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) Kings Dining & Entertainment invites guests to join them as they cheer on the Red Sox on Opening Day! Kings knocks one out of the park for the Red Sox home-opener on April 9th with a limited edition shareable cocktail- the Green Monster Mai Tai. Available only on Opening Day, the 1.5 Gallon Green Monster Mai Tai is bright green, served in a shareable dispenser and is made with spiced rum, fresh juices, almond liqueur, and topped with a Gosling’s Black Seal Rum Float for $69.99.
In addition to the not-to-miss drink special, Kings Back Bay, Seaport, Dedham, Burlington, and Lynnfield locations offer fans tons of HDTVs and projection screens; scratch-kitchen serving game-day favorites: pizzas, burgers, wings, nachos; giant mugs for its wide variety of draft beers; bowling; billiards; air hockey; shuffleboard; and more.
2) On Thursday, April 11, at 7pm, C.K. Pearl, a family owned restaurant putting an innovative twist on classic New England fare located right on the Essex River, is joining forces with Black Hog Brewery for a 7-cours Nose to Tail dinner. This unique menu paired with specially selected brews and the beautiful view is an excellent way to welcome spring & summer!
The Menu includes these dishes: Coppa di Testa, Crispy Pig Ear Salad, Carbonara, Cuban, Pork chop, Porchetta, and PB&J.
Cost: The evening is $75 per person not including tax and gratuity.
For reservations, please call C.K. Pearl at: 978-890-7378.
3) Celebrating spring's bounty right at the source, Cambridge's Puritan & Co. will be hosting weekly farm dinners at the beautiful Herb Lyceum, in Groton, throughout April. Kicking off this Saturday, April 6th, The Herb Lyceum will host the popular and picturesque Farm Dinners every Saturday evening at 6 p.m. this month. The Farm Dinners will feature five seasonal courses created by the team behind Cambridge’s Puritan & Co. and Chef/Partner Will Gilson, whose family owns and operates the Lyceum. The dinners are BYOB and guests are invited to explore the farm, dine at a communal table, and enjoy the freshest farm-to-table cuisine New England has to offer.
April Farm Dinners will feature:
To Start:
Just baked parker house rolls
Cultured butter
Cured meats
Preserved vegetables
Local cheeses
First Course:
Wild Mushroom Toast with smashed peas, mint, ricotta, soft boiled farm egg
Second Course:
Grilled little gems with truffle vinaigrette, asparagus, ricotta salata
Third Course:
Potato-leek soup with cured arctic char, dill oil, crème fraiche
Main Course:
Braised Beef Short Rib with spring-dug parsnip puree, glazed spring vegetables, thyme jus
Dessert:
Carrot Cake with cream cheese, tahini caramel, honeycomb candy
Tickets to each dinners costs $80 and include gratuity. Tickets for April's Farm Dinners on Saturday, April 6th; Saturday, April 13th; Saturday, April 20th; and Saturday, April 27th are now available for purchase at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/may-dinners-tickets-44944723879?aff=es2.
4) Next Monday, April 8th, Cusser's Roast Beef & Seafood's Chef/Owner Carolyn Johnson and team will throw open their takeout window for the season and will be passing out FREE samples from Cusser's 2019 summer menu.
In addition, all week, April 8th - 12th, customers will receive a FREE Pink Lemonade for every purchase and pastry chef Katie Hamilburg will give a FREE Whoopie Pie to the first 25 people in line at the window. Cusser's Roast Beef & Seafood is open weekdays from 11:30 PM - 2:00 PM. Customers can eat in or take away.
Check out my review of Cusser's here.
Thursday, April 4, 2019
Wednesday, April 3, 2019
Slow Wine Guide Tasting: Compelling Oregon Wines (Part 3)
As I previously mentioned, the Slow Wine Guide tasting event presented approximately 300 wines available for tasting, so I had to be very selective as to the wines I sampled. I'm sure I missed plenty of interesting and delicious wines, though I was pleased with much of what I was able to experience. I'm now going to highlight some of those wines, those which most appealed to me. The Slow Wine Guide is an excellent resource for a myriad of Italian wines, and now it is moving into California and Oregon wines.
Three Oregon wineries presented at this event, and I tasted wines from two of those wineries. Antiquum Farm, owned by Stephen Hagen, is located in the southern end of the Willamette Valley and earned a Bottle in the Slow Wine Guide, indicative of high quality. On the winery's website, Stephen states: "I am obsessed with growing the best wines possible. Our wines are not made. They are grown, cluster by cluster, with my own hands. They are a marriage of a place, its people, and a moment in time." The 20-acre estate is mostly forest, with about 8.5 acres of vineyards, and they raise various animals on their property, practicing “grazing-based viticulture.”
Hagen “...counts on rotational grazing to carry nutrients from a family of cover crops to his vineyard. Sharply trained sheep do most of this, with trusty horses on hand to tow equipment along with geese and chickens. No outside inputs are needed, and his vineyard is entirely self-sustaining.” The bow-shaped vineyard, farmed organically, grows 6 types of Pinot and the winery produces about 32,000 bottles annually.
The 2017 Antiquum Daisy Pinot Gris ($20), named in honor of Hagen's daughter, is intended to be an everyday wine. It is easy drinking and delicious, with fresh flavors of citrus, pear, and lime, bright acidity, and an underlying backbone of minerality. An excellent summer wine and it would be a nice pairing with a variety of seafood. The 2017 Antiquum Juel Pinot Noir ($40), a blend of grapes from all six of their vineyards, is a light red color with a stunning aroma. The wine is fruity and earthy, with a spicy accent, and such tempting flavors of black cherry and plum. The 2017 Antiquum Passiflora Pinot Noir ($58), using high altitude grapes, is a superb wine, fresh and vibrant. It also possesses a light red color, an alluring aroma, and a complex melange of flavors, including plum, black cherry, and almost tropical fruit notes. There are also earthy notes, accompanied by chocolate and dark spices, with a very lengthy finish you didn't want to end. Highly recommended!
I feel that some intriguing wines, using grapes other than Pinot, are being produced in Southern Oregon. Troon Vineyard, in Applegate Valley, was started back in 1972 when Dick Troon planted Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel. Sadly, he passed away in 2011 and the current owners are Texans Bryan and Denise White. Their General Manager is Craig Camp, who was present at the Slow Wine event, pouring a few of their wines. Troon is one of only ten Oregon wineries in the Slow Wine Guide to earn a Snail designation, which indicates the winery conforms to the ideals of the Slow Food movement.
Their vineyards occupy about 14 acres and has been farmed organically for a few years, and should receive both Organic and Biodynamic certification later this year. They are already certified LIVE and Salmon Safe. Current annual production is about 66,000 bottles. They are growing grapes such as Vermentino, Marsanne, Roussanne, Riesling, Sangiovese, Malbec, Mourvedre, Tannat, and Grenache, not the grapes you commonly see to the north, in the Willamette Valley.
I only tasted their 2016 Troon Vineyard Cuvée Pyrénées ($65), which is a blend of 62% Tannat & 38% Malbec, which though you might think of as a nod to South America is more a nod to the French appellations of Madiran and Cahors. The two grapes are co-fermented, stating: "At Troon we are firmly committed to co-fermentation instead of of blending as we believe it adds many layers of complexity and texture that cannot be obtained in any other way." With only a 13.5% ABV, this wine is produced with native yeast, no new oak, and spends some time in concrete, where the Tannat makes silky tannins.
This was a fascinating and impressive wine, with a rich, almost purplish color, and a nose of black fruits and spice. On the palate, there is plenty of intriguing complexity, each sip delivering something different to your palate. Ripe plum, black raspberry, hints of cherry, chocolate, dark spices, rich acidity, and more. The tannins are well integrated and the finish is lengthy and satisfying. A well-balanced wine, it brings hedonistic pleasure to your palate, and would be a great accompaniment to steak, wild boar, or other hearty dishes. Oregon is about more than Pinot and this wine is an excellent example of the potential of Southern Oregon. Highly recommended!
Hagen “...counts on rotational grazing to carry nutrients from a family of cover crops to his vineyard. Sharply trained sheep do most of this, with trusty horses on hand to tow equipment along with geese and chickens. No outside inputs are needed, and his vineyard is entirely self-sustaining.” The bow-shaped vineyard, farmed organically, grows 6 types of Pinot and the winery produces about 32,000 bottles annually.
The 2017 Antiquum Daisy Pinot Gris ($20), named in honor of Hagen's daughter, is intended to be an everyday wine. It is easy drinking and delicious, with fresh flavors of citrus, pear, and lime, bright acidity, and an underlying backbone of minerality. An excellent summer wine and it would be a nice pairing with a variety of seafood. The 2017 Antiquum Juel Pinot Noir ($40), a blend of grapes from all six of their vineyards, is a light red color with a stunning aroma. The wine is fruity and earthy, with a spicy accent, and such tempting flavors of black cherry and plum. The 2017 Antiquum Passiflora Pinot Noir ($58), using high altitude grapes, is a superb wine, fresh and vibrant. It also possesses a light red color, an alluring aroma, and a complex melange of flavors, including plum, black cherry, and almost tropical fruit notes. There are also earthy notes, accompanied by chocolate and dark spices, with a very lengthy finish you didn't want to end. Highly recommended!
Their vineyards occupy about 14 acres and has been farmed organically for a few years, and should receive both Organic and Biodynamic certification later this year. They are already certified LIVE and Salmon Safe. Current annual production is about 66,000 bottles. They are growing grapes such as Vermentino, Marsanne, Roussanne, Riesling, Sangiovese, Malbec, Mourvedre, Tannat, and Grenache, not the grapes you commonly see to the north, in the Willamette Valley.
I only tasted their 2016 Troon Vineyard Cuvée Pyrénées ($65), which is a blend of 62% Tannat & 38% Malbec, which though you might think of as a nod to South America is more a nod to the French appellations of Madiran and Cahors. The two grapes are co-fermented, stating: "At Troon we are firmly committed to co-fermentation instead of of blending as we believe it adds many layers of complexity and texture that cannot be obtained in any other way." With only a 13.5% ABV, this wine is produced with native yeast, no new oak, and spends some time in concrete, where the Tannat makes silky tannins.
This was a fascinating and impressive wine, with a rich, almost purplish color, and a nose of black fruits and spice. On the palate, there is plenty of intriguing complexity, each sip delivering something different to your palate. Ripe plum, black raspberry, hints of cherry, chocolate, dark spices, rich acidity, and more. The tannins are well integrated and the finish is lengthy and satisfying. A well-balanced wine, it brings hedonistic pleasure to your palate, and would be a great accompaniment to steak, wild boar, or other hearty dishes. Oregon is about more than Pinot and this wine is an excellent example of the potential of Southern Oregon. Highly recommended!
Tuesday, April 2, 2019
Khachapuri, Georgian Cheese Bread: From Flaming Pit To Jana Grill
--Daily Kent Stater, March 7, 1996
This past December, I posted my annual No Predictions, Only Desires, a small list of my desires, those trends, issues and items which I would love to see step forward and take precedence in 2019. On that list was More Love For The Country of Georgia, as I've been disappointed there isn't a Georgian restaurant yet in the Boston area. Locally, there are several restaurants that serve Khachapuri, Georgian cheese bread, but almost no other Georgian dishes can be found. Plus, most of the Khachapuri that is available is only a single type, even though over 50 different varieties exist.
Some change may be coming in the near future as I've been told that Ilona, a new restaurant coming to the site of the former Parish Cafe on Tremont Street, will have several different Georgian dishes on their menu. No more details are currently available but I'm eagerly anticipating their menu to see which Georgian items they will include.
Khachapuri is hugely popular in Georgia and is considered an essential element of the supra, the famous Georgian feast, as well as an everyday item, even as street food. Different regions of Georgia have different recipes and versions, and recent research indicates there are at least 53 different varieties of khachapuri. Recently, The National Agency for Cultural Heritage Preservation even granted the status of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Georgia to Khachapuri.
What's not to love about a delicious melding of bread and cheese? One of the most popular and well known types of Khachapuri is the Adjarian, also known as Adjaruli and Acharuli, where the bread is molded into a boat shape and the middle is topped by a soft-boiled egg or just the yolk. This variety of Khachapuri originated in the seaside region of Adjara.
The earliest U.S. newspaper reference I've found about Khachapuri is from the Columbia Missourian, November 11, 1983. The article provided several recipes from "Russian Cooking," a Times Life Foods of the World book, including one for Khachapuri. The recipe called for the use of "sweet Muenster cheese." In Georgia, they generally use a couple indigenous cheeses, such as Imeruli and Suluguni. As it is difficult to find those Georgian cheeses in the U.S., many places substitute a combination of mozzarella and feta, which is thought to be a worthy replacement.
Locally, you can find Khachapuri in several restaurants including:
---Broadsheet Coffee Roasters in Cambridge (Georgian Eggboat, Khachapuri, feta-mozzarella filled bread, soft egg, side salad, $10)
---Mediterranean Grill in Newton (Hachapuri, Mixed variety of cheeses, with two sunny side up eggs, served on our homemade bed of bread, $14.95)
---Flaming Pit in Watertown (see below)
---Jana Grill & Bakery in Watertown (see below)
Jana Grill also serves one other Georgian speciality, but only on Wednesday evenings, from 5pm-9pm. They make Khinkali, a Georgian soup dumplings with a beef & lamb filling. They make each Khinkali fresh and they are priced at $1.95 each. I'm already planning a Wednesday evening visit to check out these intriguing dumplings.
Let's hope more Georgian cuisine comes to the Boston area. For now, seek out some Khachapuri and Khinkali. Jana Grill & Bakery is an excellent option.
Monday, April 1, 2019
Rant: Break Out Of Your Breakfast Bagel Mode!
(Update: Happy April's Fool's Day! Though the history in this article is real, there is no Isaac and Patricia, and no plans to open a Bagel Tavern. However, I actually like the concept, which could work for a pop-up, and I'd love to see Montreal-style bagels being made in the Boston area.)
I've recommended time and time again that local food writers should attend the Seafood Expo North America (SENA) because it is such a fertile ground for fascinating stories. This year at the Expo, I never expected, with all the tales of fish and other seafood, that I would learn about a Bagel Tavern!
While sampling a Scottish smoked salmon, I entered into a conversation with another person enjoying the silky salmon. Isaac Marwitz, who lives in Brookline, has worked in the hotel industry for about twenty-five years, including seven years in Montreal. His wife, Patricia, has been involved in the publishing business, and both of them are now ready for a career change.
They've decided to seek deep into their Jewish roots, and resurrect a concept from when their grandparents lived in Poland. They want to reconceptualize the Bagel, to alter its current image as a breakfast/brunch item. They hope to make this change by establishing a Bagel Tavern in Brookline! Bagels & Booze? That sounds like a bizarre idea but it actually has historical precedents, and I've written about them before, in my article Water Doughnuts: Some Bagel History.
In the book The Bagel: The Surprising History of a Modest Bread by Maria Balinska, it states: "The bagel was a regular fixture not only in the marketplace but also in the adjoining arena of the tavern." Baliska continues, "Bagels were popular tavern fare. Jewish immigrants to the United States recall parents making bagels to be served at the inn: ‘An onion, schnapps and a bagel’ would have been a typical order." And she also writes: "For adults, the inn provided a rare venue for recreation and relaxation, a place to enjoy a drink and a bagel."
Why did this change? How did bagels travel from the tavern to the breakfast plate? The answers don't seem to be known but I'm fascinated by the idea and think that Isaac and Patricia may have a great idea. They are planning to try to raise funds for their bagel tavern through Kickstarter, which is planned for a May debut. They will be seeking to raise $100,000 and are still working out all the various Reward levels. Would you support this idea? I think you should.
Isaac provided me a few details of their plans, with the caveat that nothing is definite yet as they are still honing the concept. The basic idea is that their Bagel Tavern will be a craft cocktail bar with bagels being the centerpiece of their lunch and dinner menus. There will also be lots of Salmon. Some of their recipes will be traditional Jewish dishes, but others will be their own modern spin on the classics. They also hope to produce their own bagels rather than purchase them elsewhere.
The tentative name for their new restaurant is MoBaTa, which stands for MOntreal BAgel TAvern, as they plan to primarily showcase Montreal-style bagels. They feel there are more than enough New York-style bagels in the Boston area and that Montreal bagels don't get enough respect, despite having a history as long as New York style bagels. I have to agree, as I've long been a fan of Montreal bagels, but have often lamented that it is so difficult to find them locally.
Consider the possibilities at a bagel tavern. A Manhattan and a Rye Bagel? A Martini and an Olive Bagel? A Long Island Iced Tea and an Everything Bagel? Maybe some Pinot Noir with a Bagel & Lox? It boggles the mind.
Break out of your breakfast bagel mode! Stop being locked into your assumptions about bagels and be open to the possibilities, especially when they have historical precedent. There is life beyond the New York style bagel! When their Kickstarter begins, I hope you'll consider contributing to their endeavor.
Give a Bagel a new home, out of the usual bakery and into a tavern!
I've recommended time and time again that local food writers should attend the Seafood Expo North America (SENA) because it is such a fertile ground for fascinating stories. This year at the Expo, I never expected, with all the tales of fish and other seafood, that I would learn about a Bagel Tavern!
While sampling a Scottish smoked salmon, I entered into a conversation with another person enjoying the silky salmon. Isaac Marwitz, who lives in Brookline, has worked in the hotel industry for about twenty-five years, including seven years in Montreal. His wife, Patricia, has been involved in the publishing business, and both of them are now ready for a career change.
They've decided to seek deep into their Jewish roots, and resurrect a concept from when their grandparents lived in Poland. They want to reconceptualize the Bagel, to alter its current image as a breakfast/brunch item. They hope to make this change by establishing a Bagel Tavern in Brookline! Bagels & Booze? That sounds like a bizarre idea but it actually has historical precedents, and I've written about them before, in my article Water Doughnuts: Some Bagel History.
In the book The Bagel: The Surprising History of a Modest Bread by Maria Balinska, it states: "The bagel was a regular fixture not only in the marketplace but also in the adjoining arena of the tavern." Baliska continues, "Bagels were popular tavern fare. Jewish immigrants to the United States recall parents making bagels to be served at the inn: ‘An onion, schnapps and a bagel’ would have been a typical order." And she also writes: "For adults, the inn provided a rare venue for recreation and relaxation, a place to enjoy a drink and a bagel."
Why did this change? How did bagels travel from the tavern to the breakfast plate? The answers don't seem to be known but I'm fascinated by the idea and think that Isaac and Patricia may have a great idea. They are planning to try to raise funds for their bagel tavern through Kickstarter, which is planned for a May debut. They will be seeking to raise $100,000 and are still working out all the various Reward levels. Would you support this idea? I think you should.
Isaac provided me a few details of their plans, with the caveat that nothing is definite yet as they are still honing the concept. The basic idea is that their Bagel Tavern will be a craft cocktail bar with bagels being the centerpiece of their lunch and dinner menus. There will also be lots of Salmon. Some of their recipes will be traditional Jewish dishes, but others will be their own modern spin on the classics. They also hope to produce their own bagels rather than purchase them elsewhere.
The tentative name for their new restaurant is MoBaTa, which stands for MOntreal BAgel TAvern, as they plan to primarily showcase Montreal-style bagels. They feel there are more than enough New York-style bagels in the Boston area and that Montreal bagels don't get enough respect, despite having a history as long as New York style bagels. I have to agree, as I've long been a fan of Montreal bagels, but have often lamented that it is so difficult to find them locally.
Consider the possibilities at a bagel tavern. A Manhattan and a Rye Bagel? A Martini and an Olive Bagel? A Long Island Iced Tea and an Everything Bagel? Maybe some Pinot Noir with a Bagel & Lox? It boggles the mind.
Break out of your breakfast bagel mode! Stop being locked into your assumptions about bagels and be open to the possibilities, especially when they have historical precedent. There is life beyond the New York style bagel! When their Kickstarter begins, I hope you'll consider contributing to their endeavor.
Give a Bagel a new home, out of the usual bakery and into a tavern!
Thursday, March 28, 2019
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) Boston Harbor Hotel Chef and founder of the Boston Wine Festival, Daniel Bruce is continuing the celebrated traditions of the Boston Wine Festival through the month of April with a special Wine Wednesday dinner series. Chef Daniel Bruce, alongside Sommelier Ben Oram, will welcome guests for a special Wine Wednesday dinner series at Meritage Restaurant + Wine Bar, featuring four thematic events: Tour of Chile (April 3), Rosé Soirée (April 10), Spring Bounty (April 17) and Willamette Pinot (April 24)
The Wine Wednesday dinner series takes place in Meritage’s second floor dining room, featuring sweeping views of Boston Harbor. Each dinner runs from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00pm.
The full menus for the April Wine Wednesday series at Meritage Restaurant + Wine Bar are as follows:
TOUR OF CHILE, APRIL 3
FIRST COURSE
Amberjack Crudo, toasted Marcona, pink grapefruit, micro greens
Emiliana Natura Chardonnay
SECOND COURSE
Blackberry Glazed Roast Duck Breast, melted spring green onions
Concha y Toro ‘Terrunyo’ Carmenere
THIRD COURSE
Cocoa and Crushed Fennel Rubbed Organic Hanger Steak, pureed purple potatoes, rapini greens
Errazuriz Don Maxamino
FINALE
Tres Leche Cake, coconut, mango, passionfruit
ROSÉ SOIRÉE, APRIL 10
FIRST COURSE
Flash Smoked Sea Scallops, sunchoke chips, rose aioli
Villa Viva, Cote de Thau, Languedoc
SECOND COURSE
Maine Lobster Tempura, sweet pea pureé, micro red mizuna
Center of Effort Rosé of Pinot Noir
THIRD COURSE
Rabbit Cannelloni, Idiazabal cheese sauce, fava leaves
Gramercy Cellars ‘Olsen Vineyard’ Columbia Valley WA
FINALE
Vacherin, raspberry, ginger, rose gel
SPRING BOUNTY, APRIL 17
FIRST COURSE
Grilled Jumbo Asparagus, crispy prosciutto, lemon sauvignon blanc hollandaise
Concha y Torro Terrunyo Sauvignon Blanc
SECOND COURSE
Pan Roasted Jumbo Flounder, spring white honey mushroom, apples, wild leeks
Chappellet Chenin Blanc
THIRD COURSE
Cracked Black Papperdelle, sweet peas, duck prosciutto, tendrils
Lafarge, Fleurie, Beaujolais
FINALE
Spring Dug Parsnip Cake, grapefruit, cream cheese, fennel
WILLAMETTE PINOT, APRIL 24
FIRST COURSE
Char Seared Yellow Fin Tuna, blackberry syrup, smoked toi mui
Eola-Amity Hills (Neika Soil)
SECOND COURSE
Wild Mushroom Soup, crispy maitake, shaved fennel
Ribbon Ridge (Willakenzie Series)
THIRD COURSE
Wood Grilled Lamb T Bone, roasted Romanesco, sunchokes
Dundee (Jory Soil)
FINALE
Rhubarb Pavolva, strawberry, black pepper, candied orange
Tickets for each dinner in the Wine Wednesday series can be purchased on Eventbrite for $120 per person (including tax and gratuity). For tickets, please visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wine-wednesday-series-at-meritage-restaurant-wine-bar-tickets-59051133530.
This is a 21+ event.
2) Join Executive Chef Steve Zimei and the team at Chopps American Bar and Grill for a special wine dinner featuring Paul Hobbs Winery hosted by owner Matt Hobbs. Paul Hobbs Winery has seven estate vineyards in the most acclaimed regions for growing pinot noir, chardonnay, and cabernet sauvignon.
On Wednesday, April 3rd starting at 6:30 pm, join winery owner Matt Hobbs and the team at Chopps for a three-course prix fixe menu paired with varietals from the most distinctive sites in the Russian River Valley, Sonoma Coast and Napa Valley.
The full menu for the evening is as follows:
RECEPTION
Chef’s Selection of Passed Hors d’oeuvres
2016 Chardonnay Paul Hobbs, Russian River, California
FIRST COURSE
Pan Roasted Atlantic Halibut (red quinoa, baby bok choy, pinot noir butter)
2016 Pinot Noir Paul Hobbs, Russian River, California
ENTRÉE
Grilled Coffee Spiced Filet Mignon (celery root puree, broccoli rapini, salda verde)
2015 Vino Cobos Malbec ‘Bramare’, Luján de Cuyo, Argentina
Vs.
2016 Vino Cobos Red Blend ‘Cocodrillo’ Mendoza, Argentina
DESSERT
Flourless Chocolate Cake (bittersweet chocolate, raspberries, ganache, hazelnuts)
2014 Paul Hobbs Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa, California
Seats are available for $90 (including tax & gratuity). For reservations please call 781-221-6684 or purchase on Eventbrite at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/paul-hobbs-winery-wine-dinner-tickets-58375703300.
3) Scampo Chefs Lydia Shire and Simone Restrepo have put an Italian spin on traditional lunch favorites with the new Scampo “Short on Time” Lunch Prix Fixe Menu that newly launched. The menu is $25 and includes three courses:
Choice of starters
--Baby iceberg salad avocado, sundried tomato & pancetta vinaigrette
--Prosciutto & mozzarella w/ shaved green asparagus salad.. cassis dressing
Choice of main
--Pea & mint ravioli w/ butternut squash butter sauce.. crispy radish salad
--Veal scaloppini w/ gorgonzola dolce risotto.. arugula & brown butter, walnuts & sage
Choice of dessert
--Lydia Shire’s tiramisu
--Scampo fruit sorbet
WHEN: Mondays through Fridays, 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
For reservations, please call (617) 536-2100
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1) Boston Harbor Hotel Chef and founder of the Boston Wine Festival, Daniel Bruce is continuing the celebrated traditions of the Boston Wine Festival through the month of April with a special Wine Wednesday dinner series. Chef Daniel Bruce, alongside Sommelier Ben Oram, will welcome guests for a special Wine Wednesday dinner series at Meritage Restaurant + Wine Bar, featuring four thematic events: Tour of Chile (April 3), Rosé Soirée (April 10), Spring Bounty (April 17) and Willamette Pinot (April 24)
The Wine Wednesday dinner series takes place in Meritage’s second floor dining room, featuring sweeping views of Boston Harbor. Each dinner runs from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00pm.
The full menus for the April Wine Wednesday series at Meritage Restaurant + Wine Bar are as follows:
TOUR OF CHILE, APRIL 3
FIRST COURSE
Amberjack Crudo, toasted Marcona, pink grapefruit, micro greens
Emiliana Natura Chardonnay
SECOND COURSE
Blackberry Glazed Roast Duck Breast, melted spring green onions
Concha y Toro ‘Terrunyo’ Carmenere
THIRD COURSE
Cocoa and Crushed Fennel Rubbed Organic Hanger Steak, pureed purple potatoes, rapini greens
Errazuriz Don Maxamino
FINALE
Tres Leche Cake, coconut, mango, passionfruit
ROSÉ SOIRÉE, APRIL 10
FIRST COURSE
Flash Smoked Sea Scallops, sunchoke chips, rose aioli
Villa Viva, Cote de Thau, Languedoc
SECOND COURSE
Maine Lobster Tempura, sweet pea pureé, micro red mizuna
Center of Effort Rosé of Pinot Noir
THIRD COURSE
Rabbit Cannelloni, Idiazabal cheese sauce, fava leaves
Gramercy Cellars ‘Olsen Vineyard’ Columbia Valley WA
FINALE
Vacherin, raspberry, ginger, rose gel
SPRING BOUNTY, APRIL 17
FIRST COURSE
Grilled Jumbo Asparagus, crispy prosciutto, lemon sauvignon blanc hollandaise
Concha y Torro Terrunyo Sauvignon Blanc
SECOND COURSE
Pan Roasted Jumbo Flounder, spring white honey mushroom, apples, wild leeks
Chappellet Chenin Blanc
THIRD COURSE
Cracked Black Papperdelle, sweet peas, duck prosciutto, tendrils
Lafarge, Fleurie, Beaujolais
FINALE
Spring Dug Parsnip Cake, grapefruit, cream cheese, fennel
WILLAMETTE PINOT, APRIL 24
FIRST COURSE
Char Seared Yellow Fin Tuna, blackberry syrup, smoked toi mui
Eola-Amity Hills (Neika Soil)
SECOND COURSE
Wild Mushroom Soup, crispy maitake, shaved fennel
Ribbon Ridge (Willakenzie Series)
THIRD COURSE
Wood Grilled Lamb T Bone, roasted Romanesco, sunchokes
Dundee (Jory Soil)
FINALE
Rhubarb Pavolva, strawberry, black pepper, candied orange
Tickets for each dinner in the Wine Wednesday series can be purchased on Eventbrite for $120 per person (including tax and gratuity). For tickets, please visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wine-wednesday-series-at-meritage-restaurant-wine-bar-tickets-59051133530.
This is a 21+ event.
2) Join Executive Chef Steve Zimei and the team at Chopps American Bar and Grill for a special wine dinner featuring Paul Hobbs Winery hosted by owner Matt Hobbs. Paul Hobbs Winery has seven estate vineyards in the most acclaimed regions for growing pinot noir, chardonnay, and cabernet sauvignon.
On Wednesday, April 3rd starting at 6:30 pm, join winery owner Matt Hobbs and the team at Chopps for a three-course prix fixe menu paired with varietals from the most distinctive sites in the Russian River Valley, Sonoma Coast and Napa Valley.
The full menu for the evening is as follows:
RECEPTION
Chef’s Selection of Passed Hors d’oeuvres
2016 Chardonnay Paul Hobbs, Russian River, California
FIRST COURSE
Pan Roasted Atlantic Halibut (red quinoa, baby bok choy, pinot noir butter)
2016 Pinot Noir Paul Hobbs, Russian River, California
ENTRÉE
Grilled Coffee Spiced Filet Mignon (celery root puree, broccoli rapini, salda verde)
2015 Vino Cobos Malbec ‘Bramare’, Luján de Cuyo, Argentina
Vs.
2016 Vino Cobos Red Blend ‘Cocodrillo’ Mendoza, Argentina
DESSERT
Flourless Chocolate Cake (bittersweet chocolate, raspberries, ganache, hazelnuts)
2014 Paul Hobbs Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa, California
Seats are available for $90 (including tax & gratuity). For reservations please call 781-221-6684 or purchase on Eventbrite at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/paul-hobbs-winery-wine-dinner-tickets-58375703300.
3) Scampo Chefs Lydia Shire and Simone Restrepo have put an Italian spin on traditional lunch favorites with the new Scampo “Short on Time” Lunch Prix Fixe Menu that newly launched. The menu is $25 and includes three courses:
Choice of starters
--Baby iceberg salad avocado, sundried tomato & pancetta vinaigrette
--Prosciutto & mozzarella w/ shaved green asparagus salad.. cassis dressing
Choice of main
--Pea & mint ravioli w/ butternut squash butter sauce.. crispy radish salad
--Veal scaloppini w/ gorgonzola dolce risotto.. arugula & brown butter, walnuts & sage
Choice of dessert
--Lydia Shire’s tiramisu
--Scampo fruit sorbet
WHEN: Mondays through Fridays, 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
For reservations, please call (617) 536-2100
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