An Evening of Specials at Tastebuds American Bistro

Yes, Tastebuds American Bistro is still my favorite dining spot in RVA. Hubby and I look forward to the weekly email listing the specials for the weekend. We then email each other to indicate we must eat there this weekend. We try to make reservations on Open Table and sometimes will leave a message. These guys ALWAYS read the messages. On this occasion I just stated "Yeah veal." We were set to dine on a Saturday. About an hour before dinner, we receive a call from Valentina making sure I still wanted veal. They had an early run of veal orders and wanted to make sure they reserved an order for me.  Talk about customer service.

And Andrew and Valentina do not reserve their customer service just for me and hubby. Take the wine we enjoyed on this trip - MacRostie Pinot Noir. Tastebuds American Bistro regularly hosts a table of four who always orders a pinot noir. Andrew ensures that pinot noir is on his list, but not just any run-of-the-mill stuff. He wants the pricing to be reasonable, while introducing the regulars to an expanded palate of the grape nectar. Hubby and I reap the benefits. It's all good. And despite my usual aversion to California pinots, I thoroughly enjoyed this one. It had enough punch for me and a lingering cherry essence. I can be such a sucker for cherriness in a wine.

For dinner we started with a Shrimp Saganaki with fresh tomato, feta, and a touch of ouzo. What a great dish. Tons of flavor. The licoriceness of the ouzo really made this dish special. We had to request extra rolls to sop up all of the feta and tomato sauce.

And, indeed, I had veal scallopini with fresh fig sauce and a green peppercorn-lemon risotto cake. Tastebuds has delicious veal and I love if when the fresh figs arrive and they utilize them in different ways. The fig sauce was delightful and different. The risotto cake featured a refreshing lemon accent. Lovely fruits of the summer.

Hubby selected seared scallops with pancetta cracklings and housemade wide fettucine. He greatly enjoyed his meal. The generous portion of pancetta crackling was particularly appreciated.

We also enjoy eating here because not only are Andrew and Valentina a wonderful and welcoming couple, but the rest of the staff also makes our experience special. Currently, James, Leanne, and Greg all say hello; ask us about our day; and other places we have eaten at lately. They understand we are here to enjoy the food, but to also relax and take a slow approach to dinner. This combination of good food and good staff along with the fortunate walking distance location keep us coming back time and again.

A Very Happy Birthday

For a number of years, hubby and I would take each other out to a surprise location (often new) for our birthdays. We always like trying new places (as you can attest to). Unfortunately, the surprise place, be it new or old, somehow disappointed on that special day. A strange phenomenon.

For hubby's birthday this year, no surprises. We went to Tastebuds American Bistro and, per usual, we had a mighty fine experience. And since we are regulars, Andrew and Valentina also had a couple of special items for the occasion.

The cocktail of the week was a Cherry Collins with two types of gin. Yeah, hubby likes gin.

A special wine was ordered for us: Adelsheim Pinot Noir. Unbeknownst to Tastebuds, this is our favorite Oregon Pinot producer.

We ordered Olive Tapanade with Goat Cheese and Crostini. And then was presented with a special appetizer: Duck Two Ways. Delicious! We spent some time experimenting with the various parings: duck with olives, duck with goat cheese, etc. All good.

For the main course we both ordered Crab-stuffed Flounder. Yes, I ordered the fish and it was good.

Sweet endings reign on birthdays and hubby did not miss out on Chocolate Cheesecake.

Tastebuds gave hubby and experience to remember. We truly appreciated it and will stick with our local favorite for future celebrations.

(And this past week, I convinced my new boss, his wife, and a teammate to eat with us at Tastebuds. Everyone enjoyed this wonderful neighborhood gem!)

A Double Dose of Food Happiness

Last weekend we had opportunities to dine at both Wild Ginger and Osaka at River Road. Yummy, yummy!

We went to Wild Ginger after partaking in the wine tasting at Vino Market. Vino tasted out an unusual South African white that was awesome! The name began with a "C." It was so good they sold out and I had to order some. Unfortunately, the weather has deterred me from picking it up. If you ask for it, Hunter and Dave will know what you are looking for.

Anyhow, we stepped into Wild Ginger fairly early and the place was fairly empty and could easily accomodate a couple without reservations. Later on all of the tables were filled.

Always a plethora of delectable menu items and specials. This time we both decided to have steak for the main course, so we ordered a bottle of Ladera Cabernet Sauvignon to enjoy with the meal.While decent, not the best considering the price. We would have been better off choosing The Prisoner. Oh well, we wanted to try something we had not tasted before and sometimes disappointment ensues.

No matter, the food was fantastic. To start we shared the special lobster tempura roll with lettuce, avocado, and kani. Lovely.

For entrees hubby ordered the special teriyaki glazed NY Strip with asparagus and three oysters rockefeller.

And I had the filet mignon with fried wontons stuffed with wasabi mashed potatoes and served with a black pepper sauce.

My spouse's steak was HUGE and tasty (we had to take some of this beef home). And the glaze was very light, so the sweetness did not overpower the dish. The oysters were cheesy and satisfying. My filet was plain, but perfect and oh-so-tender. I liked the black pepper sauce that came on the side. I could use as little or as much as I wanted. Nice touch. The wontons were a cute side dish with hints of wasabi, but nothing that blasted out one's sinuses.

No dessert - we were stuffed and happy.

A couple of evenings later we popped into Osaka.

This time we ordered the Patricia Green Osaka Cuvee. Osaka managed to obtain its own blend from the famed pinot noir producer.

When we tasted it, the wine seemed a bit on the thin side and young (2009). Not what we were used to from other Patty Green offerings. We sipped and ordered the special appetizer to share: smoked duck spring rolls.

The spring rolls were amazing. The meat was slightly smoked. The wine paired very well with this dish.

For entrees, hubby selected the shrimp and vegetable tempura. Great shrimp, but he was dissappointed with the veggies. He was not expecting sweet potato or plantains and the broccoli and zucchini did not taste fresh.

I had the shrimp tempura roll. Always good. And the yellowtail and scallion roll.

This tuna roll with the soy sauce was the quintessential food pairing with the Osaka Cuvee. Absolutely incredible! I highly recommend this wine/sushi combination. It's difficult to pair reds with sushi and given our initally assessment of the Osaka Cuvee, we thought we were destined for disappointment. It was so nice to be overwhelmingly wowed.

Memorable Food and Wine Pairings at Fleming's

Every so often one receives a unique and special opportunity. Last week we were invited to participate in the Fleming's "media event." We met some folks in the news media, discovered faces behind our favorite local food blogs, and caught up with bloggers we knew. The event was to introduce us to Fleming's new Fall dishes. And just so you know - the event was free; we were expertly wined and dined; and we were given gift certificates to use on a return trip (which we will happily do!).

Overall, we experienced great food, but the standout was the wine and food pairings. All of the selections were thoughtfully selected and made the evening extraordinary.

To begin we were served a Stoli Bombshell. The proceeds from the sale of this martini between 5 and 7 PM every evening at the bar goes to Avon Breast Cancer Crusade. The raspberry cocktail is $6 and is only 99 calories. If you are calorie conscious, this could be the drink for you. Because it is only 99 calories, the raspberry syrup and preserve ingredients are sugar-free.

On to the rest of the menu -
Lump Crab Louis Wraps, butter lettuce, avocado, bacon, egg, tomato, chives with 1000 island vinaigrette
Wine Pairing: Sanford, Santa Barbara County, 2007 Chardonnay


Great start to the evening. The butter lettuce acted more like little fresh green bowls. The crab was delicious. The bacon enhanced, but did not overpower the dish. Now, for anyone who reads my blog, you know that I really do not like chardonnay. And the Sanford tasted like a typical California chardonnay. But this wine was superb with this dish. What really wowed me was how well the wine paired with the avocado. Truly amazing!

Salmon Nicoise Salad, broiled salmon fillet, roasted Yukon potatoes, french green beans, truffled deviled eggs, roasted sweet baby peppers, lemon-balsamic vinaigrette
Wine Pairing: Conundrum, California, 2008

I had never had the opportunity to taste Conundrum. The 2008 is a blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Viognier, and Muscat. What a great white wine! Unfortunately, I do not like salmon, and Fleming's did not change my mind (I did try it, just in case). My hubby, however really enjoyed his salmon (and the rest of mine!). He thought it had the right touch of sweet glaze without engulfing the fish qualities. I did like the green beans with just a bit of basil and I enjoyed the truffled deviled eggs. This dish was presented "deconstructed," but it seemed more of a haphazard presentation.

Roasted Mushroom Ravioli, portobello and shiitake mushrooms, porcini butter sauce
Wine Pairing: Schug, Sonoma Coast, 2007 Pinot Noir

Mushrooms aren't usually my favorite either, but these were very tasty. The earthiness of the fungi and the richness of the sauce balanced each other very well. And the wine added depth to the dish.

Peppercorn Steak, prime New York strip, cracked black and white peppercorns, proprietary “F17”
steak sauce on the side
Wine Pairing: Faust, Napa Valley, 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon

And for the evening's main event we experienced steak. Both hubby and I loved the black and white peppercorn seasoning. Just the right touch. And the Faust Cab? Drool time. How delightfully, in-your-face yummy. We were both thrilled that the proprietary steak sauce was served on the side. This NY strip did not need to be covered up in any way. It needed to glory in all of its nakedness and then be married up to Faust. Oh yeah!
And while we thought we were through (except for dessert), we had a couple of other new Fall dishes sprung on us:

Oysters Rockefeller, three freshly shucked oysters baked with sambucca-laced creamed spinach, shaved parmesan cheese and crispy bacon bits

I could eat these and truthfully say they were decent. Someone who likes oysters would probably really enjoy them.

Cioppino, shrimp, clams and black mussels simmered in a spicy tomato broth, topped with roasted seabass, served with toasted sourdough

Neither of us had tried this seafood stew. It was nice and spicy and the seabass was tasty. Since I am a steak lover, I'm not sure I would order this dish, but for folks where beef is not a first love and they are tagging along for dinner, the Cioppino makes for a good hearty alternative.

And finally, dessert:

Fleming’s Crème Brûlée Trio – Chocolate, Banana, and Vanilla

I'm not a banana fan, but hubby thought it decent. The vanilla was decent, too. The chocolate was the great standout and would have paired well with port.
 
I want to thank Fleming's for giving me and my husband the opportunity to experience some new menu items as well as some phenomenal wine pairings. Keep in mind that Fleming's also features quite a number of gluten-free options, too. And if the dinner prices may keep you away, consider the 5 for $6 'til 7 bar menu. 5 cocktails/glasses of wine/appetizers at $6 each until 7 PM. And if appetizers aren't heavy enough, they also have a bacon cheeseburger for $6.

Celebrating at Kuba Kuba

My friend 007 got engaged to sweet Mr. B. To celebrate we took them out to one of her favorite places - Kuba Kuba.

Although we arrived a bit before 6 PM, the line was out the door. So we sat outside and the happy couple shared some of their dating/wedding plan adventures.

Once seated we ordered a bottle of 2008 Sass Pinot Noir from Willamette Valley Oregon. We have always liked this wine and our waiter even waxed rhapsodic about the stuff.

Cuban pressed sandwiches (with and without chorizo), chicken-pineapple sandwich, and vegetarian paella were the orders for the evening. All delicious, of course.

And for dessert? Cafe con leche with sweetened condensed milk.

Happy times.

Oregon Willamette Valley

How could we go to Oregon and not spend a fews days in the Willamette Valley? We stayed in McMinnville which had been a recommendation of a wine maker from Argyle who had visited Richmond several months ago. It was a good choice. A quaint main street with interesting restaurants and wine bars.

Our temporary abode was the Steiger Haus located a few blocks from Third St (the main street). We had a nice room with a large shower and soaking tub.

Upon checking in, we made a bee-line for the closest wine bar: NW Wine Bar.

We tried a flight of reds and leanred about the differences between the 2006, 2007, and 2008 Pinot Noirs. We received great restaurant recommendations, too.

The Willamette Valley exudes a green lushness amongst its rolling hills. Vineyards abound, but other crops such as hops and flowers for commercial florists also are prevalent.

There were way too many wineries to visit in just a few days. And we lucked out since we were staying in the area over a weekend. Many of the wineries (if they are open to the public) are only open on the weekends, including some of the wine bars in McMinnville. The weekend before Memorial Day turned out to be a good time to go. Many of the wineries were having special tastings and in preperation for the all out blast on Memorial Day weekend (based on the traffic when we were there, I would avoid this weekend at all costs).

Every winery charges a tasting fee, generally $10 which is generally refunded if you purchase wine or join their wine club (wine club membership is a BIG thing here). While $10 is a lot, most of the wines being poured are at least in the $20 range and we tasted quite a few in the $60 range. And the pours are enormous (at least 1 ounce). Thus, visiting more than 4 or 5 places in a day can be taxing on the driver and the palate.

Winery Highlights

Rex Hill The first winery we visited. Good, but we had better at other places.

Four Graces Not available in Virginia. We really liked the Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc.

Argyle Argyle sparking is always good. We also discovered that in Oregon, they also sell a red sparkling pinot noir. The best pinot here was 2006 Cowhouse. Velvety, rich, and hearty.

Adelsheim We have always liked their entry level pinot noir. The other pinots (not available in Virginia) are outstanding. They are also making a Syrah that is peppery and spicy - very Rhone-like.

Bergstrom Wonderful tasting room on top of a hill. Their highest end wine was Sigrid - a Chardonnay.

Beaux Freres Only open on special occasions. On this day, they were having barrel tastings. Except for the barrel tastings, which were great, we were a bit disappointed in the wines. We had heard so much about them, but they did not please our palates.

Domaine Drouhin Gorgeous setting overlooking the valley and endless vineyards. We enjoyed the wines as well.

Anne Amie Another beautiful setting on top of a hill overlooking vines and sheep pastures. Wines were decent. We stopped here because we had seen the labels.

Barking Frog Loved the name. Pouring out of a storefront in Carlton. Decent tasting wines, including some where the grapes were sourced from Washington State.

Anthony Dell Located in a warehouse in McMinnville. The most laid back of the places we visited. Great wines from the Rogue Valley (south of McMinnville).

Restaurant Highlights

Bistro Maison Classic French cuisine with a very French feel to the restaurant.

We did order a local pinot noir Dominio IV that was quite good.

The green salad with bacon and poached egg was delightful.

Portions were huge however. My duck confit was half a duck!

With a generous side of tasty frites.

The owner/manager was very friendly and gave us some free tasting passes to Argyle. And since this is hazelnut country, I liked finishing with a bowl of nuts to crack and sample upon the end of the meal.

Thistle The most memorable restaurant of the trip. This place was located on a side street and took up three shallow storefronts with large picture windows. The first housed the kitchen, pantry, and dish area. The second, dining room. Third, bar. Only 5 employees - chef, sous/prep (chef's lackey), dishwasher, hostess/waitress (chef's wife), and bartender. The decor had the 40's gradeschool  feel sprinkled with funky vintage finds.

We had no reservations, so we waited at the bar and had a bourbon-influenced. These guys were mixing interesting beverages similar to Acacia here in town.

After about 30 minutes, the hostess said she had counter space for us. It turned out to be right in front of the stove and prep area. For us, prime dining spots. Why folks did not reserve these stools is beyond me. Eric, the chef, answered questions and told about the limited and always fresh chalkboard menu.

I tried raw oysters. So tiny, so sweet, so utterly amazing!

We had a local pinot noir Youngberg Hill to drink.

A salad with chicory (bitter green that reminded me a radicchio).

We then had hangar steak and cod as entrees.

And shared a custard and strawberry dessert.

La Rambla This Spanish tapas place was so busy that we had to sit at the expansive bar. No problem. The list of cocktails was extensive and they also featured sangria. Perfect for a couple that had tasted way too much wine over the last couple of days.

We began with roasted marcona almonds (served warm), and then ordered serrano, a salad, potatoes with garlic aoili, grilled shrimp, Spanish meatballs, tri-tips, and grilled beef skewers.

Wonderful, tasty, and satisfying.

We did see one non-wine/food related attraction: Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum. This is the place where the Spruce Goose is on display along with all other manner of aircraft and rockets, including a Titan missile.

While fascinating, the owner is extremely conservative and the displays are definitely biased. The next big projects include housing one of the space shuttles and building a water park out of a retired 747.