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Great Dinners - 3/19/2008 1:28:19 AM   
Maestro

 

Posts: 521
Joined: 10/4/2007
Status: offline 		I was looking for a thread in which to post about wine consumed during great dinners (at restaurants) and couldn't find one, so here's a new one...

_______________________________________

Went out with my wife to celebrate our wedding anniversary yesterday, and ordered the 1996 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Echezeaux. We had chosen the wine beforehand (could read the wine list on the web site of the restaurant) and were looking foward to it.

When we got there, the menu of the day had *nothing* that would go well with the wine. I told the sommelier, "look, we want to drink this wine, but nothing in the menu will go with it". She had a look, agreed, went to the kitchen, came back and said: "the chef will cook from scratch around your wine".

It was wonderful -- the bottle was pristine (you can read my notes here: http://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=15187 ) and the food was just perfect. The only "additional cost" was that the sommelier and the chef had to share a glass in order to "get a sense" of the wine. But that was worth it.

The wine was vastly superior to the 1997 I tasted in April last year ( http://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=6647 )
Post #: 1
RE: Great Dinners - 3/19/2008 4:49:04 AM   
Colonel Lawrence

 

Posts: 1953
Joined: 4/24/2006
From: Arabia
Status: offline 		That's a tough act to follow.

I'll go for reflected glory:
The Cafe Royal, founded by a fleeing bankrupt French wine merchant in 1863 and frequented by the avant garde,
including Oscar Wilde and yours truly.
http://www.caferoyal.co.uk/?t=s&lang=212&id=1471
My only claim to fame being that I sat in Oscar's seat and at his table: opened a truly magnificent bottle of Mersault (vintage and negociant are dim memories).
He liked a unique table arrangement (flash devil)

X    
           Oscar/Me
X     X

< Message edited by Colonel Lawrence -- 3/19/2008 7:41:45 AM >

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Post #: 2
RE: Great Dinners - 3/19/2008 7:38:50 AM   
Serge Birbrair

 

Posts: 1493
Joined: 4/23/2006
From: Boca Raton, Florida
Status: offline 		Lovely thread, indeed.

Maestro, this is good story, I liked it and can imagine your excitement.

Lawrence, my similar expereince was at Paris' Laperouse
The overall expereince was more overwhelming than the wine.


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(in reply to Colonel Lawrence)
Post #: 3
RE: Great Dinners - 3/19/2008 3:19:46 PM   
rjonas

 

Posts: 147
Joined: 11/5/2006
From: Newcastle, WA
Status: offline 		I have two to share:

1) The Herb Farm - Woodinville, WA.  http://www.theherbfarm.com/  You're not there for dinner... It's a dining event!  As you may surmise from the name, they grow their own herbs year-round and craft the menu and wine pairings around the freshest of fresh ingredients.  It's generally a 9 course event that starts around 6:30pm (in the summer you can tour the gardens before dinner) and generally ends around 11pm.  Not cheap but SO worth the money for a special occasion.  We took 6 of our best friends there this past December to celebrate my 40th., and we spent the night next door (literally across the driveway) at the Willows Lodge.. :-)

2) Casanova - Carmel, CA.  http://www.casanovarestaurant.com/ This was just recently (this past week)  A fabulous 3 course dinner and an incredible wine list.  Also of note, if you're interested, you're able to dine (4 people required) at Vincent Van Gogh's table.  It's the actual table and chairs that he frequently ate at at the Auberge Ravoux.  Absolutely charming place and tremendous service.

(in reply to Serge Birbrair)
Post #: 4
RE: Great Dinners - 3/19/2008 5:36:56 PM   
GalvezGuy

 

Posts: 298
Joined: 5/10/2007
From: Galveston, TX
Status: offline 		My most recent great dinner was at Mr. B's in New Orleans.  Simply a sublime experience.  The par-seared duck was to die for and surprisingly, we walked out for less than $200 including a decent bottle of wine.

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Post #: 5
RE: Great Dinners - 3/19/2008 6:47:04 PM   
cgrimes

 

Posts: 895
Joined: 10/8/2007
From: Massachusetts
Status: offline 		I like the fact that you can drink wine and watch boxing! I've never been there but just checked out the website.  I'll be in London in April.  Is it worth a look?

One of my most memorable meals was at L'Espalier in Boston back in '97 for our first anniversary.  The food and service was impeccable, and we both fell in love with Oregon Pinot Noir that night.  I remember the spectacular cheese course. I was a resident at the time and I think it took the better of 2 years to pay off the bill.

(in reply to Colonel Lawrence)
Post #: 6
RE: Great Dinners - 3/19/2008 8:46:14 PM   
1800kidney

 

Posts: 245
Joined: 7/17/2004
From: Birmingham, AL
Status: offline 		World class... several meals at Girardet in Crissier (now Rochat), and an incredible turot at the Auberge d'Ill. Unfortunately the precise details have faded but not the wonderful memories. All of this was pre-CellarTracker and Tasting EVents!!! see http://www.cellartracker.com/event.asp?iEvent=1147

(in reply to Maestro)
Post #: 7
RE: Great Dinners - 3/20/2008 1:13:26 AM   
Colonel Lawrence

 

Posts: 1953
Joined: 4/24/2006
From: Arabia
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: cgrimes

I like the fact that you can drink wine and watch boxing! I've never been there but just checked out the website.  I'll be in London in April.  Is it worth a look?



If you're in Regent Street, but probably not worth making a special trip to see nowadays.
And I suspect you'll have to start the fight if you want to see a boxing match.
L.

If you do visit, nearbye in Piccadilly (nr Fortnum & Mason - worth putting your head in the door) is a liitle Champagne bar, great canapes (we got ours for free) very reasonable and real nice feel (can't remember the name though - on the F&M side of the road.

(in reply to cgrimes)
Post #: 8
RE: Great Dinners - 3/20/2008 7:49:13 AM   
cgrimes

 

Posts: 895
Joined: 10/8/2007
From: Massachusetts
Status: offline 		Thanks for the advice.  Will try to avoid any spontaneous "boxing matches" while I'm there.  More likely as my team (Arsenal) is away that weekend.  Would not be good to show up to a wedding with a black eye.

(in reply to Colonel Lawrence)
Post #: 9
RE: Great Dinners - 3/21/2008 5:12:35 AM   
Colonel Lawrence

 

Posts: 1953
Joined: 4/24/2006
From: Arabia
Status: offline 		For my sins I support Spurs (Tottenham, not one of the US variety).
I guess that makes us sworn enemies, not really though.
Enjoy the wedding, are you in the front row?
Cheers,
L.

This would have been a great dinner:
http://www.spursodyssey.com/double/dinner.html


< Message edited by Colonel Lawrence -- 3/21/2008 5:13:28 AM >

(in reply to cgrimes)
Post #: 10
RE: Great Dinners - 3/21/2008 7:27:21 AM   
cgrimes

 

Posts: 895
Joined: 10/8/2007
From: Massachusetts
Status: offline 		I have no problems associating with Spurs fans as long as the Gunners are on top.    Fortunately in this forum we have more important and interesting things to talk about.  As for the wedding, the civil ceremony is private for family members only (not me) with an evening gala at the Design Museum--ending with dancing on a boat on the Thames.  Should be fun.  I'll have a free day in London on my own so may check out some wine shops or the Champagne bar.

(in reply to Colonel Lawrence)
Post #: 11
RE: Great Dinners - 3/21/2008 7:49:14 AM   
pbm

 

Posts: 266
Joined: 3/5/2008
From: New Hope, Pennsylvania
Status: online 		We just had an incredible dinner at Restaurant Eve in Old Town Alexandria, VA. The service, food, and ambiance were first rate and the wine selection was impressive -- high quality, varied, reasonably priced with a nice range of options available. The sommelier was also excellent. We had a 2004 Synchronicity (Bordeaux blend from Australia that I had never heard of before) and it was so good that we ordered a second bottle and shared it with the table next to us -- he was just home from Iraq AND they were celebrating their first anniversary. My wife and I keep an informal "top ten" list of restaurants in our heads and this one made the list along with experiences we've had in Tuscany, Inn at Little Washington, Le Bec Fin, and others. If you're visiting Washington, DC this is definitely worth the 15 minute drive out of the city.

< Message edited by pbm -- 3/21/2008 7:50:02 AM >

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PBM
"Never Sell Principle Short"
Dave O'Neal

(in reply to cgrimes)
Post #: 12
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