Long Shadow's Wine Dinner at Waterfront Seafood Grill

Ken, Diane, Cathi, Paul

Last night Ken and I attended the Long Shadow's Wine Dinner at Waterfront Seafood Grill with Diane and Paul Birkeland.  Long-time friend and Long Shadow's Owner, Allen Shoup, was there along with Long Shadow's Winemaker, Gilles Nicault.  It is always fun to sit with Paul during a wine dinner because he is so knowledgeable about wine and had collected and/or tasted all of the wines that were poured.

Ken and Gilles

The Waterfront Seafood Grill team presented a fantastic dining experience led by General Manager Siv Mennen, Sommelier Kristin Young and Chef Peter Levine.  Kristin had just found out yesterday that she has been selected as Sommelier of the Year in our area which is quite an honor in the wine world!

Lolita, Big Red, and Julie

We dined with Jim and Karen and met new friend Julie Ralph who warned us about her friends attending, "Big Red" and Lolita," also known as Gregg Cliggott and Amy Stevens.  Julie was afraid they would be disruptive during the dinner, but I enjoyed meeting them and they were truly the models of decorum!

Gilles and Allen were very complimentary of the great job that Chef Peter had done in pairing food courses with their featured wines.  My favorite course was the handmade pappardelle with braised ostail ragu and red cow parmesan which was paired with Saggi 2007.  My favorite wines of the evening were the Pirouette 2006, Feather Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 and the Poet's Leap Riesling Batrytis 2008 dessert wine.  The menu included the following pairings:

Duck Foie Gras Au Torchon

toasted brioche, kumquat jam, very old balsamic vinegar

Poet's Leap Riesling 2009

Preserved Black Mission Figs

tamarind broth, black pepper, butter

Chester Kidder 2005

Il Mio Pappardelle Fatte a Mano

ragu di coda di bue brasato, con parmigiano reggiano delle vacche rosse

Saggi 2007

Roasted Tenderloin of Certified Angus Beef

porcini and bone marrow crust, parsley mashed potatoes, three day demi glace

Pirouette 2006

Feather Cabernet Sauvignon 2006

Panna Cotta de Formaggio

roasted pineapple, honey and thyme compote, marcona almond tuille

Poet's Leap Riesling Batrytis 2008

Chef Peter Levine

Sommelier of the Year, Kristin Young
and General Manager Siv Mennen