Wine food pairing ... as you all know, I love an adventure that includes
wine and food, but the awesome wine food pairing event that I was privileged to attend certainly is at the top of my list!
Guests of Drs. Darlene and James McCord ... Alfred, Houdini and I ... along with a chosen few were treated to a delightful 5 course culinary experience at the Pinot Brasserie located in the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas.
Pinot Brasserie has the warm ambiance of an urban Parisian brasserie. Celebrity chef Joachim Splichal traveled to France to locate accessories and antiques that provide the perfect backdrop for his signature California-French cuisine paired with an award winning wine list. We dined on a "killer" surf and turf and a decadent chocolate soufflé ... Oh MY ... and that doesn't include the cocktail party leading up to dinner where I sipped a Pinot Grigio that was crisp and chilled to perfection while munching on yummy Hors d'oeuvres. Those tasty pre-dinner treats ranged from puffed to flaky and all totally delish!
I have included some of the pictures that I snapped while enjoying every sip and morsel ....
We began our adventure with Baby Field greens, caramelized Bartlett pear, Roquefort crostini with a pear cider vinaigrette. What better way to set the pace ... Louis de Sacy, Tradition Brut, N.V. Champagne a delicate golden color with lots of tiny bubbles ... tickled the tongue and promised the palate good things to come!
Onion soup Gratinee Baguette, Gruyere cheese was our second course. This wonderful warming soup was paired with Justin, Paso Robles 2007 Chardonnay. This bright, crisp wine with flavors of peach, apricot, Meyer lemon and vanilla was the perfect compliment for the hearty soup. A mixture of deeply colored, caramelized onions, chicken stock, and layers of toasted French baguette.
Topped off with a thick, creamy cheese crust it tasted as good as it looked!
Our entree was Maine lobster and a "grilled to perfection" Filet Mignon, potato mousseline, mushroom, creamy spinach and Bordelaise sauce. With this we enjoyed a "Two Rivers" 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon. Houdini and I shared and I swear he was smacking his furry little lips... LOL!
Our fourth course was a Fromage ... an assortment of delicious imported and domestic cheeses accompanied with honeycomb, raisin walnut bread, grape and fig compote. Served with Penfolds Tawny port ... can you say YUMMO?
Now, for our fifth and final course ... a Belgian chocolate souffle served with a Gran Gala orange liqueur sauce. Now really ... what's not to love about this?
Chef Joachim Splichal is a leading figure in America's evolving food and restaurant industry. In 1995 he was inducted into the James Beard Foundation Who's Who of Food & Beverage in America, was named "Best California Chef" by them in 1991, and has twice been nominated "Best Chef of the Year" in 1991 and 1994. He was named in 1996 "Treasure of Los Angeles" by the Central City Association and Los Angles Mayor Richard Riordan. In 1997 he was voted Restaurateur of the Year by the California Restaurant Writers Association.
