Monday, August 13, 2012

320 Main Wine Dinner Recap

Diners enjoying the company.
320 Main recently debuted their brand new - and oh-so-improved - wine list; a carefully crafted menu curated by So Cal leading wine expert, George Pavlov. Now 320 Main's wine list can live up to the standard of its craft cocktail menu. 

Anything shiny and new must be shown off. It's human nature. So Jason and Rebecca Schiffer invited Orange County to come and be wowed by their shiny new wine list at their very first Wine Dinner. Jason and Head Chef James Wilschke put together a seven course menu, perfectly pairing each vintage with classic 320 Main dishes and some new specially created dishes. To plan the perfectly paired menu, James and Jason had to get extremely familiar with the subtle intricacies of each wine. Each wine was tasted numerous times during the menu planning in the weeks leading up to the wine night. After much diligent research, James was able to finalize a  seven course menu that would fully showcase the greatness of the new and improved wine list. 

On the day of the event tables were moved, glasses were shined, the service staff was quizzed and chefs diligently prepped for the 20 guests that would soon be arriving to this intimate gathering. The guests began to trickle in around 7:00. "In the beginning, it can be awkward when everyone walks into the room and as a host you have to figure out how to bring everyone together to create a uniquely human experience over food and drink," explains Jason. But wine is the great social relaxer. Once the food was served and the wine began to flow, all awkwardness dissipated and the guests began chatting between tables, sharing thoughts and noting their favorites. That's what makes these special event nights so... well, special! The night is more than just an isolated dining experience for two, it's a celebration of how good food can unite strangers and make them feel like old friends. "The most inspiring part of the night," continues Jason, "is when you find the connection has occurred and you're getting the whole room to sync. Then it becomes a true culinary experience."

See the photos below for a glimpse inside the fun of the night. Don't despair if you missed out on this one, because Jason and Rebecca plan on having more in the future. In addition to an occasional wine dinner, they plan to hold whiskey dinners, beer dinners and cocktail dinners. Sure to make you the most well rounded amateur foodie in Orange County.

Wine Night attendees enjoying a pre-dinner course courtesy of Chef Wilschke


Amuse Bouche: Bacon wrapped Prawn with Mango Gastrique paired with a glass of St. Hilaire Blanquette de Limoux. 


320 Main Manager Dave Castillo enjoying the Rose.


Course 1: Scallop Ceviche paired with: Birichino Vin Gris (Rose of Grenache) 


Course 2: Mussels with Chorizo paired with: Schloss Gobelsburg Gruner Veltliner 


Course 3: Grave Lox with Creme Fraiche paired with: Alta Maria Sauvignon Blanc 


Chef Wilschke and the 320 Main kitchen hard at work.


Course 4: Pork Belly with Pickled Vegetables paired with: Folk Machine Pinot Noir.


Course 5: Filet Mignon with King Oyster Mushrooms paired with: Hobo Zinfandel.


Course 6: Lamb Chop with Roasted Root Vegetables paired with: Three Saints Syrah. 


Final Course: Fruit and Cheese Plate paired with: Strub Niersteiner Riesling. 

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