Tonight: Encore James Beard dinner with executive chef Justin Perez and Testarossa Vineyards at Buca Restaurant in Campbell, CA.

Appetizers Crisp pancetta and chicken medallions with Castello Chardonnay-sage reduction.
Seared marinated Ahi tuna with sweet onions and Tobikko caviar.
Muscovy duck breast on ginger risotto cake with wasabi aioli and stone fruit coulis.
House made salmon tartare on pasta crisps with gold flakes and chives.
Grilled lamb tenderloin on polenta crisps with Italian mascarpone and Marsala demi glace.

Appetizers withTestarossa Castello Chardonnay '00 .

Fish Course
Lobster Triple ~ lobster medallions, lobster mousse filled claw, lobster-chardonnay reduction sauce, Tobikko caviar.

Testarossa Bien Nacido (unfiltered) Chardonnay '01

Soup Course
Chanterelle mushroom bisque with crème fraiche and pan-seared foie gras.

Testarossa Palazzio Pinot Noir '00

Intermezzo
Blood orange sorbet with fresh orange zest

Entrée
Wild boar saddle chops with truffle-Syrah sauce and phyllo potato pouch, haricot vert.

Testarossa Garys' Syrah '00

Dessert
Chocolate gateau with pinot-cherry confit and pinot noir-chocolate sauce.

Testarossa Bien Nacido Pinot Noir '00

Life's tough. Somebody's got to do it!

davidn - you lucky so-an-so. Did you go to this?

Ten O'clock PM and just got home.

You wouldn't believe the lobster dish, or for that fact the fois gras "soup". Absolutely delicious; some of the best dishes EVER!

Justin Perez, the chef, is great. It was interesting to me the way he choose the food. I know all the time I choose a menu and then work the wines around the dishes I have chosen. This is the WRONG way to do it. I know I've thought of this before but somehow tonight it just all came together. Taste the wine and then create a dish to go with the wine. Duh! I know many of you when you BYO tell the chef ahead of time what the wine is and ask for the chef to make something special for the wine. But for some reason it just never sunk in to this thick skull. This dinner tonight was absolutely the pest food and wine pairing dinner I have ever had!

David,

Quote:

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absolutely the pest food and wine pairing dinner I have ever had!

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Sounds like the sort of language that Board-O would use if he couldn't shoo the sommelier away from the table!

Assuming your "pest" was a (freudian?) typo , this sounds like a fabulous dining experience. Thanks for allowing me to vicariously enjoy it through your notes .

Sounds delicious, dude. I am presently drooling. And now I am really hungry!

Hey, I resemble that!

Sounds like a great dinner.

ROTFLMAO!!! PEST. I made a funny

It was one of the best too!

Davidn - I keep thinking about this dinner. You lucky stiff.