Belly Up to the Bar With Bendy and Her Friendies!!! Button Pics & New Thread Started!

[honeybee30]

Try it with dark chocolate....

It's funny. I never thought about pairing a beer with dessert, until I tried this stuff. But you're right--it would be really good with dark chocolate!

 

[madameleota71]

[/QUOTE]

That bottle looks too pretty for beer!

 

[ChelleinNC]

I have a quick drink report from this weekend, with a crazy beer that y'all just have to try!

The DGF and I dropped by a downtown brewery on Saturday for a few drinks and a bite to eat. Tyler's Taproom is a hopping place with about 3 locations in the area, a seasonal menu, about 60 beers on tap, and really good fried pickles.

I am pretty pedictable--I ordered a hard cider. Dry Blackthorn Cider to be exact. It's a very tasty british cider, but my favorite is still Strongbow. (I treated myself to a Strongbow tonight at yet another favorite watering hole downtown. $3 pints on Wednesdays! )

Heather went out on a limb and ordered a pint of Kasteel Rouge. This stuff is the Rosa Regale of beers! Kasteel Rouge is served in a goblet glass and pours dark maroon with pink foam on top. It's a Belgian ale that is brewed with cherries, aged for a year, and has 8.5% alcohol. Really interesting. A bit sweet, but definitely different!

Here's a picture:

I'm really not a beer drinker --maybe 1 a year plus an ale &/or Strongbow at Rose & Crown This sounds really interesting, if I ever come across it I'll have to give it a try

 

[kabuki]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHELSI!

CHELSI -

Thank you! I had a great day and need to download the pics for you all!

 

[cdtommie]

All of the Kasteel offerings are quite good. If you like the cherry sours Rodenbach is fantasic and if you're really adventurous try the Cantillon Kriek.

 

[kabuki]

Hi everyone - Just wanted to put up some pictures and a review of my Birthday stuff yesterday. It was a great day in Napa and my Jason really made it wonderful for me.

We started out at Flora Springs - we have been club members and did the tour and a three hour tasting. We must have had 18 wines.. It was amazing!

 

[kabuki]

Then we went back down to Yountville and had lunch at Bottega - Michael Chiarello's new place. The food was amazing and the service was great. For the area the prices were not bad. When you have three Thomas Keller places in two miles from you I guess you have to TRY!

Outside

Place Setting

 

[kabuki]

Menu

 

[kabuki]

Open Kitchen

 

[kabuki]

OK! The Food!

We started with some Rose Sparkling from Domanine Carneros! It was really wonderful! No pictures -

But here is the BREAD and a garlic and cheese dip they bring out! SO good!

Then we tried the Burrata
Creamy filled fresh mozzarella with artichoke two ways, lemon braised and crispy $12

They make this Daily and I have seen it on the show. It was SO GOOD! Like a big pillow of cheese!

 

[kabuki]

Next we had the Wood Grilled Octopus olive oil braised potatoes, pickled red onion, salsa verde $14

This again was amazing. I love seafood and octopus was so good. Not chewy or fishy but grilled and wonderful!

Then we had the Green-Egg and Ham Olive oil-poached Delta asparagus, crispy soft-boiled egg, prosciutto bits and Cambozola crema $14

This was the best thing of the day to me.. I love that you can deep fry an egg and yet have it run in the middle!

 

[kabuki]

YES! We had more!
My main was Smoked & Braised Natural Short Ribs preserved-lemon spinach, smokey jus $28

Fall off the bone yummy godness!

Jason had -Garganelli with Balsamic Rabbit Sugo, wild mushrooms & asparagus tips $19

This was wonderful - so rich and perfect!

Our friend got -Wild nettles, Swiss chard & ricotta Tortelli, sage browned butter & pine-nut gremolata $15

As you can see we are all light eaters!
I loved the crispy bits on top!

 

[PNO4TE]

kabuki - looks like a terrific day!

 

[kabuki]

OK! on to Dolci! I am not a sweets girl .. I could have had a drink and another pasta but my husband who I call sugar boy loves it. So we split two things!

Torta Sabiosa e Frahole Pazzo - 20 Years aged balsamic, macerated strawberries, torta sabiosa and marscapone cheese -$10

Berry Crostata -citrus infused berries with basil ice cream

The 1st was like fancy shortcake - very good but I liked the Crostata best. The basil ice cream was wonderful!

and Yes! My head is the size of a platter!

 

[kabuki]

kabuki - looks like a terrific day!

Thank you! It was!

 

[kabuki]

After we did a drive by at the French Laundry -

Thomas Keller was in the drive way when we went around the street but guess who had put het camera away! So this is what I got ..

I food geeked out for a bit seeing the man in person .. then I was like wow- Chelsi calm down .. it wasn't like he was going to invite you in for free food.. OH BUT IF HE DID!

Then we ended at

One more glass and off the airport to home!

A perfect birthday .. thanks for all the well wishes! I am going to the 1st day of teh festival at Disneyland tomorrow and will post what I can!

 

[*KeepMovingForward*]

YES! We had more!
My main was Smoked & Braised Natural Short Ribs preserved-lemon spinach, smokey jus $28

OK! on to Dolci! I am not a sweets girl .. I could have had a drink and another pasta but my husband who I call sugar boy loves it. So we split two things!
Berry Crostata -citrus infused berries with basil ice cream

The 1st was like fancy shortcake - very good but I liked the Crostata best. The basil ice cream was wonderful!

and Yes! My head is the size of a platter!

These look totally delicious! Actually, everything looks fabulous. Thank you so so much for sharing your birthday pics with us.

 

[whogirl'smom]

What a fabulous birthday, Chelsi! Everything looks wonderful and reminds me that salad for lunch did not fill me up! The berry crostata looks really good, never tried basil ice cream.

Have fun at Disneyland tomorrow!

 

[TigerKat]

Chelsi - Looks like y'all had an amazing day!

 

[UGABelle]

Hi all -

I've been a lurker on Brenda's reports, but I just found this site and have to speak up... I LOVE IT! I'm heading to the beginning to catch up, but I'll be back and hopefully will have some recipies/food porn of my own to add!

Thanks for starting this thread, Bendy (if I can call you that)!