyards, a great wine store focusing on great wines, representative of where they are from, but offering uniquness that really makes them stand out.
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Friday, July 25, 2008
Summit at the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs
Wednesday night I had dinner at Summit, a great restaurant at the Broadmoor, a gorgeous resort in Colorado Springs. Upon arrival, I grabbed a seat at the bar and ordered a great Albarino, which has quickly become on of my favorite summer wines. The grape is very refreshing, with hints of lemon and lime, slight minerality, and balanced acidity giving it a nice crispness. As a prominent Spanish white from the Rias Baixas, this wine is always very affordable and despite pairing well with seafood, it is very enjoyable alone.
The restaurant was pretty cool, behind the bar a spinning tower of wine was flanked but glass display cases. The wine list was solid, lots of the standards but some nice finds too. The Albarino was one of them. For dinner I ordered a trio of appetizers in that included an amazing soft shell crab, sauteed in lemon juice and olive oil. It was accompanied by a really nice cauliflower puree that added some creaminess to the crispy crab and slight bite of the lemon juice. All in all, this was a very nice dish that went well with the Albarino.
The next course was a great escargot preparation. Garlic, ham, green and red peppers, and flat beans floated in the olive oil and really added to this dish. Chef Rolland Wesen, who happens to be Jacques Pépin's son-in-law, modifies this classic French dish with ham, peppers, and beans and I think really enhances the conventional preparation. I would say this was the best dish of the night.
The final dish was a clever Mac and Cheese, with lobster and goat cheese, all good things individually, the become even better together. Overall, this was a great meal at a nice location, check it out if you are in Colorado Springs.
The restaurant was pretty cool, behind the bar a spinning tower of wine was flanked but glass display cases. The wine list was solid, lots of the standards but some nice finds too. The Albarino was one of them. For dinner I ordered a trio of appetizers in that included an amazing soft shell crab, sauteed in lemon juice and olive oil. It was accompanied by a really nice cauliflower puree that added some creaminess to the crispy crab and slight bite of the lemon juice. All in all, this was a very nice dish that went well with the Albarino.
The next course was a great escargot preparation. Garlic, ham, green and red peppers, and flat beans floated in the olive oil and really added to this dish. Chef Rolland Wesen, who happens to be Jacques Pépin's son-in-law, modifies this classic French dish with ham, peppers, and beans and I think really enhances the conventional preparation. I would say this was the best dish of the night.
The final dish was a clever Mac and Cheese, with lobster and goat cheese, all good things individually, the become even better together. Overall, this was a great meal at a nice location, check it out if you are in Colorado Springs.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Alinea
On April 18, Erin and I went to Chicago to celebrate our 4 year anniversary. We had dinner at Alinea, and I must say up front, this was the most amazing dining experience I have ever had.
Alinea, is ranked in the top 25 restaurants in the world, and is quickly moving up the list. Chef Grant Achatz brought Spain's experimental molecular cooking style to the states, and although many feel this modern gastronomy style (think Wylie Dufresne of WD-50) is too technical and hard to enjoy, I personally thought the food was absolutely delicious and inviting. It's this creative, engaging style that makes it a truly unique and memorable experience.
When we made reservations, there were really only two choices presented to us, the 12 course or 24 course tasting menus. Our choice determined our seating time. We opted for the 12 with wine pairing, about 10 different wines. Interestingly, they don't serve any liquor, only beer and wine, stating they don't want the plate numbing effects of liquor to impede our ability to enjoy the food. I really appreciated that considering the largest margins in the business come from alcohol sales. Granted, that make up for it with the cost of meal.
The restaurant was simple and well laid out. Beautiful fresh flowers were well placed in our small dining room that we shared with only 4 other tables. There was this very distinctive aroma that filled, but didn't overwhelm, the dining room. It was hard to tell if it was the food, the flowers, or a specially designed fragrance but it was unique to the restaurant and if I smelled it again, it would take me right back to our table. I feel it really added to multi-sensory experience that was our evening.
I wish I had the words to describe the dinner. It was absolutely amazing. I unfortunately can't recap each of the courses and the wines, largely because I don't have the best memory but also because it has taken me 3 months to write this entry. There were a few highlights that still are fresh in my mind. The 12 courses began and ended with smoke. This was part of the full, multi-sensory experience of each dish. Each course was so much more than taste, although that was a major highlight. The textures, the smells, the presentations stimulated not only sight and taste, but touch and smell also. I'm actually surprised they didn't make noise! The presentations were so unique, that custom flatware was designed for several of the dishes. The choreography involved with presenting 12 courses was impressive as well. It was not as simple as presenting a dish, clearing it, and bring out the next one. Some later courses came out early in the meal and developed before our eyes as we were eating the early courses! It was a show in itself.
All in all, the food was amazing and 8 of the 10 wines really shined. I personally though two were misses in regards to pairings. My favorite courses included the steelhead roe, fava beans, wagu beef, persimmon, and the sweet potato. In regards to the wine, the champagne cocktail, the vouvray, the pommard, and the TBA really stood out. Check out the menu below.
After arriving at Alinea around 6:30 and leaving about 10, Erin and I can both say we had an experience of a lifetime and an amazing anniversary celebration. The fun will be trying to top it next year!
Alinea, is ranked in the top 25 restaurants in the world, and is quickly moving up the list. Chef Grant Achatz brought Spain's experimental molecular cooking style to the states, and although many feel this modern gastronomy style (think Wylie Dufresne of WD-50) is too technical and hard to enjoy, I personally thought the food was absolutely delicious and inviting. It's this creative, engaging style that makes it a truly unique and memorable experience.
When we made reservations, there were really only two choices presented to us, the 12 course or 24 course tasting menus. Our choice determined our seating time. We opted for the 12 with wine pairing, about 10 different wines. Interestingly, they don't serve any liquor, only beer and wine, stating they don't want the plate numbing effects of liquor to impede our ability to enjoy the food. I really appreciated that considering the largest margins in the business come from alcohol sales. Granted, that make up for it with the cost of meal.
The restaurant was simple and well laid out. Beautiful fresh flowers were well placed in our small dining room that we shared with only 4 other tables. There was this very distinctive aroma that filled, but didn't overwhelm, the dining room. It was hard to tell if it was the food, the flowers, or a specially designed fragrance but it was unique to the restaurant and if I smelled it again, it would take me right back to our table. I feel it really added to multi-sensory experience that was our evening.
I wish I had the words to describe the dinner. It was absolutely amazing. I unfortunately can't recap each of the courses and the wines, largely because I don't have the best memory but also because it has taken me 3 months to write this entry. There were a few highlights that still are fresh in my mind. The 12 courses began and ended with smoke. This was part of the full, multi-sensory experience of each dish. Each course was so much more than taste, although that was a major highlight. The textures, the smells, the presentations stimulated not only sight and taste, but touch and smell also. I'm actually surprised they didn't make noise! The presentations were so unique, that custom flatware was designed for several of the dishes. The choreography involved with presenting 12 courses was impressive as well. It was not as simple as presenting a dish, clearing it, and bring out the next one. Some later courses came out early in the meal and developed before our eyes as we were eating the early courses! It was a show in itself.
All in all, the food was amazing and 8 of the 10 wines really shined. I personally though two were misses in regards to pairings. My favorite courses included the steelhead roe, fava beans, wagu beef, persimmon, and the sweet potato. In regards to the wine, the champagne cocktail, the vouvray, the pommard, and the TBA really stood out. Check out the menu below.
After arriving at Alinea around 6:30 and leaving about 10, Erin and I can both say we had an experience of a lifetime and an amazing anniversary celebration. The fun will be trying to top it next year!
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