Tuesday, June 16, 2015

Bitches Food Club no. 22 {Vintage 95}

This month we tried something new, no not the wine, we drink that all the time.  This time, we drove to Chandler.  If you're from Phoenix you'll know that its a huge city with little cities all over the edges, Chandler is one of those. It's far away. as far as something can be while still being "here", if that makes any sense, anyway, we went "out of town" to get there and we were a little hesitant if that would even be worth it.  Spoiler alert.  it was.  It really really was...
Our Secretary and Media Manager Stefispice requested the patio, because blue skies!
Their epic book of wine selection was decadent.
and you know I'm a sucker for a handwritten chalkboard sign.
It wasn't easy but we decided on our beverages.
We diversified, beer, wine, and cocktails.
Cheers bitches!
It was a little hot so they turned the misters on...
...then it was humid, so they turned them off.
A decent selection of entrees for a wine bar. They had flatbread pizzas, meats and fish entrees and some delicious looking salads.
I started with a Ginger's a Peach 
Tammy ordered the Veggie Flatbread, she says,"Veggie flatbread, tasted good but got soggy pretty quickly so I had to choose between looking like a toddler with food all over myself or awkwardly using a fork and knife." but you know me, put some cheese and veggies on it and I'll eat it.
Meghan claims this is the "BEST AHI IN THE VALLEY!" I wish I had tried a bite.
Bruschetto: House Made Ricotta, Heirloom Tomatoes and Basil Vinaigrette, Prosciutto, House Made Ricotta and Fig Honey, Salmon Gravlax, Cucumber Cream Cheese and Salsa Verde
Veggie Entree; Grilled Veggies over Quinoa.  Brittany says it was "Delicious!" Not particularly spicy but full flavored.
Salmon.
Brushetta.
I ordered this melted brie plate, hummus and pita.  There were both sweet and savory elements, probably would have been better as an appetizer but I enjoyed it all the same, I added pistachios to my leftovers and it was event better, so you know? I'm not saying it wasn't good but adding some pistachios to the board wouldn't hurt.
And we couldn't skip dessert so we did the smores brownie type option and it was delicious, I was sort of expecting the brownie to be warm and gooey but it was a dense chocolate dessert so who's complaining? Not me!
Coconut Cake Dessert.
because we are funny.
and because we want private tours of wine cellars.
and private lessons and tastings.
In addition to the wine info. we also learned a lot about whiskey vs. bourbon.
Whiskey is always Whiskey but Bourbon is whiskey usually made in Kentucky and also takes less time because of the barrels and technique used.
and if you want to be super informed about whiskey vs bourbon here's a little article for you.
I'm actually a little surprised they let a bunch of drunk bitches in the cellar with hundreds of dollars of bottles of wine. 
We learned that Riesling goes well with spicy foods and he told Stephanie if she wants a truly good Riesling I have to aim for the German wines. 
Stephanie and Brittany testing the Riesling and Spicy theory after our tour.
and finally, Tammy trying not to cry with a quick farewell to my sister {on the left} as everyone wished her a safe trip and a year of travels in Switzerland.  

The Full Review :
Favorite Appetizer: I got the Melted Brie as my meal but I would have suggested it as an appetizer for a group or one of the artisan boards.

Favorite Entree: I think the best looking entree was the Ahi, but I didn't get to try it. Meghan said it was the best ahi in Phoenix and I believe her.

Favorite Drink: I know it's a wine bar and I should totally pick a wine, but I really like peach and I really like hard liquor so I have to go with my Ginger's a Peach. 

1-10 Service {0 worst, 10 best}: 10.  We had reservations but even if we didn't I think they would have been accommodating.  They had drinks and food out quickly. Our server was funny and helpful.  The manager gave us a tour of the wine cellar and offered us a few items to taste.  It was a wonderful experience and totally worth the drive.

Cost {$  $$  $$$  $$$$!}: $$ I think everything was reasonable, I did spend more that I liked but I got two drinks {did I mention how much I love that Ginger's a Peach?!}.  Overall though, the prices were reasonable to moderate, I'm not sure if they have a happy hour, but if they do, I might try that, just because drinks add up so quickly.

Mistakes {corrections?}: none. no problems, no mistakes, perfect service.

Reservations? They took them for our large party, not sure if it would be necessary on a weeknight for a smaller group or date, but I would definitely find out for the weekend, it was a smallish space, and I'm sure it gets busy.

Would we eat there again? I would! everything we ordered was good, and I would love to go back to taste more wine and try the cheese boards.


    

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