Message: | Went to the West Hollywood branch tonight, on the site of the former Chasen's. First, let me say this is one impressive grocery store. Pricey, but they have everything any cook could want; e.g. poussin at the meat counter and prepared veal stock and demi-glace in the fridge.
Anyway, the wine tasting "dinner" is a great bargain.
Tonight was advertised as "Bordeaux 2000" on the web site. However, the good news was that none of them was that young. There was an exceptional '96 La Chenade Lalande De Pomerol that they recently discounted to $13.59. Highly recommended. Also, a rather closed at the moment, but highly promising '98 Chateau Mondot at $27.99 that also represents good value for those with the ability to lay some down.
For $19.95, this is a very fun experience. Six wines were poured and Mark, the knowledgeable person in charge of the wine program at the store, was happy to refill any that you fell in love with.
The plate came with a very pleasant mesclun salad with a nice walnut oil dressing, a piece of superb Gorgonzola drizzled with honey with a side of grapes (this was fantastic), a chanterelle risotto (a bit drier than it should be), and Italian meatballs (sadly, dry as toast and utterly flavorless). It was followed by a quite pleasant pear tart.
Bristol Farms in West Hollywood is built on the site of the former Chasen's. Their little cafe/wine tasting room is a lovely miniaturization of a few circular booths in a mock recreation of the classic restaurant. All in all, very well done.
For the price, I can not imagine a better evening out for the money.
These tasting/dinners are done every Thursday from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Each store features a different flight of wines. Reservations are suggested as a favor to the store so they can anticipate how many eaters they must plan to serve. You can also just go to taste the wines at a cost of $10.00. Check this out!
Check their web site for the wine dinners at their various locations. This is great value for those who love wine and want to pick up a few gourmet items on the way home. |