The Restaurant Guys

Easter Already??? Don't worry. We've got you covered.

I simply cannot believe that Easter is just about a week away. I feel ambushed. Easter is a bit early this year and the winter seems to be holding on till the bitter end. But have faith my friends, spring and the sidewalk cafe season will soon be upon us.

If you have not made your plan for Easter yet, we have a couple of really great and easy options at Stage Left and Catherine Lombardi.

Also, our Super Tuscan wine dinner with the Wines of Michele Satta is set to be fantastic AND one of the best bargains of the year.

In the meantime, the fireplaces are still glowing and we look forward to seeing you soon.

The Spirits Project: The Exclusive Malt "A Speyside Distillery" 10 Year 2004

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

• Suggested retail price: $125
  
• Thursday, March 19 (for as long as it lasts), we're pouring a one-ounce pour for $5

Started in 2005, The Creative Whisky Company was created to continue a passion for outstanding single malt whisky. The founder/owner, David Stirk, had spent many years in the malt whisky business before going on his own. David also authored the books The Malt Whisky Guide and The Distilleries of Campbeltown.

Their "Exclusive Malt" selections are single-cask, single-malt whiskies. Each and every bottling is from one cask; sometimes less than 100 bottles and no more than 600. While the distillery usually appears on the label, sometimes David releases malts that don't name the specific distillery. I often find these to be incredible bargains. Here is one such case.

This is a bottling from a single cask of Speyside whisky, distilled in 2004 and bottled in 2014. There were 40 casks, but each was dumped (a technical term) individually. The distillery is unnamed, but we know it is near Aberlour...hint hint. We look forward to opening this bottle with you tonight at precisely 6:30. When it's gone, it's gone.

The Spirits Project: Tullibardine 20 Year Highland Malt

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

• Suggested retail price: $149
  
• Thursday, March 19 (for as long as it lasts), we're pouring a one-ounce pour for $5

There are reports of brewing and distilling on the site where Tullibardine now stands from 1488. The modern era of this distillery however, dates to 1947, when William Delme Evans began converting the original brewery buildings that remained into a distillery, and in 1949 the first spirit was distilled at the newly named Tullibardine Distillery. The name in Gaelic means ‘lookout hill’, and was taken from the small medieval chapel built in 1446, which is close to the distillery.

In 1953 the distillery was sold to Brodie Hepburn, who were themselves later sold to Invergordon Distillers. For the next few decades production continued using the original two stills and maturing the spirit in sherry casks. In 1973 the capacity was increased with the addition of two more stills.

Recently Tullibardine began a new chapter in its history. In November 2011 the distillery was purchased by an independent family company already involved in the Whisky Industry. With a wide portfolio of stock ranging back as far as 1952, the current owners have quite a depth and range of whiskys to play with.

Next Week In The Spirits Project
An Exclusive Speyside Blended Malt!

Super Tuscans of Bolgheri: The Wines of Michele Satta

It was never easier to come up with a wine dinner menu than the experience we had this week with the Michele Satta dinner. An excellent line up from a great producer of Super Tuscans from Bolgheri. We were inspired and the menu is the result of that inspiration. These wines are so food-friendly it's remarkable. They also stand well on their own. I'm sure you'll be delighted.

Make a reservation by emailing [email protected] or calling 732-828-4444. Mark and I are running this dinner for you. The wines speak for themselves (but that doesn't mean we won't say a few words to help them along).

The Wines of Michele Satta
Super Tuscans of Bolgheri
Friday, April 10 - 7 PM

$99 per person, plus tax and service and that's a steal!

Hors d’Oeuvres
Rosso di Bolgheri 2012
(Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese, Merlot, Syrah)

Hamachi Crudo
Espalette Pepper, Clam and Kumquat
Costata Guilia 2012
(Vermentio, Sauvignon Blanc)

Potato Gnocchi
Wild Brown Enokitaki Mushrooms Roasted Winter Vegetables
Piastraia 2011
(Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese, Syrah)

Short Ribs
with Garlic & Marrow Croutons
Syrah 2010
(Syrah)

Veal Birds
with Pancetta & Fresh Herbs
Cavaliere 2006
(Sangiovese)

Torta Mantovana
Traditional Tuscan Cake from Pignoli and Almonds with Pignoli Ice Cream and Honey

Easter, and a Super Tuscan Wine Dinner

Can you even believe it was snowing last week? I can't. So now it's time to talk of spring, St. Patrick's Day and Easter. It's our tradition that Stage Left will be open for Easter Brunch and Catherine Lombardi will open early for dinner service. We only offer brunch (with our signature dessert bar) a few times a year. And in Catherine Lombardi, we'll be serving the food that she served at her table in Brooklyn every Easter. I hope you will consider spending the holiday with us. Details are below.

Last week I was able to taste through the wines of Michele Satta, an excellent producer in the Tuscan region of Bolgheri. Bolgheri is one of the most exciting regions of Tuscany for many reasons. It is the birthplace of The Super-Tuscan movement and the home of Sassicaia Ornellaia. It's terroir is unique. It really stands apart from the rest of Tuscany. Sangiovese grows beautifully there, but so does Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. Vermentino is grown right next to and blended with Sauvignon Blanc to magical effect.

Michele's wines were remarkable across the board. I was able to secure several different cuvees so Mark and I will host a dinner with these wines. Michele will not be back in the country for another year, but we don't want to wait. So, no winemaker this time, Mark and I will be your guides and it will be well worth the trip. Put the date aside. We'll get you the menu next week.

Easter Brunch at Stage Left

• 11 AM-2:30 PM
• $39.95
• Kids 12 and under pay their age

In Stage Left, we celebrate with Easter Brunch. It's not buffet (except for the awesome dessert table). It's a lovely, civilized a la carte, 3-course brunch.

Check out the menu. Make a reservation here, or call 732-828-4444.

First Course Selections

Potato Leek Soup

Lobster Bisque

Market Salad
Preserved Jersey Tomatoes, Crispy Carrots, Sherry Vinaigrette, Leek Purée

Market Fruit & Berries

Cured Salmon &Salmon Roe
Horseradish and Lemon

Seared Day Boat Scallops
Poached & Pickled Ramps, Leek Soup

Warm Duck Confit Salad
Arugula, Endive and Cider Vinaigrette

Main Course Selections

Poached Eggs over Lobster Potato Hash

Wild Mushroom and Asparagus Omelet
Raisin Hazelnut French Toast Blackberries & Almonds, Maple Syrup

Scottish Salmon
Cauliflower Purée, Charred Broccoli Rabe, Sweet Pickled Radicchio, Saffron Mignonette, Brown Butter Croutons

Seared Wagyu Flat Iron Steak
On a 500° Himalayan Salt Brick
($25 supplemental)

Roasted Chicken
Cinnamon-Infused Carrots, Ale Infused Black Rice, Red Cabbage-Potato Puree, Foie Gras Butter, Pistachios

Flat Iron Steak and Eggs

Wood Grilled Burger
Aged Cheddar, Tomato, Red Onion

Dessert Bar

Try As Many As You Like
Crème Brûlée / Assorted Cookies / Chocolate Mousse / Lemon Bars / Sabayon over Fresh Fruit / Carrot Cake / Tiramisu with Coffee and Cognac / Chocolate Bread Pudding / Apple and Almond Financier / Small Irish Coffee / Molten Valrhona Chocolate Cake / Fresh Spun Ice Cream and Sorbets

$39.95 not including tax, service and beverage

Easter Dinner at Catherine Lombardi

In Catherine Lombardi, we celebrate Easter as Catherine Lombardi always did, with a full dinner.

From 1-6 PM, in addition to our regular a la carte menu, we will have specials like Spring Vegetable Minestrone, Asparagus and Ricotta Ravioli, Lamb with Mint and White Beans and of course Easter Pie (aka Pizza Rustica, aka Pizza Gain).

Make a reservation here, or call 732-296-9463.

The Spirits Project: Red Breast 21 Year Pot Stilled Irish

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

• Suggested retail price: $229
  
• Thursday, March 12 (for as long as it lasts), we're pouring a one-ounce pour for $10

In honor of St. Patrick's Day, of course:

From The Whisky Advocate: Irish Whiskey of The Year

...The performance of Irish Distillers over the last couple of years marks the greatest comeback in modern times...the owners of Jameson have well and truly snatched the initiative back from its competitors...

Shortly after their Irish whiskey edition, Irish Distillers held a “housewarming” and unveiled a new training center, new stills, and plans for twenty new pot-stilled whiskeys in the next ten years. Then just a couple of weeks later, they unleashed this. In a few short years Irish whiskey has been turned on its head. The Teeling family started the revolution at Cooley, but now Irish Distillers has carved out a separate path and firmly re-established the unique, distinctive, and wonderful pot still whiskey style.

...far and away the best Irish release of the year. It’s an immense whiskey: oily, spicy, rich, gloopy, and with red berries, menthol, and citrus abundant. It’s complex, too, but you don’t have to live with it long to realize what a gem it is. And very well judged: the oak and spice suggest that these first fill bourbon and sherry casks had reached the edge of a cliff. Sensibly the strength is bang on the money, too, and almost certainly a cask strength version would not have worked. Heaven only knows if Irish Distillers can continue to raise the bar like this. It’s going to be fun watching them try though. Stunning. Again.

—Dominic Roskrow
www.whiskyadvocate.com

Next Week In The Spirits Project
An Exclusive Speyside Blended Malt!

Pre-Theater Menu at Stage Left (Quite the Bargain!)

• Beginning Friday, March 13
• Offered Every Night Until 6 PM Sharp
• Just Show Your Tickets

It's been a while since we offered a specific pre-theater menu, so we thought it time to reintroduce one. This menu will be available to theater-goers alongside our regular menu until 6 PM. We would encourage you to check out the schedules at the George Street Playhouse and The State Theater for a whole slew of great shows heading to town.

Pre-Theatre Menu

First Course Selections

Lamb Terrine
Micro Cilantro, Pickled Caraway Seeds
Espelette & Honey Vinaigrette
Grilled Raisin Pecan Bread

Potato Gnocchi
Maitake Mushrooms
Roasted Winter Vegetables

Arugula and Quinoa Salad
Candied Pecans, Pickled Shallots
Duck Confit Butternut Squash
Pickled Apples, Duck Fat Powder
Banyuls-Black Garlic Vinaigrette

Main Course Selections

Scottish Salmon
Charred Onion Soubise,
Pickled Pearl Onions, Shaved Fennel
Blood Orange & Black Garlic Vinaigrette Salmon Roe

Seared Chicken Breast
Fingerling Potato, Bacon & Herb Salad Fried Leeks, BBQ Chicken Jus
Rosemary Slow Roasted Potatoes

Shibumi Farms Mushroom Risotto
Roasted Oyster & Maiitake Mushrooms
Crispy Lion’s Mane, Fried Beet
Truffle Powder

Dessert Selections

Coconut Sabayon
Crème Brulee
Daily Sorbet

$39 per person

Hobbs: The Next Generation

Now here's something that's really great: Ian Hobbs Speaking at The Paul Hobbs vertical tasting last week. His dad (Paul's brother Matt) and I moderated the tasting.