Having been overwhelmed recently in every significant way, I just haven't had the time to report on last Tuesday's excellent Belgian/Wetten Importers beer dinner at Corbett's - An American Place.
I previewed the dinner here: March 4 Corbett's beer dinner menu and pairings.
I rode over the Louisville's vast East End exurb for the evening with Shawn Vest, owner of Charlestown Pizza Company, who later posted a quick review at the Louisville Restaurant Forum. I'm reprinting it here, and earnestly hope that Shawn doesn't mind my doing so. His review sums it up for me, too.
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Delirium Tremens with Duck Confit in Brick Pastry, Pear-Ginger Marmalade was fantastic, the marmalade was perfect with the confit and the delirium's sweetness balanced the flavors well
Parsnip Soup, Creme Fraiche/ Gouden Carolus Ambrio - better than i expected, although i'm not sure if i'd like the parsnip without the cayenne oil, the ambrio played very nicely with the parsnips and accented the creme fraiche and cayenne oil
the short ribs were very nice with the kasteel, the flavors really popped with the reduction using the beer, the short ribs were actually huge and the meat was incredibly tender and well seasoned
Floris Apple Wit Sorbet, Apple Chipperfect, the floris was lighter than i expected and melted with the sorbet, while the apple chip added nice textures (the floris may have also been good over ice cream as a float), the sorbet was made with the floris and the flavors of course were very complimentary
Braised Veal, Hoisin Glaze, Peanut Lo Mein/ Gouden Carolus Cru of the Emperor, 2007
my favorite pairing of the evening, the peanuts and the hoisin really accentuated the nuttiness of the beer, and flavors improved as the dish and the beer intermingled
Thyme Brulee, Rhurbarb Gelee, Chocolate Beignet/ St. Louis Framboise
my least favorite of the evening, the framboise was very pleasant, but the dishes were not as good as i had hoped they would bemy bias could be related to a distinct apathy for rhubarb and serious doubts about the words "thyme" and "brulee" being used together; but the chocolate beignet was not the exception, too bitter and too chewy for methe gelee was much better than expected, but the thyme and brulee were not the greatest combination although the blueberry sauce on the brulee was excellent and the texture of the brulee was good, these dishes though were not elevated by the framboise, and thus a disappointment
overall though a great evening; a decent drive from Indiana, but worth the effort and the cost, and excellent service
elegant seating - we were in the cellar, a very old world european feel, stone walls, exposed floor joist in the ceiling, stone floors ... nice ambient music at the right levels
A fine example of what great beer can do in a fine dining setting
Pete Larsen, Dave Gausepohl, & Carrie Crouch did a great job of hosting and educating - thanks
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