Blue Bamboo Wine Dinner 4/14/09

This is Chef Dennis' last wine dinner for the season. He won't be doing another one until around September. But what a way to end a season!

The first course was Soft-shell Crab in Creamy Lobster Bisque paired with Gainey Sauvignon Blanc. Normally I'd think a Sauv Blanc would be too citrusy and vibrant for such a dish. But due to the 25% Semillon added to the wine, it gave it a nice, creamy mouthfeel and paired very nicely with the dish!

The second course was Coconut-Lemongrass Chicken with Thai-Basil Rice paired with Roshambo Imago Chardonnay. Chef Dennis' father picked the snow peas that garnished the rice that very morning, so they were very fresh. The chicken was tender, the rice was great, and the chardonnay was the perfect match.

The third course was Kansas City Pork "Rib" with Tortilla Slaw paired with Babich Pinot Noir. Several things to note about this course. First off, I'm not a fan of barbeque sauce. But this sauce on the pork was fantastic! It wasn't slathered on, which I think is what made it perfect for me. It was merely an enhancement to the meat. Secondly, I don't care for cole slaw. Again, Chef Dennis opened my eyes to a new possibility. It was the addition of the tortilla strips to a fresh mix of ingredients that made it perfect. And thirdly...the wine by itself was just okay. When paired with the pork, however, the smokiness of the sauce melded with the similar flavors in the wine. Delicious!

The fourth course was Katsu Ribeye with Yoghurt Cheese Stick and Shitake-Berry Compote paired with Rombauer Merlot and Bleasdale Shiraz. Can I just say...WOW! Two thumbs up on that pairing.

And last, but certainly not least, the dessert. Be careful not to drool here...Orange-Cream Cheese "Bear Claw" paired with Royal Tokaji Five Putonyos. Just look at the photo. I think it speaks volumes. It was even better than it looks in the photo. Flaky pastry, delicious filling, wonderful wine. Exceptional!

See the full gallery on posterous

Many thanks for an enjoyable evening to the wonderful Blue Bamboo crew: Executive Chef Dennis Chan and Sous Chefs Michael Kimpland, Benjamin Combs, Christopher Eng, Lauren O'Grady, Shelby Cochrane and Tabatha Boone.

We're looking forward to September!

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Tonight's Wines and Tasting Notes

Good wine selection tonight! We tasted:

Snoqualmie Vineyards Chardonnay - unlike any chardonnay I've tasted, this was a little sweeter than your usual chard. Very refreshing!

Seven Daughters White Blend - a blend of French Colombard, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewurztraminer, Riesling, Orange Muscat, Chardonnay and Symphony. It sounds like it would be really sweet, but it wasn't. It had beautiful melon aromas and was a good balance of sweet and citrus.

Snoqualmie Vineyards Merlot - velvety smooth on the palate. A few people mentioned that there was a somewhat bitter aftertaste, but I didn't get that at all. This would be perfect with cheese and crackers.

Seven Daughters Red Blend - a blend of Merlot, Zinfandel, Syrah, Carignan, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese. I tasted spices from the Zin and rich, ripe fruits from the Syrah. The Cab Franc gave it its body. Every mouthful showed different lush fruits.

Normally I don't like every wine at the tastings, but these were all very tasty!