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| - Esposa and I celebrated a late Valentine's Day dinner at Palo Verde at Boulders Resort & Spa, for their "Private Dining in Our Wine Room".
We had the Wine Room to ourselves. From beginning to end, it was a spectacular evening. We enjoyed 5 amazing food courses each perfectly paired to a delicious wine.
Opener: California sparkling wine (Mumm Prestige NV).
- Course 1: Octopus. Brined in coak-soaked secret potion. Super tender. Very flavorful. OMG. BEST we've had ANYWHERE. Paired with a delicious Monterey rosé (Chloe 2016).
- Course 2: Diver scallops with king crab and truffled risotto. WTF? Three of my wife's favorite things combined. High five! Paired with a crisp and bright French Chablis (William Fevre 2016), thankfully devoid of nasty oakiness; delicious.
- Course 3: Thrice cooked (roast, smoke, sear) lamb ribs with red peppers and a creamy sauce. The meat truly (sorry millennials, but you've ruined the word "literally") fell off the bone. By this point in the meal, I had tears in my eyes. Paired with a silky smooth Paso Robles Grenache (Melée 2011).
- Course 4: Akaushi steaks with Japanese mushrooms on a lovely starch base. The meat was perfectly cooked and no knife was necessary! Paired with an Argentinian blend of Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Bonarda (no I'd not heard of the latter before, either). It was full bodied with solid but balanced tannins (Renacer Enamore 2014)
- Course 5: A big ball of chocolate sin. 'nuf said. Paired with a lovely ruby port.
With each course, the chef hand-delivered a beautifully-plated dish to us and explained the food and preparation. The sommelier then followed with a description of the wine and how it paired with the food. This trio was a well-oiled machine that pulled off a perfect evening for us. We shared a laugh with all of them. I think that maybe they had as much fun as us?
Want a special night with amazing food: look no further!
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