The Restaurant Guys

The Spring Is So Cold, We Say Oh Deer!

A Current Dish From The Stage Left Kitchen

American Red Venison
From Iowa
Vanilla Potatoes, Raisin-Port Puree, Lion’s Mane Mushroom,
Cinnamon and House-Preserved Fruits.

StageLeft.com/Reservations

The Spirits Project: Jack Daniels' "Sinatra Select" Tennessee Whiskey

Making the experience of super-luxury spirits crazily affordable and accessible!
Read more about the Spirits project.

• Suggested retail price: $175 per bottle
• We will pour one ounce for $6
  

So here's a special release of Jack Daniels Tennessee whiskey. Near as I can tell, its aged a little longer and in special barrels where the staves have been scored. The deeper grooves impart a little more oomph to the oak. It's bottled at a touch higher proof (90), as Jack would have been back in Frank's day. It's also a "special selection" of the spirit by master distiller Jeff Arnett.

The history of Jack Daniels and Frank Sinatra goes way back. He had a bottle on stage with him every night (and he's even buried with a bottle). He took two fingers of Jack in a traditional wine glass with three rocks and a splash of water. It is certainly true that Frank called Jack "Nectar of The Gods" on more than one occasion. I'm very curious to see what Jeff has come up with to honor Old Blue Eyes. Come find out with me on Thursday night.

We open one bottle beginning at 6:30. I hope you can join us.

Next Week in The Spirits Project
Dartigalongue Bas Armagnac "Cuvee Luis Philippe" (1974/1976)

Bartenders of Brunswick Cocktail Competition

There was a time when we were alone making craft cocktails in New Brunswick, but no more! New Brunswick has its own cocktail scene, with talented colleagues and peers sprinkled throughout our fair city.

The Bartenders of Brunswick will face off in a Cocktail Competition of epic proportions on Sunday, April 13. Stage Left and Catherine Lombardi will compete against The Frog and The Peach, Due Mari, Steakhouse 85, Clydz and Destination Dogs for the cocktail crown.

Jim Meehan

Charlotte Voisey

Celebrity mixologists and spirits experts Jim Meehan and Charlotte Voisey will be in town to judge the competition in concert with the showing of the award-winning film: Hey Bartender (an official selection of the South By Southwest Film Festival) at The State Theater.

Arrive at 3 PM and see New Brunswick's bar folk mixing and a mashing for the judges and sample some of their wares. The State Theater's Bar will also be open, pouring wonderful cocktails by the lovely and talented Charlotte (you have to pay for those.) At 4:30, we'll announce the winner and introduce the film. The State Theater Bar will remain open during the performance.

All the participating restaurants and bars are open for dinner after the show. Come back to either Stage Left or Catherine Lombardi for a complimentary cocktail with dinner. The town will be abuzz!

• Buy tickets here
• Dinner Reservations at Catherine Lombardi here
• Dinner Reservations at Stage Left here

There are only 200 tickets to the cocktail event so don't delay! If you would prefer just the film, it's only $10 and Charlotte's cocktails will be available for sale at the State Theater Bar from 3 PM through the show. This is going to be the most exciting boozy thing in New Brunswick's History - So Don't Miss It!

This whole thing is made possible by William Grant & Sons. Here's a shout out to one of the finest liquor companies in the world. These guys bring you Tullamore Dew, Glenfiddich, Balvenie, Hendrick's Gin and so many other great spirits, and they're really nice people.

The State Theater: Sunday April 13 
*Cocktail Contest 3 - 4 PM (film and competition, incl 4 sample cocktails - $25) 
*Hey Bartender: The Film 4:30 PM (film only - $10)

Dinner with Trisaetum Wines (from Willamette Valley, OR) on June 6

This spring we’ve lined up an amazing trio of wine dinners (this is the third). To entice you learn more about these cool and interesting wineries, we’re offering them at a” don’t miss” value. Each dinner is $149 per person plus tax and $30 gratuity. Come to all three for $99 per dinner. Come to two for $125 per dinner.

It was only in 2003 that Andrea and James Frey founded Trisaetum (tris-say-tum) in the Willamette Valley. Their first commercially available vintage was 2007. It is a family owned and operated winery with six employees total.

These folks have made quite an interesting study of the land and climate. They produce only Pinot Noir and Riesling. These two are thought by many to be the most soil-conductive varieties of grape. That means, they are the grapes most express the place where they are grown.

The work they're doing and the wines they're making are exciting indeed. They have pioneered new inner-appellations (viticultural areas) within Willamette. The winery sits in what is now known as The Ribbon Ridge AVA.

James Frey will be out to host a fantastic dinner with his wines. Pairing great food with these great wines is child's play, but we think we've done an exceptional job with this one. We're to excited to have James out. Won't you join us Friday, June 6th at 7 PM.

Hors d'Oeuvres
Coast Range Dry Riesling 2013
Coast Range Off-Dry Riesling 2013

Chilled Alaskan Spot Prawns
Scallop Fennel Mousse
Rosé of Pinot Noir 2013

Truffled Potato Gnocchi
Short Rib, Leeks and Mushrooms
Pinot Noir "Coast Range" 2011; Yamhill-Carlton
Pinot Noir "Ribbon Ridge Estate" 2011; Ribbon Ridge

Rabbit Roulade
Favas, Carrots, Fennell
Pinot Noir "Estates Reserve" 2010

Local Strawberry Apple Tart
Coffee

Wine Dinner with Perusini on May 9

This spring we’ve lined up an amazing trio of wine dinners (this is the second). To entice you learn more about these cool and interesting wineries, we’re offering them at a” don’t miss” value. Each dinner is $149 per person plus tax and $30 gratuity. Come to all three for $99 per dinner. Come to two for $125 per dinner.

Giacomo Perusini, combined his research and academic writings about wine with the running of the estate, until his premature death in the First World War. His wife Giuseppina continued his work and re-launched Friulian wines on the Italian market and abroad. She was a painter, a writer and a canny businesswoman who lived to be more than a hundred years old.

Her son Gaetano took degrees in Agriculture and Literature. As Professor of Popular Arts and Traditions at the University of Trieste, he carried out radical research on land reform and vine-growing in Friuli. Her other son Giampaolo has done innovative work, particularly with the white Ribolla Gialla, native to Friuli. The family tradition has continued on the hills of Gramogliano near the Judrio River. This was the border between Italy and Austria until 1918.

They produce an extraordinary array of wines from the grapes of their own vineyard, all terraced on loam. Friuli is one of the most exciting regions of Italy right now. It's the sommelier's secret weapon. Come dine with Carlo de Pace and his family's wines on Friday, May 9 at 7 PM.

Hors d'Oeuvres
Including Baked Oysters w/ Absinthe & Marjoram Station (SB)
Sauvignon Blanc 2012
Pinot Grigio 2012
Refosco 2012

Trumpet Royale Mushroom 5 Ways
Ribolla Gialla 2012

Filet Mignon, Marrow Bone,
Roasted Cippollini Onion
Cabernet Franc 2010
Cabernet Sauvignon 2012

Wild Boar Chop
Black Pepper Pasta, Leek Puree
Merlot "Etichetta Nera" 2010

Lemon Rosemary Pannacotta
Coffee

Wine Dinner with Duemani on April 29

This spring we’ve lined up an amazing trio of wine dinners (this is the first). To entice you learn more about these cool and interesting wineries, we’re offering them at a ”don’t miss” value. Each dinner is $149 per person plus tax and $30 gratuity. Come to two for $125 per dinner. Come to all three for $99 per dinner.

Duemani makes some of the most profound wine in Tuscany. If you would like outside opinions to corroborate my own, check this out. These guys make mind-bending, bold and complex reds that are unlike any other wine on the planet. They have a small vineyard area planted to Cabernet Franc and Syrah. Yesterday, I tasted the current vintage of their wines and they are amazing. The Duemani and Suisassi are knee-bending-eyes-roll-back-in-the-head extraordinary. Considering that some of the wines we're featuring in the dinner generally retail for between $100 and $200 per bottle, the $149 for the dinner is a very fair price. If you bundle it down to $99, it's an outright steal. 

Elena Celli will join us for a dinner with her wines on April 29th at 7 PM. The menu:

Hors d'Oeuvres
Cosmopolitan Delight

Cabernet Franc Marinated Quail
Blue Cheese Spaetzle and Thyme
CiFra 2012
Cabernet Franc

Shibumi Mushroom Stuffed Lamb
Leeks and Roasted Beets
Altrovino 2010
Cabernet Franc

Blood Orange Braised Short Rib
Spring Vegetable Pistou and Preserved NJ Tomatoes
Duemani 2010 * Cabernet Franc / Merlot
Suisassi 2009 * Syrah

Olive Oil Cakes
Cointreau-Preserved Nectarines
Applejack-Preserved Cherries
Coffee

Spring 2014 Wine Dinner Bundle

We're offering a bundle pricing for three really fantastic wine dinners that's pretty amazing.

Each dinner is $149, but if you come to two dinners, they're $125 and if you come to all three, they'll be just $99 each. You don't have to pay in advance. So that's about the most exciting wine deal on the planet right now!

Read more on our events page.

The Stage Left Wine Dinner Club

We're starting the Stage Left Wine Dinner Club. Come to 6 Wine Dinners* in a calendar year and you're in the club: You will get 20% off all wine purchases in both restaurants for the entire next calendar year. Contact us for more information!

*Full-Service Winemaker Dinners and Select other Dinners Qualify.

The Spirits Project: Guillon-Painturaud Grand Champagne Cognac "Renaissance" 40 Year

Making the experience of super-luxury spirits crazily affordable and accessible!
Read more about the Spirits project.

• Suggested retail price: $459 per bottle
• We will pour one ounce for $13
  

The Guillon-Painturaud family has occupied their property since the early 1600s. It' not a large estate; about 38 acres of vineyard. They started selling the family’s Cognac under their own name in the early 1970’s. Prior to that, they had sold their cognac to the large houses for blending. The grapes are harvested from the family’s 18 hectare vineyard of Ugni Blanc. The family's vineyard holdings are all in one plot, in the Grande Champagne area of Cognac. The juice obtained from pressing the grapes was fermented into wine which is distilled twice and aged in oak barrels (from the Limousin and Troncais forests in France).

We've taken on several of their bottlings (including an excellent pineau de charantes). The cognac in this bottle is an average 40 years old. It is uncommon, rare old brandy from a tiny little family producer with four hundred years experience.

We open one bottle beginning at 6:30. If there is any left overnight, we will offer this price tomorrow as well. I hope you can join us.

Next Week in The Spirits Project
Jack Daniel's "Sinatra Select"

Friday Evening Cocktail: A Currach Of Irish Cocktails

In honor of the season, we will offer a Currach (look it up or come ask me in person) of Irish Cocktails, beginning on Friday running through the end of the month. These will be offered at The Cocktail Bar at Catherine Lombardi for the very special price of $9. Friday, we will pass light hors d'oeuvres from 6:30, and the most tasteful cocktail enthusiasts of The Garden State will be in attendance, as is their custom. We hope to see you there.

• Cameron’s Kick (Power’s Irish Whiskey, Scotch Whisky, Lemon)
• Irish Twin (Irish Whiskey, Pear, Honey, Cinnamon)
• Shillelagh Cocktail (Sloe Gin, Vermouth, Lemon, Applejack-Infused Cherry Juice, Bitters)
• Stinging Nettle Sling (Hendrick’s Gin, Elderflower, Lillet, Stinging Nettle Syrup, Lemon, Soda)
• Belfast Cocktail (Cognac, Ruby Port, Pear Williams, Cinnamon, Orange Bitters)

This last Belfast Cocktail is all the rage. It's featured in this month's Inside Jersey Magazine by The Star Ledger. I hope all my bartender friends are making these, especially in Belfast. Follow the link for the recipe.

Related articles

Friday (and Thursday) Evening Cocktail: The Corpse Revivers

Friday Evening Cocktail: The Incendiary Cocktail