A weekend full of good eats, good vino and good pool time in Sonoma, Dry Creek Valley, Alexander Valley, Healdsburg and last but not least Napa.
First nights dinner was at Zin Restaurant & Wine Bar in downtown Healdsburg...a favorite we discovered on our last trip.
Started off with the Mexican Beer Battered Green Beans with Mango Salsa. This may look like plain old tempura but the light perfect crisp sets it apart. Our other appetizer was the grilled squid..the sauce in this was just amazing...an unexpected sweet and spicy taste.
Our latest trend is to bring our own bottle of vino. Zin waives the corkage fee if you purchase at least one bottle from their wine list. Thanks to Lydia and Cary for sharing the great bottle of Artemis from Stags Leap.
And now on to the entrees, I had the Applewood Smoked & Grilled Homestead Farms Natural Pork Chop with Fresh Apple Sauce over Braised Greens and Andouille Sausage & Cornbread Stuffing. If you love smokiness this is your dish! Probably the moistest thick piece of pork I've ever had.
Others had the Zinfandel Braised Short Rib with Potato puree and fresh Corn Salsa, The Sonoma Grilled Duck Breast and the Grilled 'Certified Angus' Hanger Steak with Sauteed Mixed Wild Mushrooms and Mom's Potato & Onion Casserole
And last but not least, the famous Zinfully Decadent Brownie Sundae
with Homemade Chocolate Chunk Coffee Ice Cream! Really enough to serve 4 but we were such pigs we ordered two for the 4 of us and still managed to empty the glass...enough said!
with Homemade Chocolate Chunk Coffee Ice Cream! Really enough to serve 4 but we were such pigs we ordered two for the 4 of us and still managed to empty the glass...enough said!
The following night we dined at the famous Michael Chiraello's Bottega in Yountville. Another place that did not disappoint!
We started with the Truffle-parmiggiano fries...gone in literally less than 5 mins! Nothing you can't possible NOT love...french fries, fresh shaved cheese...just pure yummilicious!
The other two appetizers were the Wood Grilled Octopus olive oil braised potatoes, pickled red onion, salsa verde and the Polenta Under Glass, caramelized wild mushrooms, balsamic game sauce...can I just say smooooothe?!
For our entrees, I had the special of the day roasted pork shoulder over risotto topped with grilled leeks....I didn't expect a pork steak which turned out to be a bit dry but the tasty risotto and grilled leeks still gave the dish a big plus.
The others had the Smoked & Braised Natural Short Ribs with preserved Meyer-lemon spinach, smokey jus which is super tender but a bit fatty (but well worth the taste!) and the Wood Grilled Rack of Grass-Fed Lamb with fresh local cherry & fennel seed dressing, creamy ancient grain polenta which is well marinated and cooked to a perfect medium.
The others had the Smoked & Braised Natural Short Ribs with preserved Meyer-lemon spinach, smokey jus which is super tender but a bit fatty (but well worth the taste!) and the Wood Grilled Rack of Grass-Fed Lamb with fresh local cherry & fennel seed dressing, creamy ancient grain polenta which is well marinated and cooked to a perfect medium.
And then we polished off the meal with the lava cake which you must pre-order as it takes 30 mins to make. Well worth it...melts in your mouth!
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