Boston Wine Expo: Portuguese Wines & LGL Imports

Every year at the Grand Tasting of the Boston Wine Expo, I make time to stop by the LGL Imports tables, to check out their diverse portfolio of Portuguese wines. And every year, I find delicious wines, which are often excellent values too. I always recommend that my friends and readers stop by their tables, to discover the wonders of Portuguese wine. Last year, two wines from LGL Imports made my 2015 Top Ten Wines Under $15 and one of their other wines made my 2015 Top Ten Wines Over $15 (but under $50).

As I've said before: "I love the fact that Portugal possesses an abundance of intriguing indigenous grapes, which can provide a unique taste to their wines. You can find tasty Portuguese wines for under $10 which are better than similarly priced wines from most any other wine region. Portugal is rich in vinous history, and their wines pair very well with an abundance of foods. If you're not drinking Portuguese wines, you need to rush out and sample them."

Please also check out All About Portuguese Wines to find links to my myriad of previous articles about the wines of Portugal, including Port.

This year, I sampled seven of the LGL Portuguese wines, with the only caveat that they had to be produced only from indigenous grapes. I want to taste Portugal in every sip and feel that their indigenous grapes provides me the best path. These seven wines will help you understand the allure of Portuguese wines. In addition, these are some incredible values, all but one which cost under $10!  (Though note that prices will vary across the country, and also from wine store to wine store.) It is very difficult in most wine regions to find such delicious wines under $10 but Portugal seems to  deliver time and time again at this price point.

First, I began with four white wines, and overall they were crisp and fruity, easy drinking wines with more character than many similarly priced wines. They would be excellent summer wines but could be enjoyed during the winter too. Though you can enjoy them on their own, they are definitely great food wines, with everything from seafood to chicken dishes. They will appeal to most wine lovers seeking a delicious, bargain white wine.

The 2013 Caves Velhas Bucellas ($9.99) is produced from the Arinto grape, offering bright citrus flavors with with some floral notes. Fresh, crisp and tasty. The 2014 Herdade Das Albernoas ($7.99), made from Antão Vaz & Arinto, is also fresh, crisp and fruity but with some herbal accents. The 2013 Montes Claros Colheita White ($9.99) is a blend of Roupeiro, Arinto and Antão Vaz, offering another fresh, crisp and fruity wine, with more grapefruit and lime flavors.  The 2014 Adega De Borba White ($7.99), also made from Roupeiro, Arinto and Antão Vaz, had a similar taste profile though the lime was more prominent and there were some subtle orange notes.

The 2013 Herdade Paco de Conde Tinto ($9.99) is a blend of Aragonez, Trincadeira, Alicante Bouschet and Touriga Nacional, spending about three months in French and American oak. With an appealing nose of earthiness and black fruit, the wine is smooth and dry, with an intense melange of flavors, including black cherry, ripe plum, spice and earthy accents. This wine is an overachiever, presenting so much more complexity and character than most other wines at this price point. Pair this with everything from pizza to burgers, steak to ribs. At this price, you should buy it by the case so you always have a bottle on hand.

The 2011 Caves Messias Quinta do Cachão ($8.99), a blend of Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Barroca and Tinta Roriz, is a bit more tannic (though still well controlled) and less earthy, with delicious black fruit flavors, hints of spice, and nice acidity. This is more a food wine, best with hearty dishes. I can picture this in the summer, enjoying a thick burger or slab of ribs off the grill.

The most expensive wine of the seven, and still a good value wine, is the 2010 Quinta do Penedo Dão Red ($13.99), a blend of Touriga Nacional and Alfrocheiro. On the nose, this wine had a stronger earthy aroma with spicy accents. On the palate, it was the biggest of the three red wines, with plenty of earthy notes, big spice and black fruit flavors. This is clearly a food wine, best with a hearty dish like a thick steak or a fettuccine ragu. As I enjoy earthy wines, this appealed to me very much though I understand why some wine lovers aren't fans.  

Which Portuguese wines did you enjoy at the Boston Wine Expo?

Boston Wine Expo: An Overview With Food

A fascinating Spanish wine that was a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and old vine Palomino. An intriguing Georgian Rkatsiteli wine fermented in a traditional qvevri. A Sparkling Ribolla Gialla wine from Slovenia. Killer value Portuguese wines under $10. And I found even more delicious and interesting wines at this past weekend's Boston Wine Expo.

The 25th Anniversary of the Boston Wine Expo was held on February 13 & 14 at the Seaport Hotel & World Trade Center. Presented by the Boston Guild of Oenophilists, the Expo gathered together thousands of wine lovers, producers, importers, distributors and others. As a media guest, I attended both days of the Expo, seeking out new wines, enhancing my wine education, and hanging with friends. Overall, it was a fruitful weekend as I discovered plenty of interesting wines and had lots of fun.

I spent most of my time in the Grand Tasting, which featured over 200 producers and about 1800 wines, though I also checked out the Vintners' Reserve Lounge. At the Expo, I got to see some wine loving friends, including Doug, Todd, Chanie, Brett, and William, and told them about some of my favorite wines. Though I enjoy discovering new wines, I also get much enjoyment from sharing those discoveries with others. And it is even better when your friends also find joy in the wines you recommended. In the next couple weeks, I'll be sharing those finds with my readers too.

Once again, the Grand Tasting offered some intriguing diversity in some respects, but failed in certain areas. On the positive side, you could find wines from lesser known wine countries including Moldava, Lebanon, Israel, Georgia, Romania, Slovenia, and Uruguay. California, France, Italy, Spain, and Portugal were well represented. However, some countries and regions had very limited or no representation, including South Africa and Alsace. There were only two Sake producers represented and I would have liked to see more representation, especially from some of the smaller Sake breweries. I also would have liked to see more Spanish Sherry, Ports from Portugal, and Italian Franciacorta.

I understand some of the reasons for the lack of diversity in some areas. It isn't cheap to have a table at the Expo and not all producers, especially the smaller ones, believe they receive a sufficient economic benefit for the cost. Maybe the Expo organizers could try to address this matter by providing reduced pricing for small wineries, maybe based on production levels. In addition, maybe Expo organizers could also be more proactive in trying to bring more exhibitor diversity to the event by actively seeking out producers in regions which have been under-represented in the past.

During the trade hours, from 11am-1pm, I got plenty of work done, tasting a variety of wines, learning about those wines from the producers, distributors and importers, and taking notes. It is a quiet time then, with fewer people around, so you have a greater opportunity to taste and chat. When the Public hours began, at 1pm, it is tougher, especially on Saturday, when the crowds fill the great hall. You often have to wait in line to reach a specific table, and the producers, distributors and importers have less time to speak with each person who comes to their table.

This is probably the main complaint about the Expo, is that it gets too crowded, and that complaint has some validity. Of the two days, Saturday was definitely the more crowded of the two, which is usually the way it is each year. They have tried to separate the tables more, to create larger aisles, to alleviate some of the crowding. In some respects, that has helped, but certain spots still get too crowded so that it is tough to even make your way down the aisle. This is an issue at all major wine event where thousands of people attend.

Besides all the wine available at the Expo, there are a number of food exhibitors, many offering free samples of their products. As I've often repeated, at such a large wine event it's beneficial to have plenty of food samples to help absorb the alcohol and cleanse the palate. I have also recommended before that attendees should try to pair some of these food samples with the wines they taste. For example, I paired some chocolate with a Licor de Tannat, an Uruguayan wine similar to a Port. Did you try any food and wine pairings at the Expo?

I'm going to highlight some of the favorite food and non-wine finds from the Expo, and would like to hear about your own favorites too.

McCrea's Candies makes a variety of delicious caramels and I've been enjoying their caramels since 2012. They are a local company and have been regularly exhibiting at the Expo. This year, they were involved in my favorite food & wine pairing of the Expo. I enjoyed their Black Lava Sea Salt Caramel with the Bodegas Hidalgo-La Gitana Alameda Cream Sherry.  The sweet and salty caramel went well with the complex flavors of the Sherry, including its nutty, briny and caramel notes. A magical combination.

Bella Bella Gourmet Foods, located in Connecticut, represent a group of farms in Sullivan County, New York which raise heirloom poultry, game birds and other meats such as rabbit. They also produce foie gras and foie-related products. At the Expo, they were sampling a number of duck products, from duck bacon to duck prosciutto, and including a duck quesadilla. It was all delicious and near-addictive. They are high quality products, with plenty of flavor, and worth checking out.

Fortuna's Sausage Co. has been producing sausage and other meats for over 100 years. The current third-generation owner is Patti Fortuna-Standard, whose grandparents came to the U.S. from Calabria, Italy. They brought their recipes with them, and they still form the basis of the company. Their products are only available online and at some trade shows. They sell a variety of salumi, all natural and nitrate free, from Pepperoni to Salami, many priced about $16-$20 for a 9-10 ounce stick.

At the Expo, they offered samples of maybe seven or eight of their products and all of them were tasty, with a nice blend of spices and meat. The Pepperoni were excellent as was the Soupy, which is also known as Supri, Suppi, and Calabrese salami. They have five varieties of Soupy, including Sweet, Mild, Hot, Extra Hot and Nuclear Hot. The Hot Soupy, with a meaty, savory taste, also had a spicy kick on the finish, a slow growing burn in your mouth. I tried the Nuclear Hot as well, and it certainly left a fiery burn in your mouth, deserving of its label, but again it was something that slowly built over time in your mouth until it became an inferno. I know some people who will love it!

Mamadou's Artisan Bakery, located at 63 Swanton Street in Winchester, is one of my favorite bread bakeries. They were selling some of their delicious breads at the Expo and I picked up a baguette. It was good to walk around the tasting, being able to snack on some crusty bread in between sips. If you haven't stopped by their bakery, I highly recommend you do so.

In the Vintner's Reserve Lounge, Chef Ming Tsai offered one of the best dishes of the Expo, Red Roast Duck Tostadas with a spicy pineapple salsa and avocado puree (though I had mine without the avocado). The duck was tender and flavorful, with a nice blend of spices, and the salsa added a mildly spicy kick. The tortilla chip made a nice vehicle for the duck and I enjoyed several of these tostadas as I sampled several wines. It went especially well with both a Provence Rosé and a Spanish Mencia.

Chef Brendan Pelley, formerly of Zebra's Bistro, has launched a new project, a Greek inspired pop-up called Pellekasis. It is located in Wink & Nod and will be around for maybe another six months or so. Chef Pelley is hoping that it might lead to a future brick and mortar restaurant. I like that Chef Pelley is presenting Greek cuisine, but with some new techniques and ingredients, bringing a fresh approach. At the Expo, Chef Pelley conducted a Chef Demo, creating Wild Boar Keftedes, meatballs, his own spin on a Greek classic. He adds a bit of an Asian flair, using soy sauce and panko in his recipe. The meatballs  were moist and flavorful, and I love that he used wild boar. I need to check out Pellekasis soon.

Jonathan Potash, the Cocktail Guru, is pictured above with Kirsten "Kitty" Amann, both very well known in the Boston cocktail scene. They presented two different wine cocktails, The Wiseguy and the Santa Vino.  Both were intriguing cocktails, well balanced and tasty, though my favorite was The Wiseguy as I liked its smoky edge accompanying the yuzu and banana flavors. These cocktails were a nice addition to the Expo.

During the next couple weeks, I'll be posting reviews of the wines I most enjoyed at the Expo. Stay tuned..

The Quiet Man: A New Irish Whiskey & Distillery

“What whiskey will not cure, there is no cure for."
--Irish saying

The first whiskey distillery in Derry, located in Northern Ireland, was established about 200 years ago. In 1815, Alexander Stewart opened the first whiskey distillery and it wasn't until 1828 that other distilleries opened, including one by Ross T. Smith on Abbey Street and another by James Robinson in the Waterside. In 1839, David Watt acquired ownership of the Abbey Street distillery and by 1887, it became the largest distillery in Ireland, spread out over eight acres.

Until Prohibition, the city of Derry was the largest whiskey producer in Ireland and then the distilleries started closing. When Prohibition ended, Derry never recovered to its prior whiskey-making heights. The first new whiskey distillery, in about 150 years, should start construction in Derry at the fall of this year.

The Black Rose recently hosted a tasting event, showcasing a new Irish Whiskey, The Quiet Man.  Luxco, a producer, importer and marketer of beverage alcohol products, has partnered with Niche Drinks, an Irish producer of Cream Liqueurs, Irish Coffee and Ready To Drink Cocktails, to sell The Quiet Man. Niche Drinks has been around since 1983, and Ciaran Mulgrew, it's managing director and co-owner, is spearheading the effort to create this new whiskey. I was invited to the event as a media guest and had an opportunity to taste the whiskey and chat with Ciaran Mulgrew.

Ciaran (pictured above) was personable, upfront and charming. The name of this whiskey is intended to honor his father, John Mulgrew, who spent 52 years working as a bartender.  “In more than 50 years behind the bar, my father saw and heard it all, but like all good bartenders, John Mulgrew was true to the code and told no tales. He was ‘The Quiet Man,’ or as they say in the pubs of Ireland, ‘An Fear Ciuin.’” For a time when he was a child, Ciaran lived above a bar and he remembers the smells of the bar, such as that of beer and whiskey, that seeped up through the floor. He credited this to being one of the motivators for him getting involved in the alcohol business.

His ultimate objective is to construct a new whiskey distillery in Derry, to recover some of the glories of the history of the Derry whiskey industry. In the mean time, Ciaran has released two varieties, a Traditional Blended Irish Whiskey ($39.99) and an 8-Year Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey ($49.99), both bottled at 80 proof. To produce this whiskey, he has been purchasing Irish whiskey from two different sources, both new whiskey and some partially aged. Then, he has been aging all of the whiskey in first-fill bourbon barrels, sourced from Heaven Hill and Sazerac.

Ciaran says, “The difference between a good whiskey and a great whiskey lies not just in picking the best ingredients and having the most skilled distiller. It lies in selecting the finest barrels to let the whiskey mature in. Our unique process of finishing the aging in barrels that previously held bourbon but never whiskey allows The Quiet Man to soak up those wonderfully sweet yet spicy oak flavors, and the result is two great Irish whiskies.”

Some of the whiskey, after spending eight years aging, will then be placed into used Oloroso Sherry casks for another two years of maturation. None of that whiskey has yet been released but it sounds promising. As a Sherry lover, I generally like whiskey that has spent some time in Sherry barrels, acquiring those additional and delicious flavors.

Initially, Ciaran's plan was to open a distillery, bottling, maturation plant, and a visitor center in Campsie but those plans fell through. Now, he will open an urban distillery, located in two buildings in Ebrington Square, the site of an old naval base. At the end of World War II, about 60 German U-boats surrendered at this historical location. The warehouse where they are currently aging their whiskey will remain as is and they hope to begin construction on the distillery in October 2016, with a proposed finishing date fifteen months later.

It will then take another four years before their first Irish whiskey is ready to be bottled, so it won't likely be ready until at least 2022. The whiskey they produce will use the same mash bill as their current whiskey, to maintain a consistent product. In the mean time, they will also use their distillery to produce some Gin, which they can release much quicker.

The Traditional Blended Irish Whiskey is aged for four years and has a high malt percentage. It possesses a nose of sweet caramel with floral notes, and on the palate, it will remind you of a bourbon, especially due to its sweetness. There is plenty of caramel and vanilla flavors, with a hint of spice, and it drinks very smooth with only a hint of a bite on the finish. You could drink this whiskey on its own or mix it into a cocktail.

Of the two whiskies, I preferred the 8-Year Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey as it possessed a more savory taste profile. It had a pleasing nose of spice, smoke and floral notes and on the palate, it was much less sweet, though there still were tastes of caramel and vanilla. Those sweeter flavors though were balanced by a spicy backbone and a hint of smoke. It too drank very smooth, lacking the bite on the finish that was in the Blended version. It definitely is an Irish whiskey to slowly savor and enjoy, and during the winter, it would be welcome drink on any chilly night.

A pleasant surprise during the tasting was another product from Ciaran's company, the Saint Brendan's Irish Cream, which is named after a sixth century monk. This Irish Cream is made from all natural ingredients, from cream made from the milk of grass-fed cows to their own Irish Whiskey. Bottled at 34 proof, it has a richer butterfat content than many of its competitors. Ciaran said that basically, the cows would be milked on Sunday, the cream made on Monday, the cream blended with the whiskey on Tuesday, and it would be bottled on Wednesday.

I was impressed with its taste, finding it light, creamy and only mildly sweet, far less sweet than Bailey's Irish Cream. It was delicious, without any artificial taste, and would be the perfect drink to cap off a night. I could easily see this in a cocktail, or even as the basis for a tasty frozen shake. And as it only costs $12-$13, it is an excellent value as well and highly recommended.

After the event, I learned they also make a limited edition Saint Brendan's Salted Caramel Irish Cream and was sent a review sample. Similar in many ways to the basic Irish Cream, it was smooth and creamy, though it was sweeter which you would expect from this flavor. The caramel notes were prominent with hints of saltiness and it was like a liquid salted caramel. If you prefer a sweeter drink, this would be your choice and it would work well in a number of cocktails.

Broaden your palate, explore Irish whiskey and check out The Quiet Man.

"And remember--in Scotland and Ireland, whisky is always 'taken,' not drunk."
--Whisky, A Very Peculiar History by Fiona MacDonald

Alexander Jules Manzanilla 5/41: The Wine Of Joy

Manzanilla is sometimes known as vino de la alegria, the wine of joy, as well as el mas fino de los finos, the finest of the fine. It is a type of sherry unique to a single city in the sherry region, Sanlúcar de Barrameda, and even has its own Denominación de Origen, called Manzanilla de Sanlúcar de Barrameda. Commonly, it is drier and paler than Fino sherry, with a taste often thought to be salty, reminiscent of the briny sea off the coast of Sanlúcar.

Spaniards love Manzanilla and a single example will illustrate the extent. At the Sevilla Feria, the famed Spring Festival of Seville, the capital of Andalusia, it is said that attendees drink approximately 600,000 bottles of Manzanilla over the course of only six days. What a massive consumption in such a short period of time. And when we look at total Manzanilla consumption in Spain, we see more evidence of their love for this Sherry style.

In 2014, Spaniards produced about 36.6 million liters of sherry, consuming about 11.5 million liters and exporting the rest. More than half of their consumption was Manzanilla, over 6.5 million liters. Their second most consumed sherry is Fino, at about 2.4 million liters. Sherry exports to the U.S. constituted about 1.47 million liters and of that amount, there was only about 50,000 liters of Manzanilla, a mere drop in the bucket. That is the rough equivalent of only 5500 cases. Far too many Americans still are unaware of the joys of this briny sherry.

For more information about Manzanilla, you should check my two-part article on this sherry: Manzanilla: The Neglected Sherry (Part 1) and Manzanilla: The Neglected Sherry (Part 2). Learn more about its origins and production methods, its different styles and food pairing. It is certainly one of my favorite sherry types, especially as I love its briny nature. It can be like a bottle of the ocean, bringing to mind fresh seafood and time spent on a boat on the sea.

Alexander Russan, the founder of Alexander Jules, is similar in some respects to a negociant, visiting Sherry producers and cellar owners and carefully selecting some of their barrels to create a special Sherry. I previously reviewed the first three of his Sherries, as well as provided more info about his company and you should check out my article for additional background on Alexander Jules. Those three Sherries made my 2014 list of Top Ten Wines Over $15. Last year, I reviewed his Los Abandonados 6/8 Oloroso and it made my 2015 list of Top Wines Over $50.

Recently, he released two new Sherries, the Fino 4/65 and the Manzanilla 5/41, and I received media samples of both. On Wednesday, I posted my review of the Fino and now I'm here to review the Manzanilla.

The Manzanilla 5/41 (about $40/750ml) was bottled in May 2015, only 1000 bottles were produced. and it has a 15% ABV. The Sherry, which is an average of eight to nine years old, is a blend of five barrels from the Maruja solera in Juan Piñero's La Playilla de la Red bodega, with the grapes from the Sanlucar Pago del Hornbill. The bodega was founded in 1910 while the Maruja solar was only started in 1980.

Usually, solera barrels are kept at the bottom of the stacks but in this case, the Maruju solar barrels are actually at the top. This makes a difference as the higher barrels receive less humidity but higher temperatures, causing the flor to be thinner and have a lesser impact on the Sherry. Russian chose 5 barrels, from the top row, out of the 41 in this group. In addition, when the sherry was ready for bottling, he didn't add any sulfites and the Manzanilla was not fined or cold stabilized, though it was moderately filtered. As such, this Manzanilla could likely qualify as en rama, raw sherry, which is as close to sherry out of the cask as you will find.

With a deep golden color, there is an aromatic and alluring salty edge to its aroma, a touch of the sea. As soon as I removed the cork, the aromas seemed to fill my nose and I felt transported back to Sanlucar, sipping Manzanilla on a patio with tapas, including jamon de bellota. As I sipped the sherry, I found it to be bone-dry, briny, and with nutty undertones. It was an elegant sherry with a delicious savoriness which will make you yearn for another glass.

Paired with a sashimi dinner, it was a superb pairing, the silky fish with salty soy sauce balanced well with the dry and briny Manzanilla. I would love this sherry with a couple dozen East Coast oysters, or any type of seafood for that matter. It's acidity would help cut through a creamy clam chowder or deal with a buttery lobster.  I'm sure this Manzanilla would pair well with fried foods, spicy Asian cuisine, and much more. Like Fino, it is very food friendly.

Between the new Alexander Jules Fino and Manzanilla, my person favorite was the Manzanilla, because I generally prefer that sherry type to Fino. However, both sherries are excellent, great examples of the types and you won't go wrong with either one. Both receive my highest recommendation, though I'd personally give a little more push to the Manzanilla.

Thursday Sips & Nibbles

I am back again with a new edition of Thursday Sips & Nibbles, my regular column where I highlight some interesting, upcoming food & drink events.
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1) On Thursday, February 18, from 8pm-12am, Beat Brasserie, located in Cambridge’s Harvard Square, presents a very special tribute to the late great David Bowie. An award-winning artist, actor and pioneer, Bowie paved the way of modern music. To honor his legendary career and influence, Dennis Brennan and Jim Haggerty bring together a group of outstanding performers to take the stage at Beat Brasserie for a memorable tribute. The evening will feature food and drink specials and live, spontaneous performances from a variety of singers and musicians, all of whom will express the intimate and important influence that Bowie has had on both their work and music today.

While enjoying the music, guests are welcome to a full dinner with selections such as Smoked Salmon Blini ($12), a potato pancake with dill and parsley sour cream, Roasted Cape Cod Diver Scallops ($28) with creamy polenta, sunflower romesco and broccoli rabe, and Red Wine Braised Beef Short Ribs ($25) with mustard spaetzle, duck fat cipollini onions. Pair the meal with one of the 36 artisanal American wines on tap from the Beat’s state-of-the-art tap system including exclusive selections such as the Qupe Vineyard, Chardonnay (2013) or the Pietra Santa Winery, “Estate Sangiovese” (2010). Prices vary on wine selections on tap.

To make a reservation, please call 617-499-000
No cover charge, cash bar. Reservations recommended.

2) With this year’s calendar featuring an extra day, Legal Sea Foods is giving everyone the chance to get an extra lobster with its Leap Year entrée special, “An Extra Day, An Extra Lobster,” on February 29.

The one-day special offer will showcase two, one-pound steamed lobsters and a choice of two sides for $29, available only on the 29th day of this month. For the other 365 days of the year, lobsters are only served individually at Legal Sea Foods. The current market price of a one-pound lobster is $25.95.

The twin-lobster two-for-$29 offer on 2/29 will be available all day at all Legal Sea Foods restaurants (excluding airport locations). Other concepts, including Legal C Bar, Legal Harborside and Legal on the Mystic, will be on-board as well.

“Adding another day to winter might not appeal to most people, so we jumped at the chance to treat everyone to an extra lobster this Leap Year,” said Roger Berkowitz, President and CEO of Legal Sea Foods. “We’re doubling down on the occasion and looking at it as the gift of an extra day to enjoy lobster and all seafood.”

The quadrennial promotion features a choice of two side dishes from the following list: French fries, onion strings, brown rice, broccoli & cheese, cole slaw, seaweed salad, jasmine rice, mashed potatoes, baked potato, and jalapeño cheddar polenta (selection may vary by restaurant).

3) Last October, I reviewed a Nikkei cuisine cookbook, lamenting that there weren't any local restaurants which offered this cuisine. Well, that has changed. At Tico, Chef Michael Schlow is now offering a special, late-night Nikkei menu, fusing Japanese and Peruvian cuisine. This new menu starts February 11 (today) and will be served Thursday to Saturday, from 10pm-1am. In addition, the famous Schlow burger, which used to be at Radius, is also on their late night menu.

Some highlights of the new Nikkei menu include:
Deviled Eggs with Uni, Chiles, and Tempura Bits
Quick Tuna Ceviche with Soy, Chiles, and Masago
Local Scallops w/ Lemongrass, Chiles, Crispy Garlic
Hamachi Tartare with Spicy Aji-Miso and Two Texture Rice
Shrimp and Octopus "Sunonmo" with Tigre de Leche
Mussels w Roccoto, Coconut Milk, Cilantro, Red Onion, and Lime
Short Rib Gyoza with Panca, Sesame, and Toasted Onion
Sanguche of Pork Belly, Spicy Fennel, and Aji Amarillo
Homemade Noodles w/ Pork, Soft Egg, Green Onion, Chile Paste, and Cashews
Crispy Tempura Bok Choy with "Miracle Sauce"
Platter of Boneless Fried Chicken with Scallions, Crushed Peanuts, and "Numbing Sauce"

I'll be checking out their new Nikkei many next week and am already looking forward to what I want to order.