Quince

Since opening four years ago, Quince has been my go to restaurant for celebrating special occasions. So how could I refuse an invitation to join some favorite food bloggers in dining there last night — at the chef's table in the kitchen no less — compliments of Visa Signature?

Michael and Lindsay Tusk of Quince are still at the top of their game. Even arriving from New York at 3 am yesterday morning didn't slow them down (they were in NYC to cook dinner at the Beard House). Lighting wasn't so good, so my pictures don't do our meal justice. Thank you Heather, Linda, Jennifer, and Michael for hosting a spectacular evening!

Check out the Visa Signature website for listings of the posh food and wine events you can attend for a steal if you have a Visa Signature card. 5-course dinner with Tim and Nina Zagat at La Folie for $75 per person (price includes wine pairings from Souverain Winery, tax, and tip!) sound enticing? (Bummer it's sold out, but there will be similar events in the future).

Last night's tasting menu with wine pairings:

Stuzzechini del giorno
squash blossom stuffed with lobster
vitello tonnato with capers
NV Fanciacorta, Ca' del Bosco, Brut, Lombardy, Italy

Dirty Girl Farm tomato tris
gazpacho, crudo & flan
2005 Grauburgunder Smaragd, Franz Hirtzberger, Pluris, Wachau, Austria

Tagliolini
crawfish, chanterelle mushrooms, romanesco squash & their blossoms
2005 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc, Domaine de la Solitude, Southern Rhône Valley, France

Acquerello carnaroli risotto
black sea bass, sweet peppers & extra vecchio balsamico
2006 Chardonnay, Lioco, Durell Vineyard, Sonoma Valley, California

Agnolotti di piccione (squab)
al burro fuso
2002 Barbaresco, Cantina del Pino, Ovello, Piedmont, Italy

Watson Farm lamb
La Tercera Farm stridoli & shelling beans
2000 Château Soussans, Margaux, Bordeaux, France

Concord grape sorbet
green grape juice, grape sections

Black mission fig clafoutis
blackberry gelato, rasperry coulis
Madeira, Broadbent Madeira Company, 10 Year Malmsey, Portugal

Comments

[Fatemeh]

I thought the risotto and the lamb, in particular, were standout dishes.

And the pairings were quite nice - the '00 Bordeaux with the lamb was certainly unexpected, but man was it drinking beautifully.

[brett]

i agree with you about the risotto and the lamb. i also liked the tomato with bottarga, the gazpacho, and the tagliolini, especially as paired with the chateauneuf blanc from solitude.