2010 Girard Artistry

16 May

From here on out, I’m doing tastings WSET style!

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Appearance
Clarity: clear
Intensity: medium deep
Colour: ruby/ garnet
Nose
Condition: clean
Intensity: medium+
Aroma Characteristics: red fruits like cherry or raspberry, dried fruits such as fig, and strawberries, jamminess, a hint of toasted spice
Palate
Sweetness: dry
Acidity: medium+
Tannin: medium+ – grippy
Body: medium
Flavour Characteristics: dried/stewed fruits, bright red, almost a hint of green pepper
Finish: long
Conclusion
Quality: Good+

2010 CMS Red by Hedges

19 Apr

My local grocery store has a very limited wine selection, so when I’m in a pinch I tend to go for the CMS Red by Hedges. This is my grocery store go-to for two reasons, 1) I met the winemaker and that positive connection and deeper understanding of the brand always makes me more likely to buy a wine and 2) I think this wine is a good value.

My Tasting Notes
This Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah blend from Columbia Valley is pretty acidic with light tannins and could probably stand to age a bit. It had dark fruits on the nose with a hint of slate mixed in. The bright fruit flavor and medium body make this an easy drinking wine.

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Redd

18 Apr

Since working in, and thoroughly enjoying the wine industry, I have grown to have tremendous respect for sommelier Rick Bakas. I have learned quite a bit from his wine knowledge and marketing savvy, so when I headed to Napa last weekend I asked him for the one restaurant and winery that I shouldn’t miss. His restaurant recommendation was Redd, so we stopped by after a few wine tastings in downtown Yountville. We were only able to grab a few dishes off the bar menu, but what we tried did not disappoint. I would highly recommend Redd to anyone looking for a nice dinner in Yountville. Here’s what we sampled:

FLOYS Margarita Fresca

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This speciality margarita was intense, but not necessarily in a bad way. I don’t know that I expected what I ordered, and explained it as tasting like my favorite salsa verde had been spiked. The thick, richly flavored margarita was oddly filling but refreshing, spicy but bright. If you’re up for a cocktail adventure, this fun drink is sure to perk up your tastebuds.

Steamed Hoisin Pork Buns with Asian Slaw

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Possibly the best buns I’ve had. I’m a dough girl, and the bun was perfectly soft and sticky. The pork was also wonderful, and the combined flavors cannot be beat. Even if you don’t sit at the bar, I highly recommend asking for the pork buns as an appetizer.

Fish Tacos

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The fish was very nice, the guacamole was delicious, and I liked that this was served with both a hard and a soft taco shell. As much as I love tacos, this time I was much more interested in the flavors of the pork buns.

Overall, this was a great dining experience and we didn’t even get to the dinner menu! I look forward to heading back to Redd in the future and experiencing what their dinner menu has to offer (their brunch looks delicious, too!).

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Food Photography New Years Resolution 3

7 Apr

I’ve missed quite a few weeks (or months), but don’t want to completely give up on my food photography resolution. Here’s a shot from a lovely Sunday in the West Loop with Stumptown Coffee and a Cinnamon Roll from Little Goat Bread.

Little Goat Cinnamon Roll

Photo #3 | ISO 400 | 32mm | f/4.8 | 1/50

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Little Goat

2 Apr

Steph Izard is one of my favorite chefs, and the West Loop’s breakfast options are slim, so I have been anxiously waiting to try Little Goat. After hearing mixed reviews from friends, I couldn’t wait to try it myself.

I am happy to report that I had an incredible experience at Little Goat. First, I am a big fan of their wait list text message system which allows you to leave the restaurant and receive a text when your table is ready. We were able to go next door and enjoy a margarita while waiting for our table. Our server (Jake) could not have been nicer, his recommendations were perfect and he even took us on a tour of the private space when we were done eating. Finally, I really enjoyed everything that I ate. Overall, my first experience at Little Goat was excellent.

LOS DROWNED
braised beef . avocado . buttercase cheese . pickles . spicy mayo . hoagie
Los Drowned Sandwich at Little Goat

Los Drowned was my favorite dish that we tried. The flavors were rich and delicious, and the hoagie was perfect.

BISCUITS AND GRAVY
BUTTERED DINNER ROLLS
FRIED PICKLES & ONION RINGS
bread & butter pickles . ranch . curry mayo
Biscuits and gravy and dinner rolls

I very much enjoyed the biscuits and gravy, and the buttered dinner rolls were my second favorite dish that we tried. The homemade rolls with garlic butter were an incredible (and addicting) combination.

TACO SALAD
goat . chili . chips . shredded iceberg . cheddar . olives . tangy french dressing
Taco Salad Little Goat

This is not your traditional taco salad, and I think that is a good thing. It was original, fresh and quite tasty.

Wine: With a meal all over to board like this, I just went with what I like… a refreshing glass of Sauvignon Blanc. I can’t say that it went with everything, but it was crisp and delicious on it’s own.

Quick Rating:
Once a month
Once a quarter
Once a year
If I have to
Never again

I’ve already been back. The friendly service, fair prices, and deliciously creative food are hard to resist . I imagine I will be frequenting Little Goat more than once a month (I’m already planning my next meal), and highly recommend that anyone who enjoys a good diner and/or Stephanie’s culinary style give it a try.

Photos of the event space:

Little Goat Private Event Space

Little Goat Private Event Space 2

Little Goat Private Event Space 3

Little Goat Private Event Space 4

Little Goat Private Event Space 5

Little Goat Private Event Space 6

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Valentine’s Day Wine

14 Feb

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Vida Organica Chardonnay sparkling wine from Mendoza. My go-to bubbly, made Charmat method with organic Chardonnay grapes. Citrus fruit aromas with delicate yeast scents. Fresh flavors, good balance and quite delightful.

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Letizia’s Fiore | Quick Review

17 Jan Tagliatelle Rosina at Letizias Fiore

Letizia’s Fiore offers handmade pasta, hand picked wines, and handmade pizza. Here’s what we had:

D’Angelo Sacravite Aglianico
This wine was on special that night, was under $30, and was a great compliment to the food.
D'Angelo Sacravite Aglianico

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Arancini three of the day’s friend Sicilian risotto balls
I don’t remember exactly which ones we had, but they were tasty.
Arancini at Letizias Fiore

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Tagliatelle Rosina home made sausage, crimini mushrooms, parmigiano and truffle butter
Homemade pasta makes such a difference, and this dish was so delicious. The home made sausage was not my favorite, but the rest of the dish was absolutely superb.
Tagliatelle Rosina at Letizias Fiore

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Specialty Cocktail
I am so mad I cannot remember the name of this cocktail because it was outstanding. Regardless, you should visit the speakeasy before or after dinner and ask for the cocktail menu.
Letizias_Speakeasy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Quick Rating:
Once a month
Once a quarter
Once a year
If I have to
Never again

I would definitely give this “Once a month” if it were closer to my home. The drive to Logan Square is the only reason I give this restaurant “Once a quarter”. I cannot wait to go back and explore more of the menu, both food and drink. The handmade pizzas looked great, and there are other salads and appetizers I would really like to try. I also liked the warm bread brought out at the beginning of the meal. Add in the good wine list and great speciality cocktails at the speakeasy and that makes this is a restaurant that I will go back to again and again.

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