A nice Wine Dinner at Petite Chou Bistro last night, 2016-0203.
No pics, sorry. Not an event/gathering conducive to photo-taking. Chatting with other folks and the wine people and drinking and eating were more the order of the night.
The food was nice. Could have done with more of each, though.
Alain Brumont/Château Montus + Bouscassé has become known for promoting the continuing resuscitation and growth/use of an old grape varietal - Tannat.
I liked the rosé - it was pleasant yet had character. Went well with the duck fat frites. I thought the Gascogne Blanc was pleasant enough but somewhat non-descript - to me, anyway. Salad was decent (they need to rip up those leaves, though). I enjoyed the Torus Madiran - I found it not too tannic, well balanced, good nose, tasted as described in the blurb. The foie gras torchon was good, but went well with either the raspberry sauce or the wine but not both at the same time for me, for some reason. The Château Montus was good too, but what sprang into my mind was that it reminded me of a less tannic version of a Hendry pinot noir I have...hmm. The Boeuf Borguignon entrée was fine but nothing that was earth-shattering. (but see cauliflower comment below) The Château Bouscassé was very good. Not cloying at all, and sweet dessert wines are not my favorite wines in the first place. Lovely aroma, complex, and balanced acid-sugar in it, for my taste. The pear tarte tatin was also excellent. They went swimmingly together. I haven't enjoyed a dessert (which I rarely eat) as much as I did here for quite a while.
The couple across from me at the table had asked for and gotten a vegetarian menu instead, and their roasted cauliflower & lentils entrée some of which they shared with me was *quite* good. We all "demanded" of the staff that it be put on the regular menu. :-)
I put in an order for some of the rosé, the Torus Madiran and the Château Bouscassé Petit Manseng.
I had not been back to Petite Chou since they remodelled after the not-too-severe flooding in the immediate neighborhood a year or so ago (IIRC). I think I preferred the more-airy feel of the place before.
The bistro is part of the Café Patachou empire, which all started with the original small place at 49th & N Pennsylvania not *that* long ago! I still remember eating some of their omelets and stuff at that original, sole, location and although it was good I did wonder why some folks (the local yuppies, mainly) thought it was GGTTW. NOTE: the original location was 2 shops up from the current location (now at the very corner) in that strip mall block on the NE corner of 49th & Penn.; and there was a florist shop next to it then too.
21st Amendment is a local chain of liquor & wine stores - pretty good places with wide selections varying in breadth and depth depending on the specific location. I usually get my alcohol from one or other of their locations.
Location of Petite Chou on Google maps.
P.s. GGTTW = God's gift to the world
