The thought of staying in town for Labor Day held not one whit of appeal.
It was perfectly clear nothing was happening here.
Fortunately for me, I was plenty welcome at a holiday celebration outside the city.
It's the first time in memory that I was away for all three summer holidays and while there's a certain charm to being one of the remaining few over a long weekend, I've done that plenty.
It wasn't a big party, but those who did attend were superior conversationalists and I even lucked into a willing companion who accompanied me down gravel roads and on nature trails in a nearby park when I needed my walking fix.
You can take the girl out of the city, but she's going to want to get in her miles no matter where she is.
I was the last to arrive and just in time for the opening of some Graham Beck bubbly, the absolute best way to kick off a holiday.
My affection for South African wine is common knowledge in this group, although I didn't see anyone else turning it down, either.
Once the sparkling had everyone in a thoroughly festive mood, we took a field trip to the local Italian joint for, what else, pizza and Italian hoagies.
The only hiccup there was when the 2007 Bella Sera Pinot Grigio arrived long past its prime, smelling suspect and tasting downright disgusting.
Our server handled it with aplomb, going downstairs and, as she said, "crawling through the bottles" to find a more recent vintage.
The 2011 did far more justice to the onion rings and garnered her a bigger tip for the effort.
I'd like to say we were ambitious enough to play croquet or badminton when we returned, but the super-saturated air did little to encourage movement.
Truth be told, some people even napped.
Once everyone was vertical again, we moved directly to happy hour and the traditional lighting of the grill for the holiday meal.
My skill set wasn't required for cooking lamb but I was consulted about the music mix for the evening.
Between Pandora and me, I think we created several stellar playlists using my chosen starting points: Small Black, The Love Language and Twin Shadow.
The oh-so-'80s synth-pop based first set was (in my humble opinion) as good a holiday night soundtrack as anyone could have hoped for.
Tell the story how you want to
Make up all the details
Tell me what feels good
I don't care
You're no stranger
To me
True, everyone was sitting rather than actually dancing, but I did see some feet doing the horizontal mambo on a chaise lounge.
Okay, they were mine, but the point is, if it hadn't been so humid and if the wine hadn't been so free-flowing, it would have been a Labor Day dance party by the time the evening wound down.
As it was, it ended reluctantly, so we found one last activity before calling it a (labor) day.
Because we were beyond the worst of the city lights, our fine holiday celebration ended with star-gazing and perhaps even a little silent wishing on a star for those who were so inclined.
Don't look at me. I state my wishes outright and out loud.
Showing posts with label graham beck brut. Show all posts
Showing posts with label graham beck brut. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Chez Foushee 20th Anniversary Dinner Part Deux
I'd never been to Chez Foushee for anything but lunch; I know they do First Fridays dinners, but I always seem to have other plans.
When they announced their 20th anniversary dinner, a three-course meal for 1989 prices, it seemed like a golden opportunity to pay them a visit.
The dinner was scheduled for October 17th, but both seatings sold out immediately, so they extended it to tonight, hence the "Part Deux" reference.
I invited Beer Geek friend to join me, but he was going to be on the Left Coast, so I made a reservation for one.
Upon arrival, the host asked me my name, I responded and he greeted me like they'd been expecting me all evening.
It was very sweet.
I have to assume it was because I was their only reservation for one all evening.
I was led to a cozy table tucked in an alcove.
If I ever go here with a date, it's the table I would request (it reminded me of a table where I had an intimate meal in London several years ago).
The menu was very basic, but for $20 for three courses, who's going to complain?
They were offering several champagne cocktail specials, but I went with the Graham Beck Brut unadulterated, since it was an anniversary celebration.
The first course was non-negotiable: a mixed green salad with Roma tomatoes, organic carrots, herb-roasted croutons and pear vinaigrette.
Paired with a crusty roll and more butter than I needed, it was a fine start to the meal.
There were two entree choices: sliced seared fillet of beef with red wine reduction or jumbo lump crab cake with parsley Pernod sauce, both accompanied by roasted rosemary potatoes and buttered blanched asparagus.
I'd had red meat last night, so I chose crab tonight.
It was a good-sized crab cake, flavorful and perfectly cooked and the veggies complemented it well.
For dessert, there was lemon butter cake with Melba sauce, a timeless recipe Chez Foushee has been using for its entire 20-year existence and a classic, to be sure.
I've had it before at lunch and it is yummy, sort of like lemon chess pie.
It tastes very Richmond to me.
But tonight I went with the obvious, the chocolate truffle torte with Chantilly cream, which I couldn't even finish.
I did manage to finish the rest of the Brut somehow, though.
I have to give a mention to the music, both the selection and the volume, because it was so well done that it elevated the entire experience for me.
First of all, it was louder than I've encountered at any other Richmond restaurant.
Not you-can't-hear-your-dinner-partner loud, but more like you were dining in a 1940s movie and they had a band with a girl singer playing throughout the evening kind of a volume.
The music itself was of a continental nature; there was lots of Latin music, especially bossa nova and salsa, French love songs, selections from the classic American songbook and it all contributed to a sophisticated kind of a dining vibe that, to my knowledge, isn't available anywhere here.
I absolutely loved it.
Included with the check was a souvenir of the occasion, a Chez Foushee key chain, in tasteful black and gold.
As I went to leave, the host again spoke to me by name, inquiring after my meal satisfaction and thanking me sincerely for joining them.
Sure, he could have just been marvelling at a solo Saturday night diner, but whatever the reason, it was charming and made for a lovely ending to my meal...and a twenty-dollar meal at that.
Bubbles, of course, were extra.
When they announced their 20th anniversary dinner, a three-course meal for 1989 prices, it seemed like a golden opportunity to pay them a visit.
The dinner was scheduled for October 17th, but both seatings sold out immediately, so they extended it to tonight, hence the "Part Deux" reference.
I invited Beer Geek friend to join me, but he was going to be on the Left Coast, so I made a reservation for one.
Upon arrival, the host asked me my name, I responded and he greeted me like they'd been expecting me all evening.
It was very sweet.
I have to assume it was because I was their only reservation for one all evening.
I was led to a cozy table tucked in an alcove.
If I ever go here with a date, it's the table I would request (it reminded me of a table where I had an intimate meal in London several years ago).
The menu was very basic, but for $20 for three courses, who's going to complain?
They were offering several champagne cocktail specials, but I went with the Graham Beck Brut unadulterated, since it was an anniversary celebration.
The first course was non-negotiable: a mixed green salad with Roma tomatoes, organic carrots, herb-roasted croutons and pear vinaigrette.
Paired with a crusty roll and more butter than I needed, it was a fine start to the meal.
There were two entree choices: sliced seared fillet of beef with red wine reduction or jumbo lump crab cake with parsley Pernod sauce, both accompanied by roasted rosemary potatoes and buttered blanched asparagus.
I'd had red meat last night, so I chose crab tonight.
It was a good-sized crab cake, flavorful and perfectly cooked and the veggies complemented it well.
For dessert, there was lemon butter cake with Melba sauce, a timeless recipe Chez Foushee has been using for its entire 20-year existence and a classic, to be sure.
I've had it before at lunch and it is yummy, sort of like lemon chess pie.
It tastes very Richmond to me.
But tonight I went with the obvious, the chocolate truffle torte with Chantilly cream, which I couldn't even finish.
I did manage to finish the rest of the Brut somehow, though.
I have to give a mention to the music, both the selection and the volume, because it was so well done that it elevated the entire experience for me.
First of all, it was louder than I've encountered at any other Richmond restaurant.
Not you-can't-hear-your-dinner-partner loud, but more like you were dining in a 1940s movie and they had a band with a girl singer playing throughout the evening kind of a volume.
The music itself was of a continental nature; there was lots of Latin music, especially bossa nova and salsa, French love songs, selections from the classic American songbook and it all contributed to a sophisticated kind of a dining vibe that, to my knowledge, isn't available anywhere here.
I absolutely loved it.
Included with the check was a souvenir of the occasion, a Chez Foushee key chain, in tasteful black and gold.
As I went to leave, the host again spoke to me by name, inquiring after my meal satisfaction and thanking me sincerely for joining them.
Sure, he could have just been marvelling at a solo Saturday night diner, but whatever the reason, it was charming and made for a lovely ending to my meal...and a twenty-dollar meal at that.
Bubbles, of course, were extra.
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