Showing posts with label Restaurants. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Restaurants. Show all posts

Something New : An Announcement 

Wednesday, January 26, 2011 -
Remember that New Year Resolution about a new blog?



Well, the time is here.  May I introduce - City Nom Noms!

This blog will continue to showcase events, travels and in the kitchen cooking.  Don't worry, I won't abandon it as I still love to do everything I normally do.  City Nom Noms is solely for restaurant love (or not love) as I eat my way through life outside of the kitchen. 

My dear friend, Tara, over at Two Designs is creating some artwork as we speak.  The current look is only temporary as we move forward.  But my reviews are beginning to build and I really wanted to get them posted soon.  Thus, expect some quick changes over there, and who knows, this place may get jazzed up a bit too.  I guess we'll see.

Lots of food postings (I made this spicy maple pork last night with sweet potato hash - nom!) and events (Winterfest is Saturday!) will be posted soon.  I hope you continue to join me as I entertain life daily here while enjoying the city nom noms over there!

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Downriggers on the San Juan Islands 

Wednesday, October 20, 2010 -
I get excited over food, so when hubs and I made our way to Friday Harbor on the San Juan Islands during our Washington state trip, I really wanted to try Coho as it is known for local and fresh ingredients.
Unfortunately, Coho was closed during our day trip, so we found another local stop - Downriggers.  They too serve local and fresh ingredients, and being right off the harbor, they are hard to miss (ignore the fact that hubby and I walked all the way around the town only to end up steps away from our original location...sigh...)
 
We were seated right at the window overlooking the harbor.  This is where I decided that if (or as hubs says, "when") we have a boat, I'll be naming her "Curiouser & Curiouser."  Love my Disney.

There were so many great seafood starters to choose from, but I settled on a cup of the chowder that hubby and I could share.  New England style, it was creamy and rich.  Fresh clams from across the island filled the bowl to it's brim, and the buttery soup warmed my belly.  It wasn't as thick as I like my chowder, but pretty close.



For lunch, hubs ordered the halibut fish and chips - he couldn't resist the fresh halibut versus the cod option (though I'm sure the cod was also fresh.)  A generous portion of tempura battered fish was piled high on fries which were crisp and seasoned well, but the fish was the star of this plate.  Though the batter was golden fried to perfection, he striped most of it all just to get to the halibut.  This halibut was fantastic - cooked well for sure.  Hubs even said he wished he hadn't gotten it fried, and that he could have eaten more of it (and I concur!)

I ordered these beautiful boys....

Don't they make you drool?

Not only were these fresh blue mussels perfectly steamed, but the broth and their juices combined may have been the best broth I've ever had.  So simple, but the combination of a good white wine, butter, garlic and onions can create an amazing broth that you just have to order bread to soak it up.  And I did, I ordered myself some bread to soak up this amazing juice.  I was dipping my fries in it - anything I could get my hands on.

It was a great lunch - perfect way to welcome us to the island before heading out to a winery for the afternoon.

What is your favorite type of seafood to enjoy and what one word would you use to describe it?

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A Case of the "Blends" 

Friday, September 17, 2010 -
Blended Wines.  Some people love them and have embraced this increasing trend while others have yet to try.  Tastings decided to expand their varietal series as we took a closer look at blended wines and a pairing of wonderful food.

First course was a white table wine, Pro-mis-Q-ous.  A combination of Gewurtztraminer, Chenin Blank and Chardonnay, the taste was subdued in flavor.  Originally, I could smell a hint of oak flavors, but after taking a bite of food, more intense flavor shine through.  Simple and basic in flavor, the three varieties blended well together to create a partnership.  The name says it all, does it not?

What normally would have been our apertif, we were treated to not only a tasting of wine but also to a pairing of food.  Unrue presented us with a warm pear and scallop salad.  Lemon-poached red pears and Granny Smith apples were on a bed of spicy arugula and then topped with perfectly pan-seared bay scallops.  I loved the use of the bay scallops, as it gave a delicate approach to the dish.  The red pears were not as grainy in texture (I'm not normally a fan of pears...yes, I think they taste like dirt...) but more crisp like the apples.  They soaked in the lemon flavors and were strengthened with the meyer lemon dressing.  The tartness of the lemon was refreshing, but what played well with it was the surprise of the St. Germaine foam on top.  This wonderful liquor made from elderflower gave the whole dish a sweetness that was cut by the salty flavors from a shaving of manchego cheese.  I loved the simplicity of the flavors in this dish - it was fantastic.

Our second course began the reds of the evening with a 2006 Michael~David "Incognito" Rouge.  Lodi Vineyards (located in California) produces this sharp, peppery smelling wine.  I was expecting the bold flavors of a Syrah after giving it a swirl and I was happy to have the subtle dryness delivered (if you remember, some individuals do not like reds like this.)  A fruity flavor of berries (especially blueberries) exploded on the palate and then rounded out with the tannines that I expected.  I had previously had this before (I can't help it, marketing gets me every time!) so I was happy to have another tasting.


Paired with the Incognito was the perfect dish - creole fish and dirty rice.  I had already envisioned sitting in Louisiana sipping the wine, so what a dish to match.  Wonderfully cooked mahi mahi was seasoned with creole spices and left you with a great back taste complimenting the wine perfectly.  The startchy dirty rice was cut with the richness of the fish.  To add another element, a basil remoulade was served on top leaving a basil heavy, creamy textured compliment.  A tinge of berry brought out the spices of the dish as well. A heavier dish, the second course contrasted sharply from the first, but I loved everything about it.  My favorite of the evening.

As I continued drooling over the creole mahi mahi and dirty rice (side note - all I want is dirty rice now...and that was a few days ago,) we were presented with our third tasting.  From Argentina, a 2007 Alta Vista "Atemporal" was smooth and full of flavor from the blends.   Malbec was the lead of the flavor, followed by Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and a varietal I've never experienced - Petit Verdot.  I could taste the richness floral and red fruits from what I would expect out of a Malbec, being "fruit forward" in taste.  It finished silky and smooth in the mouth.

I was excited to see a strong and flavorful dish for the course.  Falafel and Babaganoush - two elements that I adore - were beautifully presented in a colorful dish.  A cumin-scented chickpea fritter was chopped so that it had almost a rice texture to it but with all the taste of a chickpea.  Even hubs who doesn't like chickpeas could have had more fritters.  On top was a roasted Japanese eggplant, which I was extremely excited to try as I had never had theJapanese eggplant before.  Sweeter in taste, it paired well with the creaminess of the roasted tomato cream sauce which was poured over the tasting.  I adored the creamy and heavy taste of the sauce as it added a new texture to the grainy chickpea flavors.  The gentlemen sitting next to me told his date that he could be a vegetarian if all the dishes were like this.  For a minute, I thought he was going to start licking his plate, but alas...

Revelry Vintners out of Columbia Valley, Washington, produced our next tasting, the 2008 Reveler.  Luscious in flavors, this was a reverse-style Bordeaux made with a blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.  It had a medium body with a clean finish and light tannines.  It is a limited series and was a great introduction for the reverse Bordeaux style that I had never tried.

With a bold flavor of the Reveler, what better to be served than lamb meatballs?  I love lamb but never had it in a meatball form, so I was excited to be served the red wine-braised lamb.  Served with a smooth porcini mushroom jus, pepper-roasted figs and maytag purple peruvian potatoes mad this a hearty dish.  I love the combination of the bleu Maytag cheese and thyme - it was a level of berry flavors combining with the earthiness of the smashed potatoes.  A little salty in taste, this was comfort food at its finest: salty but bold with meaty flavors.

 
Onto the dessert course, I was happy to not be given a dessert wine, but a white from Terra Alta, Spain.  I love Spanish wines and this 2007 Clos del Pinell Blanc was sweet but with a uniqueness of flavors.  Lemon amber in color, it had a grapefruit smell and was sweet (in the not overwhelming kind of way) on the tongue.  I could see this being served with a light dessert (as we were so happily served) or a seafood - seemed very versitle for a sweeter white.  Another thing I enjoyed, how simple the Spanish can be - can you get anymore basic with this label?
Mock cheesecake - I had no idea what to expect.  I was given a creamy, mascarpone panna cotta which was "eggy" in the perfect way (and yes, I understand that there are no eggs in panna cotta, but still, the cream, sugar and gelatin basics sometimes yield these flavors to me.)  A buttery, almond sugar cookie "crust" was sitting in a pool of sweet tangelo syrup.  The tangelo, which is a sweet fruit, similar to a tangerine, wasn't over the top sweet and complimented the mellow flavors of the mascarpone and almond.  The beautiful sparkle of the candied citrus and lychee (which is a berry) gave it a cruncy sweetness.  Light but sweet - a perfect ending to another wonderful meal. 

During the meal, I was able to enjoy a NEW addition to Tastings - the beautiful flat screen behind the open kitchen!  I know, a tv. And yes, it is exciting.  This is the perfect way for people who MUST see sports or something on the weekend to potentially have that opportunity.  For this tasting however, we were shown some classic pieces of digital art - a nice touch if I do say so myself.

I unfortunately can't make it to the next two Wednesday wine dinners (sad face) because I'll be heading to Seattle to try amazing food (happy face), but that doesn't mean you can't make it!  On Wednesday evening, they made a BIG announcement - Sun King Brewing is partnering with Tastings for an Oktoberfest Beer Tasting!  Beyond excited, as Sun King has some amazing craft beer (amazing tasting room by the way, you must check them out - they also great events, like HBG4) that will match well with Unrue's culinary masterpieces.  You should sign up for that one now - limited spots are available.  I already have my seat reserved, as well as the other marked evenings below:

September 22 - Regional Series: Napa in Nap Town
September 29 - Truly Progressive (Happy Anniversary to my hubby!)
*October 6 - An Evening with Burgess Cellars
*October 13 - Oktoberfest Beer Tasting with Sun King Brewing

Will I be seeing you at any of these events?

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A Progressive Tasting with Soul 

Friday, September 10, 2010 -
What now seems to be a Wednesday night tradition, I headed downtown to Tastings for what I knew would be another great sampling of food and wine.  This past weekend, I had a teaser of things to come when I sipped what would be the aperitif - a tipsy Arnold Palmer.  When further told chicken and waffles would also be part of this course, I couldn't refuse. Despite hubby not being able to change his plans, I grabbed bestie, MM, and we headed downtown with anticipation.

As promised, we were presented with an aperitif of Tipsy Arnold Palmer. A combination of sweet tea and lemonade, this cocktail was the best introduction for a soul food filled evening.  Like any other AP, the sweetness of the sweet tea was cut with the tartness of the lemonade, leaning towards a perfect balance.  This tipsy AP included vodka, as well as tastes of lavender and mint.  For all of you non vodka drinkers - no worries.  This was so smooth that you had no idea vodka was even present. Perfect sipping beverage on those warm evenings.

Our first course was a delightful and classic Southern dish of shrimp and grits.  Of course, this wasn't your ordinary shrimp and grits - and that's the great thing about grits - you can do so much to add flavor.  Grits are essentially ground hominy (corn) that has the consistency of porridge, or even polenta.  So what made these special?  Cheese of course!  Mascarpone was added and gave it a creamy texture that made it incredibly smooth.  The shrimp were extremely fresh with the taste of lemon and subtle heat of red pepper  (though with my love for red pepper, I could have a bit more heat.)  Another twist was the topping of fried green tomatoes (straight from the Unrue's garden!) that gave it a perfect crunch factor.  Drizzled with olive oil, I could have had a whole bowl.

To compliment this dish, we were served a 2009 Shaya 'Old Vines' Verdejo.  This was a drier white wine that had a creamy texture, which really played well on the palate with the creaminess of the grits.  It was fruity and complimented the citrus of the lemon with the shrimp.  A classic white from Spain, I enjoyed sipping on this as I nibbled through the course.

Chicken and waffles - salty and sweet.  Such a perfect combination, and you the second course was prepped, the group I was with drooled over the smells of the buttermilk-fried chicken wings.  Unrue walked us through the history of how individuals ate this in the morning to keep them satisfied during the day - I couldn't imagine how people didn't stuff themselves so full that they couldn't work throughout the day.  The savory waffles were whipped up with the basics, but also included sweet potatoes, chives and parsley.  A sweet but buttery pomegranate hickory syrup topped this waffle.  This syrup was the highlight for many of the patrons, especially those who love sweets!  And of course, to top this all off, a perfectly crisped wing with subtle tastes of sage was ready to be eaten.  Delish for sure.

To stand up to the chicken and waffles, we were served a robust 2008 Patz & Hall Pinot Noir, hailing from the Sonoma Coast of California.  It was intense, full of complex flavors and balanced tannins so that even white wine drinkers could enjoy.  This leaned towards a spicy taste when alternating with the food, giving the combination that much more depth.  I really enjoyed this wine and would have easily had another glass.

Third course was speck-wrapped pork loin on top of spicy collard and mustard greens.  Speck is smoked prosciutto, providing a smoky layer around the tender pork loin.  It was lightly seasoned and well on its own, but got a little lost with the dijon-blackbery BBQ sauce that was served with it.  Though the sweet flavor was intense, it paired well with the spicy chipotle flavors of the greens.  In addition, we were also served mac & cheese, one of my favorite dishes.  It had the texture and taste of a great homemade mac and cheese, creamy and delicious on it's own.  I believe the noodles were ditalini noodles (the small circle pasta,) which was perfect for the portion we were given.  Once again, the sweetness of the BBQ made some of the great flavors not as intense, so I was happy to have devoured most of it prior to eating the pork. But really, pork and mac & cheese?  Great combo for sure!

A spicy shiraz from Shingleback was paired with this pork.  It matched well, standing up to the fruity tastes of the BBQ sauce because of its own blackberry taste with a spicy kick that only a shiraz can deliver.  Though I enjoyed the intense palate of the dry wine, two of my friends, AU and MM, commented how it felt like a "dry forest fire" was in their mouth.  Even the label seemed to nod in their direction with a fire breathing reptile.  I guess you can't covert all white wine drinkers can you?

Final course was a banana bread pudding - and MM couldn't get enough of it.  This creamy, warm bread pudding was perfect in texture and taste.  It smelled so sweet and had a hint of whiskey.  Topped with pecans toasted with brown sugar, a perfect crunch was given to the dish.  On top, a vanilla creme anglaise (which is a pourable custard, usually made out of sugar, egg yolks, milk and vanilla) provided a creamy topping of perfection.

The world of dessert wines has been an interesting one with my time at Tastings.  I normally scoff at them, but Brian (the wine guy of course) has presented many that I have enjoyed.  However, this port, Warres 'Otima' 10 year Tawny Porto from Portugal, was plain overwhelming for me.  The potent alcohol taste was something I couldn't get past.  But I know that any dessert wine lover would have been in heaven, as I do appreciate the time it takes to produce a product like that!

Another great evening with friends, I left with a full belly.  Can't wait for next Wednesday as we celebrate blended wines.  Did you make reservations yet?  For only $20, I don't know why you haven't!

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DigIn - a Celebration of Local Indiana 

Wednesday, September 1, 2010 -
After sleeping in from the previous evening's event with Hoosier Beer Geek, hubby and I made our way to celebrate Indiana's food, wine, beer and local produce at the first ever Dig Indiana event.  I had been tweeting about this event for quite sometime and was very excited to see all the offerings that were available.
Dig Indiana was a celebration of all things local in Indiana.  There was a Farmer's Market feel for the producers who were showcasing their products for you to peruse, as well as educational speakers to explain how items go from field to the table here in Indiana (hubby and I watched a bit of an ice cream making demo.) There were even musicians entertaining the crowd on the hot Sunday afternoon.

I concentrated mostly on the restaurants and all the great food they produced from local ingredients, as well as the beer and wine samplings that were available.  There were so many items to try, but here is a list of my favorites from the day:

Chef Steven Unrue's (Tastings: A Wine Experience) Indiana corn & kale tamales with duck.  I've already raved about how great Chef Unrue's tamale is, as we had a sneak preview at one of the Wednesday wine dinners.  But this was a bit different, as he added duck to the tamale. And yes, it was just as delicious as before.  I heard the most positive remarks on this dish, and I have to agree, it was my favorite!  *Located at 50 W. Washington, in the Conrad*



Chef Aaron Butt's (Joseph Decuis) Wagyu burger with goat cheese mousse and hot pepper ketchup.  The wagyu, similar to what we know of kobe beef, was marbled so well with the fat that it just melted in your mouth.  The goat cheese was fantastic (goat cheese seemed to be a silent theme of the overall event) as was the spicy ketchup, the meat was so tender and perfectly cooked  All I can say is nom. *Located at 191 N. Main Street, Roanoke, IN**

JJ Boston (Chef JJ's Back Yard) utilized that EGG grill like no other, and grilled some lamb sausage to perfection.  With a dollop of cheese (guess what kind), these sausages were seasoned perfectly.  And the smells from their station were fantastic.  I can't wait to attend a class at Cheff JJ's in the near future.  Grilled lamb?  Yes please.  **Located at 1040 Broad Ripple Avenue, Indy**

From Ivy Tech, Chef Thom England served up a delightful caprese salad.  Plum tomatoes topped with a goat cheese mousse (surprise!) and chopped basil - you can't go wrong with a dish like this.  But you can definitely exceed perfection when you add smoked sea salt.  Oh my, that was the shining star, and the reason I had to have two of this dish.  Sorry for the lack of photo, just know it was good.


Sun King Brewery's Crabon - this brew was fantastic!  SO fantastic that hubs and I both had to have our own pint of it.  For only $1 more (versus the $4 plastic cup of deliciousness,) you could walk away with your own beautiful pint.  Well worth it.  And don't think you missed out on this.  Sun King has their Tasting Room open on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.  After you realize how much you love it, you can get a growler filled for a mere $5.  Now that is a deal.  **Located at 135 N. College, Indy**



There were so many more options available and I admit, I had two of all the items listed above.  After 5 hours of tummy bliss, hubby and I chatted about how great next year could be.  We look forward to it, and applaud all the individuals who brought this to a reality (especially to MBerg!) in the planning process.

If you were at DigIN, what was your favorite?

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A Tasting of Australia 

Friday, August 20, 2010 -
Tastings is easily becoming a Wednesday tradition for the hubs and I.  As you may have read, I can't say enough about how great the food, wine, company and staff are at this establishment. 

This Wednesday was no different when it came to great food and fantastic wine pairings.  We were invited to kick back and relax as we were whisked away on a tasteful journey to Australia.

We began with a sparkling red by NV Engine Room.  To say I was surprised by my first sparkling red would be an understatement.  Light on the palate as a sparkling, but with berry tones of a red, it got better with each sip.  Perfect sparkling to enjoy as we prepared for an evening of great food.

As we sipped on the aperitif, we were also poured a tasting of Torbreck's Woodcutter's Semillon.  This white had the creaminess of a chardonnay, alluding to a nutty flavor of almonds.  At the same time, the palate was covered with subtle exotic fruit flavors.  Brian's extensive wine knowledge shined through as he explained why it would work well with Chef Steven's Fish & Chips. 

My favorite of the evening - Turbot sashimi over a kiwi-lychee relish.  The citrus flavors burst in your mouth as the grapefruit aioli complimented the white fish and relish.  The "chips" were crisped lemon potatoes, giving the perfect amount of crunch and saltiness to the dish.  I loved the citrus flavors as they highlighted the fish.  And to hubs surprise, no "fishiness" was present - just delish.

Two Hand's shiraz, Angel's Share, led to an interesting learning experience of shiraz vs. syrah.  This educational moment from Tastings led to the understanding of regions and how they impact the names.  The conversation continued as we enjoyed the bold shiraz.  All of the rich flavors of licorice, coffee and pepper jumped out as they lingered on the tongue.  I love the flavors of shiraz, and it always makes me crave a meaty dish.  Steven came through with his version of a meat pie.

Barbecued chicken and braised fennel were served in a flaky pastry crust, served on top off a plum and quince chutney.  The earthy plum flavors complimented the hearty barbecue sauce of the dish.  My favorite was how the queso blanco on top cut the richness of the barbecue with its own smooth flavors.

After our great shiraz conversation, I was excited to be presented with Mr. Black's Concoction for our third course.  Another from Barossa, the deep red shiraz delivered on all the fantastic flavors.  It had a great intensity of being full and spicy, leaving me wanting more.  And the marketing! I absolutely loved the bottle and could see how when perusing the store shelves, I would easily pick this up. With a shiraz like this, another rich flavor like lamb was just what my taste buds craved.

The lamb was so flavorful and tender on it's own, but the red currant and shiraz reduction took it to a whole new level.  The sweet chili couscous was perfect as the buttery taste mixed with the sweet but spicy flavors.  The lamb and couscous were perfect as they melted together in your mouth.  I was extremely thankful for the extra portions on this dish!

For our finale, we were poured a tasting of Yalumba's Botrytis Viognier, part of their Hand-Picked series.  This 2008 vintage was sweet and flavorful as expected. Unfortunately, I did not try it by itself, as I had already dove into the dessert - lamingtons.  Creamy and rich pound cake, I could eat it alone.  But after it having soaked in the flavors of both Grand Marnier and Dumante, I may never have it solo again.  And then drizzled with a white chocolate ganache?  Incredible.  Both macademia nuts and cashews were chopped up and sprinkled on top of these pound cake popsicles before presented on a smear of mango preserves.  Heaven.  All the rich flavors were cut so perfectly with the Viognier, it was a sweet paradise and an amazing note to end on.

Trust me, you won't want to miss out on these upcoming events:

  • Winemaker Series: Charles Smith (Sept. 1)
  • Truly Progressive (Sept. 8)
  • Varietal Series: The Blends (Sept. 15)
  • Regional Series: Napa in Nap Town (Sept. 22)
  • Truly Progressive (Sept. 29)

Chef Steven will also be at DigINdiana (twitter: @digIndiana), so if you want to try some of his great creations, purchase your ticket for DigINdiana today.  This event will showcase local foods and restaurants with tastings, demonstrations and live music.  You don't want to miss it - August 29th at White River State Park.  Purchase your tickets on the website - I'll see you there (or you can follow me day of on twitter - @angieahrens.)

And don't forget to reserve your spot at one of the upcoming Tastings event - you won't want to miss out on another great night from Steven & Brian!

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Marriott & Leinenkugel's Craft Beer Dinner 

Thursday, August 19, 2010 -
Friend and colleague, AB, has recently joined the Indianapolis Marriott Downtown property as a sales manager, and I was thrilled to hear from her last week.  She called not only to tell the news, but to also invite the hubs and I to an evening with the wonderful Marriott staff.  Little did I know that this "beer dinner" would feature my home state love, Leinies!

Yes, I know.  Miller (I'm sorry, MillerCoors, that will take a while to get used to) now owns the Leinenkugel Brewing Company and you can get their product from all over.  However, my love for these beverages is true to the Chippewa Falls, WI nature.  From my first HoneyBear (combo of the Honey Weiss & Berry Weiss) at the Bar East to my parents delivering me cases in Massachusetts when I was in college (because at that point, you couldn't get it anywhere outside of Wisco, Illinois and maybe Minnesota), I've always enjoyed it.  So yes, I was excited for this dinner and the wonderful pairing of Marriott food and liquid refreshments.

After a bit of mingling, we sat down and began a walk through on the creation of beer.  Basic lessons ranging from the four main ingredients (barley, hops, water and wheat) to the history of Leinies. We were all anxious to begin, and just like that, the first appetizer came out and the pouring began.

We began with the Summer Shandy, which is an American specialty lager.  Great summer beer because of the lemony flavor and carbonation.  This refreshing beverage is currently only available in the summer (love the seasonals) and goes great with a light pairing.  For instance, how about tuna? (*Excuse the lack of photo, I don't know how I missed it, but if you try hard, you can see it in the upper left hand corner of the menu photo.  But thank you Leinenkugel website for allowing me to utilize your photo.)
The paired food was tuna tsoi, served over thinly sliced cucumber and topped with herbs and crisp lotus root.  The dressing of soy and honey were also included to complete the Asian taste of the dish.  I love tuna, so I was ecstatic with this combo.  I had never had lotus root and was excited to try something new.  The slight crunch was great as it added something to the tuna's texture, which was of a ground consistency.


The second course began with a pouring of my go-to Leinie's beverage - Honey Weiss.  Also a palette pleaser, you can taste the honey through this wheat lager.  It is available all year (which I don't believe was the case always...) and is my favorite when mixed with the Berry Weiss, which we'll get to later.  I wouldn't be surprised if this is one of Leinie's biggest sellers, it really is a refreshing beer.

The words "quesadilla" and "cheese" explain why the second course was the hubs favorite.  A uniquely presented steak quesadilla served with tomato jalapeno pico set the tone for the Mexican dish.  There was a drizzle of cayenne oil, which didn't have much spice to it, and a dollop of avocado mayo. Lots of cheese, I didn't really taste too much of the other quesadilla fillings, but the pico was perfectly seasoned.  The coolness of the avocado mayo was a great accompaniment to the final bites. 

The third pairing was one of my favorites, the Sunset Wheat.  The herb and spice wheat was, once again, I believe only available as a seasonal American Wheat at one point, but now you can purchase it all year long.  It is a perfect beer to match with a light but earthy dish as it cleanses your mouth with a spicey finish.  I really do enjoy it sitting by the lake on a fine Wisconsin (or any state) evening.  You can see the sampling pictured with the paired salad.

To compliment the Sunset Wheat, the chefs presented us with our salad course.  There was a Mediterranean theme going on as we were presented with a crispy flatbread wrap, stuffed with Spring greens.  This was a drop of goat cheese (you know how much I love goat cheese?!) and accompanied by blueberries, mandarin oranges, beets and pecans.  There was also a basil oil with citrus accompaniments which worked well to bring out all the fruit flavors.  The fried flatbread wasn't heavy at all and gave a perfect crunch (with the pecans) to the salad.  And of course, the goat cheese's smooth creamy finish perfectly cut the citrus.  This was my favorite - it was a great combination.

For the entree, we were served the vienna style lager, Classic Amber.  I normally do not drink this, and after tasting it again, I found myself asking 'why not?'  Its name says it all - a classic red lager that you could easily drink more than one of, with or without your all American meal.  But in this case, we were served the all American meal, and this lager really shined through to compliment the dish..

We were served a glazed pork chop with broccolini and baby yukon potatoes.  The rustic apple compote was a lifesaver, because unfortunately, the pork chop was quite dry.  The apples offered a sweet bite to compliment the bourbon glaze, but it still fell a little short.  There was something about the broccolini that really stood out, a spice that gave it a slightly sweet but rustic taste which would have been a perfect match if all the components were brought together.

Duo was the theme for the final course - dessert!  To showcase how beer can really compliment any dish, we were encouraged to really play with two Leinie's beers.  First, the Creamy Dark - dark lager (and my father's favorite) is smooth and not too heavy.  It was the perfect beer to match with something heavy (like chocolate cake) as the two tastes match really well.  The second, which is my second favorite (after the Honey Weiss) and other half to my HoneyBear, the Berry Weiss.  This fruity wheat is that - fruity.  Made from trio of WI berries (logan, elder and blackberry) it is now available all year long (so you can enjoy HoneyBear's every day!)

The food accompaniment was a duo of chocolate terrine and vanilla bean cheesecake.  The wafer included wasn't necessary, and it didn't have too much flavor. If anything, it just broke up the creamy texture of the two desserts. The raspberry puree was fantastic with the terrine adding a fruit companion to the deep chocolate.  There was a sort of ganache on one side, and it was luscious (but once again, those two beers made it that much better!)  I wasn't a huge fan of the cheesecake, and I think it was because I was disappointed in the vanilla bean flavor that wasn't standing out.  But vanilla and berries - a great combo for sure!

It was a great evening to enjoy some of my favorite beers, great food and even more fantastic company.  Much thank you to Chef Jennifer, as this was her first event as a chef!  She did a great job with the menu, and I look forward to seeing all the great things she does at the Marriott. 

A great big thank you to AB for inviting us, I look forward to seeing you more in the future!

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