BOCA BACCHANAL 2006

Food Report By Paulette Cooper

Wine Report by Bill Martin

This was the 4^th year of this annual fundraiser for the Boca Raton Historical Society– and my second year attending this extraordinary food festival.  All weekend long, from March 10-11^th, the Boca Bacchanal presented a variety of interesting culinary events.  But the highlight was and always is the Grand Tasting, where under a tent to the accompaniment of live music, 25 of the area’s top chefs and vintners from around the world conspire to make us fat.  No, no, I mean happy.

 

And I was happy to see some of the great restaurants from last year’s tasting return.  For example, a favorite of mine, PF Changs again offered their signature Chicken in Lettuce Wraps.  This is quickly cooked chicken mixed with scallions, water chestnuts, and black mushrooms and served on rice sticks nestled in cool lettuce cups,   

 

Caffé Luna Rosa on South Ocean Blvd, next to the Marriott Hotel, served a terrific pasta, although I’ve had more interesting dishes at the restaurant itself, for example a peanut butter stuffed French Toast, and Italian sushi, both standouts among restaurant fare.

 

Sol Kitchen, another favorite and unique Delray restaurant returned again this year, but this time served something different from last year:  Escobar Cruda with mango and scallion.  There wasn’t anything else like it at the festival, just as you won’t food like it at any other restaurant.  The unique fare served at this restaurant is an imaginative fusion of “sun inspired” (Cuban, Mexican, etc.) cuisine.

 

Marks at the Park – which is right here at CityPlace as well as in Boca--was back, this time with small cups of Cucumber Avocado soup that was so knock-your-socks off that my husband, Paul Noble made it for us back home.  And it worked!

 

Most of the drinks they presented were varieties of wine, -- which Bill Martin is reporting on below -- but Gigi’s had a sangria made with a combination of Pino Grigiot and a sorbet of fresh fruits that was so good I asked if I could find it at the restaurant  “You will after today,” they said, reflecting the popularity of the drink that afternoon.   

  

Some new restaurants also made an appearance this year, for example the family-run Chops Lobster Bar which served the best beef of any of the restaurants there (And by the way, a lot of the restaurants presenting dishes served beef dishes, unlike some tasting event in other towns, such as the Delray festival last year, where almost all of the restaurants offer less expensive to serve pasta.)  

 

My only objection to an otherwise wonderful afternoon was that this year there were far fewer desert dishes than last year and I really missed the incredible chocolates of yesteryear (2005).  But you can’t have everything – although 25 wonderful restaurants sure come close. 

 

BOCA BACCHANAL'S WINES

By Bill Martin

 

March 11, 2006 was a beautiful Spring day, and the place to be was at Mizner Park for the celebration of wine and food at the Boca Bacchanal. The tables were overflowing with sumptuous fare, and as I entered and began familiarizing myself with the layout ,I spotted a late harvest, a "Tears of Dew" bottle by Merrivale.

 

After I coaxed a glass of this marvelous sweet spirit, traces of honey and apricot flooded my palate and I envisioned sitting at a 3-star Michelin restaurant enjoying this wine with my desert.

 

Reality swept back to me as a morsel of rare prime beef, proffered by Abe & Louies was in reach. To match the beef, I sought out the Cabernet Sauvignon from Frog's Leap. The combination of spicy hints of chocolate, fruit and cherry. was beguiling and worthy of seconds. A fine green gazpacho from Absinthe swept my palate clean and so it was time for more. 

For a pairing of Brooks Restaurant of Deerfield Beach offering of a rack of lamb with figs, I chose the Merlot from Pepper Bridge Winery of Walla Walla, Washington. As advertised, pepper mingled with barrel scents of toast and spice, colliding lovingly for a reasonably long finish with the lamb.

 

Max's Grill offered a Tuna sashimi which pared well with a Redwood Valley Fume Blanc from Lolonis Wines,a winery that has been producing organic grapes for the last 50 years.  This wine was a fruity style of Sauvignon Blanc and has a long finish on the palate along with a pleasant taste of tropical fruits. The St. Supery Moscato also was quite pleasant  and complemented nicely with some hearty shrimp.

 

Ruth Chris Steak House's offerings were matched perfectly by the Borolo di Campofiorin by Masi, a family run company in the Venetian region of Italy. The Borolo is produced using the double fermentation method using only Corvina and Rondinella grapes.

 

Of great interest to wine lovers is the arrival of the new Esperienze glass from Luigi Bormioli of Parma. Each glass has a series of deep concentric circles, increasingly recessed which is alleged to improve the wines bouquet and its taste. However, no matter what you drink, the reviewed wines should give joy and pleasure.

 

 

Paulette’s note:  Where can you find these great-sounding wines?  Many of them are available at the restaurants I reviewed above.    But I also wanted to mention a new wine bar, because you’ll be hearing a lot about them soon since they’re opening 17 of them in the 18 months.  It’s called The Grape and the nearest one to Palm Beach is at Downtown at the Gardens in Palm Beach Gardens. I went to their opening recently and it looks very promising.  Not only did they have a large selection of wines, but also food to go with it and the Lamb Chops were the best I’ve had anywhere.  Ever.

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