Z Cucina Beer Tasting

This review is slightly different from some of my other reviews. We have been to Z Cucina many times for dinner, but this time we went for a beer tasting. Therefore, this review is more on the tasting than the restaurant as a whole.

The tasting focused on the Avery Brewery, located in Boulder, Colorado, with guest host Adam Avery, the owner and brewmaster of Avery. I thought it was a wonderful touch to have the owner of the brewery there to educate the tasters on each beer we were trying. The night consisted of a 5 course meal with each course pair with a different beer, and most courses we were actually served 2 different beers.

The Sous Chef began the evening with a Fennel Salad served with citrus, cilantro, and spiced pumpkin seeds. It was paired with Avery's White Rascal Belgian Wit and they also served wih Avery's Salvation Belgian Golden Strong Ale. The salad was wonderful! The citrus and fennel gave the salad a summer feel, but the addition of the spiced pumpkin seeds were a nice touch to remind us that it is fall. The salad was paired perfectly with the White Rascal Belgian Wit, however I have decided not to comment on the beer itself, as my husband is more the beer review than I.

The second course was one of the most interesting dishes I think I have had in quite some time. Ths course consisted of 2 pan-seared scallops on top of a bed of black lima beans and diced ham. The scallops were topped with crispy sweet potato straws and finished with a pomegranate seed and sauce. I would never have thought myself to pair scallops and lima beans, but this worked remarkably well. This course was wonderful and probably my favorite of the evening. It was paired with Avery's Redpoint Amber Ale.

The third course was duck and parsnips prepared two different ways. One preparations was seared duck with pickled parsnips. The duck was juicy, tender, and flavorful. The pickled parsnips were a very interesting addition to the duck breast and added a special touch to the duck breast. The other preparation was duck leg confit with masked parsnips with a sort of demi glaze. The parsnips were creamy and very similar to mashed potatoes. The leg confit was my part of this course. It was rich and full of flavor. This dish was paired nicely with Avery's Jubilation English Strong Ale.

Our fourth course was espresso rubbed lamb rack with a mixed grain risotto, mixed beets, and finally the lamb was finished with ancho mole. The lamb was tender and juicy. The espresso rub was a welcome addition to the lamb. The mixed risotto was wonderful and I felt the highlight of this course. I tasted the beets and I am sure that they were wonderful, but I am just not a beet fan. This dish was nicely paired with Avery's Hog Heaven Barleywine.

The final course was dessert. They served goat cheese cheesecake with persimmon puree, honey-cardamom candy, and topped this all off with pink salt. The cheesecake was smooth and very dense. I really enjoyed it with the persimmon puree. I was not a huge fan of the pink salt on top. I personally would have like the salt to be mixed into the crust instead of on top of the cake. Besides the salt, the cheesecake was wonderful. The final dish was paired with Avery's Oak Aged English Strong Ale. The Strong Ale was a nice accompaniment with the dessert as it had more of a cognac quality to it than beer.

I thoroughly enjoyed our evening tasting beer and tasting it with food. I think the evening was a success and we are looking forward to our next tasting there, be it wine or beer!!

Rigsby's Kitchen

For my husband's birthday we decided to try Rigsby's Kitchen. We were a little nervous about trying something new again on his birthday, because the previous 3 years we tried new places and were sadly disappointed. We decided to risk it this year and Rigsby's managed to break the streak.

Rigsby's is located in the heart of the Short North, on High Street, right next to RJ Snappers. The space is open and contemporary with notes of tradition like an interior wall of exposed brick. The atmosphere is trendy and casual with hints of sophistication.

Let's get the important part, the food. We began with 2 different appetizers, the Steamed Mussels and the Prosciutto and Melon plate. Both were wonderful. The Steamed Mussels were done to perfection in a tomato and wine broth with a hint of spicy. The prosciutto was also wonder paired with the ripe melon soaked in Sambucca.

For dinner I had the special, Walleye poached in a tomato and wine broth(different from the sauce in the mussels), and served over various vegetables cut in a julienne style. My was very good, however, my husband's entree was much tastier. He had the Barbecued Pork Porterhouse. Now, I am always wary of ordering pork because it can be hit or miss. I am always afraid that it will come out touch as leather. Rigsby's pork porterhouse was not touch at all! It had a nice crisp and salty pan-seared quality to the outside and full of flavor on the inside. It was paired nicely will crisp mushrooms and sweet potatoes. He enjoyed it so much that it was gone before I had the chance to ask for a bite.

Another entree that could definitely steal the show are the sea scallops. They are wonderful! The sea scallops were so large that they reminded me of tenderloin medallions. They had a nice salty and crisp exterior and a nice moist center, not at all rubbery or overdone.

Rigsby's is wonderful and I would recommend it in a heartbeat!

Rosendale's

Last week my husband Adam, Jerry, my father-in-law, and I went to a new restaurant in the Short North called Rosendale's. I can not say enough about how wonderful Rosendale's is! Their philosophy, to quote the website, is simple. They boast using the highest quality meats and seafood available, in addition to the freshest fruits and vegetables, with a focus on American regional ingredients. They only use ingredients that are in season and are the freshest possible. And it shows!

We started off with appetizers. We decided to choose 3 starters and share them with each other. We ordered the Goat Cheese Dumplings, Sea Scallop, and the Maryland Crabcake. The Sea Scallop and Goat Cheese Dumplings were definitely the best of the 3. The dumplings were wonderful and had lumps of warm, creamy goat cheese in a light broth that we all dipped our bread in after the dumplings were gone. The sea scallop was also wonderful with foie gras. It was full of flavor, but maybe not the best one to split as it was really only meant for 1.

We decided to skip salad and went right to the entree. I had the 48 Hour Braised Angus Beef Short Ribs with Parmesan Potatoes. The short rips were so tender they melted in my mouth, and the potatoes were rich and creamy. Adam had the Lobster stuffed Chicken. He loved it! He said it was one of the best meals he had ever had and that the Chef really understood him, because he was only given the asparagus tips. That is the only part of the asparagus he eats!

Jerry had the Soy soaked Chilian Sea Bass. It was also wonderful also, and bursting with flavor.

Since we skipped salads, we also ordered dessert and coffee. I was so excited when my coffee came out in its own little french press pot along with cubes of granulated sugar and cubes of brown sugar. I had the molten chocolate cake which was wonderful. Adam had the creme brulee, which had huckleberries at the bottom of it. He must have enjoyed it, because he didn't have any leftovers!

Rosendale's also sells a cookbook and offers cooking classes. There are classes at the restaurant or the chef will also conduct private classes at another location.

I would recommend Rosendale's in a minute and look forward to my next visit there!!