Thursday Night Dinner

Tonight's dinner at Flavor Bistro:

Bruschetta Alla Caprese--Topped with Fresh Mozzarella, Organic Toy Box Tomato Salsa, Balsamic Glaze & Parmigiano-Reggiano paired with 2011 Gainey Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc, Santa Ynez Valley

Risotto Di Campagna--Arborio Rice Cooked with Homemade Chicken Sausage, Sweet Peas & Basil paired with Mossback Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley

 

 

Brasato Di Maiale--Slow Cooked Pork Medallion Flavored with Porcini Mushrooms Served in a Sugo D'Aglio, Fontina Polenta & Grilled Organic Endive paired with 2008 St. Francis Winery & Vineyards Merlot, Sonoma County

 

Semifreddo Alle Fragole--Italian Style Ice Cream Float, Homemade Vanilla Gelato, Fresh Strawberries, Cream & Cookies paired with 2011 Bonterra Vineyards Bartolucci Vineyard Late Harvest Muscat, Lake County

2013 06 06

Splash, Part 2





We liked the clam chowder so much that when we made the return trip, we stopped at Splash again. We should have left well enough alone.



 

 

Fish Taco--$3.95. This was not a typical fish taco. There was no cabbage and no white sauce. There was guacamole sauce but it didn't add much to the flavor.

 

Fish & Chips--$7.95. Nice pieces of whole fish deep fried. The batter was light but if you were expecting British fish & chips, you would be disappointed. The curly fries were undercooked.

 

Steamed Clams--$5.95 for 1/2 lb. These were the biggest disappointment of the meal. The clams were chewy and had been cooked too long.

 

Splash is also a bakery. On the way out, I saw this Downtowner and purchased one for $2.25. This was a cinnamon roll with a crispy outer part. It was tasty and the only saving grace of our return trip.

 

 

 

 

2013 05 27

Alphy's, Arroyo Grande

We went to downtown Arroyo Grande for the Strawberry Festival. This was the 30th annual event.

 

Alphy's Broiler is located at 130 W. Branch Street.

 

Baja Fish Tacos--Broiled ahi, napa cabbage, cilantro, tomato and Jack cheese. Served with salsa fresca & Alphy's Baja sauce on corn tortillas--$9.95. There were 2 tacos, piled high with cabbage and cheese. This was okay. They weren't the best fish tacos I've had but they were decent. The Baja sauce was watery and needed more flavor.

 

 

 

2013 05 26

Splash, San Luis Obispo

We took a road trip to Arroyo Grande and stopped in San Luis Obispo to have lunch. I had read about great clam chowder at Splash and stopped in to see for myself.

 

Splash is located at 1491 Monterey Street in San Luis Obispo. It's a short distance from Highway 101.

 

Bowl of clam chowder--$4.95 and Side Salad--$2.50. The clam chowder was fantastic. It was thick and creamy and had great flavor. It's one of the best clam chowders I have had.

Special sandwich of the day--Wahoo filet served on ciabatta for $8.95. There was a nice piece of wahoo and it was well cooked.

2013 05 25

Taste Alexander Valley, Part 2

 Day 2 of the Taste Alexander Valley weekend.

 

Truffle Polenta with Braised Beef Cheeks by Peloton at Rodney Strong.

 

Grilled Ribeye with Pasta at deLorimier Winery.

 

Grilled Pork at Garden Creek Ranch Vineyards & Winery. This is a small family winery that is only open to the public once a year. They produce only a Chardonnay and a Cabernet--both were delicious but available only to Wine Club members.

 

Angus Beef Brisket Slider Topped with Pickled Peppers and Jeff Mall's BBQ Sauce by Zin Catering at Stryker Winery.

 

BBQ lunch of Sausage, Baked Beans, Coleslaw and Corn Muffins served at Field Stone Winery.

 

Pork Slider at Hanna Winery.

 

Zinful Shish Kebabs at Soda Rock Winery.

 

 

 

2013 05 19

Taste Alexander Valley

The 16th annual Taste Alexander Valley occurred May 18-19. It was a 2-day food and wine pairing event featuring 28 wineries in the Alexander Valley.

 

The 2-day weekend pass was $65. Coppola Wineries offered $10 off with their promo code.

 

 

J Rickards & Pech Merle Wineries offered Salmon Cake on a Bed of Dressed Artisanal Greens Served with Roasted Fingerling Potatoes.

 

Arbios Cellars & Pendleton Estate offered their tasting at the Locals Tasting Room in downtown Geyserville. Their wines were paired with Italian Sliders with House-made Pork Belly and Roasted Herbed Pork Loin prepared by local chef Chris Greenwald. This was delicious and incredibly flavorful.

 

BBQ Beef Brisket Sliders by Peloton Catering at Trione.

 

Buttermilk Poached Loin at Simi Winery.

 

Grilled Chicken & Spring Citrus Slaw at Stuhlmuller Vineyards.

 

Chopped Pork Sliders by Boffo Cart at Hawkes Winery.

 

 

 

Beef Sliders at White Oak Vineyards & Winery.

 

 

 

2013 05 18

 

Downtown Bakery & Creamery, Healdsburg

I was looking for a breakfast place in Healdsburg and found Downtown Bakery & Creamery.

 

Downtown Bakery & Creamery is located in downtown Healdsburg at 308A Center Street.

 

Sticky Bun for $2.25. This was the best sticky bun I have ever had. The outside had a caramelized crispness yet it was not overly sweet or sticky. I loved it!

 

Croissant for $2.25. This didn't look as good as the one at Bouchon but the outside was crispy and flaky and the inside was soft. It was a substantial croissant and quite a good bargain.

 

Peach Pocket for $1.75. This had a nice peach filling and the puff pastry was flaky.

 

Overall, this was a great find. It was inexpensive and tasty!

 

 

 

2013 05 18