St. Valentine's Day At Bank Street Brewhouse: Food and wine and beer.

Chef Matt Weirich and the crew have created a Valentine's Day menu at Bank Street Brewhouse with plenty of options. You can build a three- or four-course menu; pair with Oliver wines or NABC beers; or pluck your own choices a la carte. Call 812-725-9585 for information, details and reservations.

For those manning the social calendars: Mr. and Mrs. Curmudgeon will begin the evening at the Garage Bar for our brewery gig there, and then stop by Bank Street Brewhouse for a nightcap and dessert.

St. Valentine's Day At Bank Street
February 14, 2013

Starters

Lobster Bisque 8

Crab Cakes, served with Rouille and Remoulade 9

Grateful Greens Romaine, Garlic Croutons, Anchovies, Parmesan Reggiano 8

Brie en Croute – Brie wrapped in pastry with roasted apples and baked,
Served with Apple, Honey and Crostini 9

Suggested Pairing: Oliver Sauvignon Blanc or NABC Gold Blonde Ale

Entrees

Brown Butter Gnocchi with Roasted Vegetables and Parmesan Reggiano 14

Cocoa Rubbed Diver Scallops, Fingerling Potatoes, Haricot Vert,
Oyster Mushrooms, Vanilla Beurre Blanc 28

Suggested Pairing: Oliver Pinot Grigio or NABC Tunnel Vision Wallonian Ale

Wagyu Tri-Tip with Pommes Pavè, Roasted Asparagus,
Domestic Mushrooms with a Bourbon Au Poivre 24

Feilder Farms Pork Tenderloin with Potato Puree, Fig Chutney,
Asparagus, Fig Gastrique 22

Suggested Pairing: Oliver Cabernet Sauvignon or NABC Elector Imperial Red Ale

Cheese

Capriole Farms Tomme, Mont St. Francis and O’Banon 9

Suggested Pairing: Oliver Shiraz or NABC Black & Bluegrass Spiced Belgian Ale

Dessert

Beignet
Maple Crème Brulée
Bonfire of the Valkyries Chocolate Mousse
Chocolate Truffles and Macaroons
6

Suggested Pairing: Oliver Vidal Blanc Sparkling or NABC Solidarity Baltic Porter

Three Course Tasting paired with wine or Beer $38 Four Course 45$

Tuesday's Huber wine dinner at Bank Street Brewhouse will be our only dinner service for the evening.

Two things to know:

First, a reminder about Tuesday evening's Huber wine dinner at Bank Street Brewhouse, as described below. Seats remain, and while there'll be room for walk ups, it would be best to call and reserve.

Second, the special Huber wine dinner will be the only dinner service on Tuesday evening at Bank Street Brewhouse. Lunch hours on Tuesday are from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., and the wine dinner seating begins at 6:00 p.m. 

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And now for something completely different, at least by our standards: We're doing a first-ever wine dinner at Bank Street Brewhouse with our friends at Huber's Orchard, Winery, & Vineyards. Chef Matt and the kitchen crew will be "deconstructing" traditional Thanksgiving dishes and pairing them with Huber wines, which we stock every day at BSB.

It's good to mix things up, so check out the Facebook event page and consider dining and drinking with us on November 13th. The dinner begins at 6:30 p.m., and for reservations, you can call 812-725-9585. You can drink NABC beers before and after, if you like ... no rules, and all that.

Here's the menu card:

Five Course Dinner Paired With Huber's Wines ... $65, gratuity included

Amuse Bouche
“Green Bean Casserole” & “Deviled Eggs”
Applejack Cocktail

“Sweet Potato”
Sweet Potato, Fennel, Pistachio
2011 Traminette

“Carrot & Peas”
Carrot, Pea, Granola
2011 Seyval Blanc

“Venison”
Venison Loin, Celery Root, Potato
2009 Cabernet Sauvignon

“Turkey & Stuffing”
Turkey Confit, Stuffing, Cranberry Sauce
2008 Heritage HSR

“Apple Pie”
Apple & Caramel Powder
2011 Pinot Gris

Thanksgiving Deconstructed, a Huber wine dinner at Bank Street Brewhouse on Tuesday, November 13.

And now for something completely different, at least by our standards: We're doing a first-ever wine dinner at Bank Street Brewhouse with our friends at Huber's Orchard, Winery, & Vineyards. Chef Matt and the kitchen crew will be "deconstructing" traditional Thanksgiving dishes and pairing them with Huber wines, which we stock every day at BSB.

It's good to mix things up, so check out the Facebook event page and consider dining and drinking with us on November 13th. The dinner begins at 6:30 p.m., and for reservations, you can call 812-725-9585. You can drink NABC beers before and after, if you like ... no rules, and all that.

Here's the menu card:

Five Course Dinner Paired With Huber's Wines ... $65, gratuity included

Amuse Bouche
“Green Bean Casserole” & “Deviled Eggs”
Applejack Cocktail

“Sweet Potato”
Sweet Potato, Fennel, Pistachio
2011 Traminette

“Carrot & Peas”
Carrot, Pea, Granola
2011 Seyval Blanc

“Venison”
Venison Loin, Celery Root, Potato
2009 Cabernet Sauvignon

“Turkey & Stuffing”
Turkey Confit, Stuffing, Cranberry Sauce
2008 Heritage HSR

“Apple Pie”
Apple & Caramel Powder
2011 Pinot Gris

Windsor's "Farmers Market" original post updated to include beer and wine dinner pairings.

The beer and wine pairings for the Windsor's dinner this Monday night have been added to the original post, which you can read here:

Windsor's "Farmers Market" beer and wine dinner coming on Monday, July 27.

I'll be there, and I hope to see some of you.

Windsor's "Farmers Market" beer and wine dinner coming on Monday, July 27.

Here’s the lowdown on the Windsor Restaurant and Garden's forthcoming event, called "The Windsor Beer and Wine Dinner: Farmers Market."

The idea is to use as much food as possible from the Farmers Market just across Bank Street from the restaurant. I’ve reprinted the dinner menu below. Wine and beer pairings have yet to be made, but each course comes with a pairing of wine and beer, according to the information I've received.

This dinner will be served on Monday, July 27, and begins at 6:30 p.m. The price per person is $60, not including tax or gratuity. The Windsor’s phone number is (812) 944-9688, and the dinner is available by reservation only. The Windsor Restaurant and Garden is located at 148 East Market St. in downtown New Albany.

Wine will be provided by Louis Meyer of Crossroad Vintners, beer by Tisha Dean of World Class Beverages, and a closing beer will come from the New Albanian Brewing Company.

Chefs are Justin McMillen and Cory A. Cuff. Cory says: "The Windsor staff would like to thank Susan Kaempfer of Develop New Albany, as well as the local farmers who’re making this possible. A full list of farmers is to come, and a full list of pairings, too.

MENU

Aperitif
Wine: Jean-Louis Denoise Blanc de Blancs Brut Chardonnay NV Limoux, France

Soup
Duo of chilled melon soup shooters with champagne "caviar" and lime granite

Beer: Duvel (Strong Golden Ale; Belgium)
Wine: 2008 Crios de Susana Balbo Torrontes, Mendoza, Argentina

Salad
Pork Roulade Terrine with mixed Asian baby greens and a B&B pickle vinaigrette with assorted pickled vegetables

Beer: Brooklyn Lager (American-made, Vienna-style Lager; NY)
Wine: 2005 Hirsch Gruner Veltliner "Veltliner #1", Kamptal, Austria

Fish
Seared Sea Bass escabache with smoked zucchini, squash, and carrot "spaghetti" garnished with a micro green salad and a parsley and meyer lemon vinaigrette

Beer: Ommegang Hennepin (American-made, Belgian-style Saison; Cooperstown, NY)
Wine: 2006 Bouvier Bourgogne Rouge "Monte Cui", Burgundy, France

Red Meat
Seared Ostrich medallions with a honey lavender marinated grilled asparagus, and deconstructed twice baked fingerling potatoes with a Pennywise Petit Sirah Marchand Du Vin

Beer: Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA (American Imperial India Pale Ale; DE)
Wine: 2005 Pennywise Petit Sirah, Napa, California

Dessert
Peach two ways, a peach and blackberry cobbler and a Lindemann's Peche float with a goat cheese and lemon verbena ice cream

Beer: Lindemans Peche (Lambic, infused with peach; Belgium)
Wine: Elvino Tintero Moscato d'Asti, Piedmonte, Italy

Parting Glass
Beer: NABC Thunderfoot (dry-cherried Imperial Stout, aged 18 months; New Albany, IN)

The Windsor thanks: Moonkiss Gardens, Gehman Farms, Graf Farms, Hensley Farms, Sycamore Creek Herbs, Priceless Bread Company, Russell Veggies, Kentucky Bison Company, New Albanian Brewing Company, Tisha Dean from World Class Beverages, Louis Meyer from Crossroads Vintners and Susan Kaempfer (Develop New Albany).

Sacrificing to help the L & N plan a dual beer/wine dinner.

There were seven of us, each with a background in wine, beer or both. The scene was Louisville’s L & N Wine Bar and Bistro, and the menu prepared by Executive Chef Rick Adams was as follows:

First course
Seared sweetbreads, currant demi, duck fat fingerling potatoes, micro green salad

Second course
Pork belly, grilled watermelon, frisee aged balsamic and olive oil

Third course
Lamb rack, roasted tomato spatzle, fresh fig/veal reduction

Fourth course
Cowgirl creamery Mt. Tam cheese (and blue cheese – didn’t catch the source), walnuts, raisins and dark chocolate

The panel’s thankless job was to taste perhaps a dozen wines or more and what seemed like twice as many beers, pairing one of each wine and beer with the courses, and also ensuring that the wines and beers wouldn’t clash.

We did it.

Since this rigorous testing was the prelude to an actual dinner some time in July, I won’t give away the pairings, except to note that France and Belgium are well represented among the finalists. Once L & N announces the details, they’ll be posted here. The actual dinner will also have two opening glasses of champagne and an effervescent beer, and the first two courses probably will be reversed in order. Until then, just let me say this: It’s going to be killer, and you need to be there.

Stay tuned.

Tuscan wine dinner at Stratto's this Tuesday.

Most of the time, we're all about the beer, but there are exceptions.

Stratto's Restaurant (318 W Lewis & Clark Parkway in Clarksville, Indiana) is having a 4-course, Tuscan inspired wine dinner this Tuesday, April 24 at 6:30 p.m. National Wine and Spirits's Michael Pyle, whom the Curmudgeon had the pleasure of meeting earlier this year, will be on hand to guide diners through the evening's wine pairings.

Stratto's GM Linda Stephens reports that "depending on the number of reservations and the weather, we hope to hold this event on our beautiful patio."

We 're hoping to do another beer dinner in that very same spot later this year.

The wine dinner's cost is $50.00 per person, and you can find contact information at the Stratto's website.