The
secret to
eating out
lately?
Maybe it's
to save your
bucks on the
small trips
to
restaurants
and then
splurge on
one great
meal, a la
the
Stag's Leap
Dinner on
Thursday,
August 21
at
Christine's
Restaurant?
You could
think of it
as your
personal
last supper,
if that
helps.
For $80 a head plus tax and gratuity, Christine's, our best new restaurant in Broward for 2008, will treat you to a three-course pairing and Champagne reception. With desert included as well, that's not bad if you break it down - and you'll only need to forgo about 8 hamburgers to save the cash for it. The wines in question are a 2006 Chardonnay, 2005 Petite Syrah, 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, and 2005 Merlot from Stag's Leap, one of Napa's earliest wine estates, according to their site. They're not to be confused with Stag's Leap Wine Cellars, one of the most prestigious crafters in Cali. I've never had the pleasure of sampling one of their wines, but the Petit Syrah, in particular, sounds interesting.
Christine's also promises "One chef for every 10 guests," as a way of guaranteeing the uniqueness and quality of each dish. Is that the optimal ratio? Anyway, the menu looks amazing. I'm particularly enticed by the roasted veal noisettes with crispy sweetbreads, oyster mushrooms, early peas, red wine demi-glace. Then again, if you wrote the words "crispy sweetbreads" on a piece of paper and handed it to me I'd eat the paper.
Hit the jump for the full list of courses and pairings.
Chef's Amuse-Bouche
Prosciutto di Parma Wrapped Summer Peach
with Basil, and 15 year old Balsamic Drizzle
Roederer Estate, Anderson Valley, Sparkling, NV
First
Course
Pan
Seared
Diver
Scallop
Apricot
& Cashew
Cous-Cous,
Mache,
Light
Butter
Sauce
Stags'
Leap
Winery,
Chardonnay,
Napa
Valley,
2006
This
Chardonnay
is a
story of
balance,
a
delicious
intersection
of
richness
and
minerality
achieved
through
careful
selection
of
fruit,
hand
picking,
and
traditional
techniques
that are
part of
the
winery's
classical
standard
of
winegrowing.
Second
Course
Roasted
Veal
Noisettes
Crispy
Sweetbreads,
Oyster
Mushrooms,
Early
Peas,
Red Wine
Demi-Glace
Stags'
Leap
Winery,
Merlot,
Napa
Valley,
2005
Merlot
vines
grow
exceptionally
in the
Bale
Loams of
Stags'
Leap:
alluvial
soils
with
volcanic
ash
minerality.
Careful
vineyard
selection,
followed
by
meticulous
farming
yields a
Merlot
with
rich
fruit
flavors,
full
body,
and firm
structure.
&
Stags'
Leap
Winery,
Cabernet
Sauvignon,
Napa
Valley
2005
Cabernet
Sauvignon
is
synonymous
with the
Napa
Valley
in
general
and
Stags
Leap
District
in
particular.
This is
a
well-balanced,
luscious
and
velvety
wine
with
complex
layers
of plum,
spice,
and
coffee.
Third
Course
Barolo
Braised
Short
Rib
French
Green
Lentils,
Haricots
Verts,
Baby
Carrots,
Natural
Jus
Stag's
Leap
Winery,
Petite
Syrah,
Napa
Valley,
2005
Out of a
1920s
era
field
blend
block
has
risen a
legacy
of
richly
aromatic
Petite
Syrahs,
voluptuous
in the
mouth,
central
to
Stags'
Leaps'
commitment
to Rhone
varietals.
Dessert
"Christo"
Phyllo
wrapped
Bosc
Pear
Peach
Gelato
"J" Pear Liqueur
Starts at 7 p.m. Reservations are required; call 954-566-1919.
-- John Linn