First Course was Smoked Bay Scallop Ceviche served with umeboshi, compressed melon, Okinawan sweet potato chips and paired with Hapa Blanc 2009 (Grenache Blanc, Roussanne), Santa Inez Valley. The scallops were perfectly smoked with sweetness from the raw scallop. The melon & pineapple “Carpaccio” was phenomenal. The umeboshi cut the sweetness of the fruit, making it perfectly balanced and refreshing. The Hapa Blanc was the perfectly paired wine.
Second Course was Hiramasa Tataki & Strawberry Salad served with watermelon radish, aged black garlic, and confetti flowers and paired with Grenache Rose 2010, Santa Inez Valley. The hiramasa was perfectly seared. The Hawaiian salt brought out the sweetness of the radish. The strawberries exploded with flavor with the aged garlic stuffed in the middle. But the Grenache rose might be a little too sour for this dish.
Third Course was Fega Barramundi from the Java Sea in Indonesia served with taggiasca olive gnocchi, maitake mushrooms, and oxtail ragout and paired with Hale 2008 (Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Mourvedre), Santa Inez Valley. Wow! This is the perfect surf & turf dish. The barramundi had a great crispy skin and melt in your mouth texture. The oxtail was slow roasted to perfection – tender and succulent. The sauce was made with a lot of love – rich and beefy. The olive gnocchi were brilliant and had a velvety texture. Perfectly executed! Hale was the perfectly paired wine for this entree.
Fourth Course was Olive Oil Poached Small Eye Shutome served with shellfish agnolotti, bottarga & guanciale gremolata and paired with Look Me in the Eye Red 2008 (Grenache, syrah), Santa Inez Valley. The shutome was rich with flavor – tender, but firm. The shellfish agnolotti were perfect packets of goodness. The sauce tied everything together. The Look Me in the Eye Red was a little too powerful for this relatively light dish.
Dessert was Peach Chamomile Mousse atop a shortbread wafer with peach jam. This is a great dessert for summer. The mousse was light and had a hearty peach flavor with a hint of chamomile. The wafer was light and soaked up any extra flavor for a peachy delight. The sliced peaches on top were fresh, super sweet, and juicy.
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