Dear Feastlings,
After lo these many years, you know that we’re not apt to pass out noisemakers and pots and pans to bang on at midnight, but we do like to put on the dog when it comes to food and wine. By the time you read this, we may or may not have openings for dinner on New Year’s Eve, but with people adding and subtracting, canceling and trying to hop on and off a wait list, the only way you’ll know if we can accommodate you is to call. The number you’ll need is 326-9363. Our menu will be composed of a three-course prix fixe menu, as opposed to years past when it’s been four courses, but with prices going up, fewer seats in the restaurant and staffing more difficult than ever, it’s a way that we could keep from pricing ourselves out of the New Year’s dinner market and still offer you something pretty. We’ll also have limited selections from our regular menu available that night.
If you’d rather not join us here in person, or you couldn’t get a seat at the time you’d hoped for, we’re also offering an hors d’oeuvre menu with wine pairings if you’re so inclined. You’ll need to order that one in advance, though, by the end of the day on Tuesday, December 28.
If you ARE able to join us here, the prix fixe menu, barring supply line issues, will look like this:
New Year’s Eve Dinner at Feast
First course- choice of:
Bay leaf butter-poached shrimp with spinach-almond custard and tempura-fried Spanish olives.
NV Orleans Borbón Manzanilla Sherry, Manzanilla Sanlucar de Barrameda
Goose and mushroom ragout with pine needle essence, served in goose demiglace with cappuccino top and cracklings. ◊
2014 GoGi “Birdie” Pinot Noir, Ampelos Vineyards, Santa Rita Hills
Roasted Delicata squash stuffed with roasted sweet peppers, with crispy shallots and tomato-caper cream. ◊
2015 Domaine Comté Abbatucci “Faustine” Red Blend, Vieilles Vignes, Île de Beauté
Second course- choice of:
Cashew custard tart with lemon-peel crust, paper-thin omelette, garlic-honey cashews and roasted winter vegetables tossed in spinach pesto.
2015 Hanzell Chardonnay, Sonoma Valley
Lobster in peach cream over caramelized Nappa cabbage. Served with a pear-almond tuile. ◊
2016 Yves Cuilleron “Lyseras” Saint-Joseph Blanc
Licorice-glazed double lamb chop, served over pasta alla Gricia, with micro basil and radish sprouts.
2009 Château Massereau “Cuvée K” Bordeaux Supérieur
Third course- choice of:
Flourless chocolate cake with Agricole Rum-spiked figs, with limequat crème anglaise. ◊
2016 Olivares Dulce Monastrell, Jumilla DOP
Pain d’Épices with dried apricot and ginger compote, with cultured Chantilly cream.
2017 Jorge Ordoñez “N⁰ 2 Victoria” Moscatel Dulce, Málaga DO
Double cream Brie on brioche with Italian meringues streaked with caramel and passionfruit. ◊
2015 Champalou “La Moelleuse de Champalou” Vouvray
Prix Fixe: $65 plus tax and gratuity
Wine pairing, $45
All prix fixe individual selections available a la carte, as well as these choices:
Pork trifecta~ country-style terrine with pistachios, braised belly, and fried tail, with tangerine-persimmon sauce. ◊
15
Grilled pear salad~ Grilled Bosc pears, double cream brie, oil-cured olives and garlic-candied pecans. Served over butter lettuce in a creamy Sherry-nutmeg vinaigrette. ◊ 15
Grilled venison medallion served over a savory frangipane tart with truffled duck liver mousse and garlic-pear jam. Served with braised leek greens. * 32
wine pairing:
2013 J. Hofstätter “Barthenau Vigna S. Urbano” Pinot Nero, Alto Adige DOC 20
Bouillabaisse~ classic tomato-saffron soup with mussels, shrimp, scallops, half a Maine lobster and sea bass. Garnished with toast points and rouille. ◊ 35
wine pairing:
20138 Inglenook “Blancaneaux” (Viognier/Marsanne/Roussanne,) Rutherford, Napa Valley 20
Butterscotch pot de creme~ Custard with Scotch whiskey and butter, served with black tea whipped cream and a walnut shortbread cookie. ◊ 10
Chocolate cajeta tart~ pastry crust filled with dark chocolate ganache and cajeta custard. Garnished with goat cheese streusel. 10