Once again, we had dinner at Vino but last night's visit was mainly to play Santa to the Vino and Hiroshi staff that we've come to know over the years. It was Crab Night but we skipped the crab specials and sampled Chef Keith's other nightly specials. Chuck said that on some nights, Keith will produce up to 15 different specials! We started with a bottle of Barnaut Blanc de Noir Grand Cru bubbly which had loads of toast on the nose then eventually settled revealing red fruit.
We sampled the Wagyu Bresaola with chili pepper water aioli and micro arugula
Along with the Iberico Ham with basil marinated melon, frissee and lemon vinaigrette
I then uncorked a 2009 Evening Land Eola Amity Seven Springs Vineyard Summum Chardonnay which had a Chablis-like nose and a palate full of mineral and light stone fruit. Very good though I paid $120 straight from the winery and you can now find bottles for the $70 range. Good but not $120 good.
We also sampled the Steamed Manila Clams with pancetta and white wine (though I was looking forward to the razor clams which Vino is now out of)
The standard Fried Calamari
And the Charred Broccoli with smoked raisins and truffled aioli
We also uncorked a 2010 Kosta Browne One Sixteen Chardonnay which was more like the usual CA Chard with rich, ripe stone fruit and loads of new oak.
C ordered the Oven-Roasted Bone Marrow with short-rib ragu since she couldn't partake in the shellfish dishes.
Along with the classic Neopolitan Pizza
We then uncorked a 2009 Vietti Nebbiolo Perbacco
For the Kona Maine Lobster Mac and Cheese
And the Spaghettini alla Ricci with foie gras and uni
The girls finished the meal with Chocolate Pistacchio Semi-Freddo
And the Warm Rum and Almond Bread Pudding
While I simply finished with my usual Negroni
Then after we cashed out, we delivered our little gifts to Chuck and Cheryle along with the rest of the Vino and Hiroshi staff that have almost become a second family to us.
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