Horseshoe Grille Small Plates Wine Dinner

I had the pleasure of attending the Horseshoe Grille Small Plates Wine Dinner on January 31, 2011 as a guest of the owner of the establishment – Mr. Pat Lee. He was a gracious and thoughtful host, having instructed his crew to provide the Wine Dinner attendees with a free drink at the bar while we waited for the beginning of our event, then taking it upon himself to personally escort us to our table!

At our booth, we were greeted by a basket filled with a variety of crusty rolls, served with a wonderful olive oil punched up with grated cheese and some fresh rosemary, and glasses of cool water with which to cleanse our palate between courses.

Our meal, which lasted about 2 ½ hours, consisted of 6 courses, each paired with a glass of wine from the Horseshoe Grille’s own stock, which meant that if we discovered a new favorite, we’d be able to easily return for a encore! Between courses, a representative of United Liquors introduced us to the next selection. Words were thrown around such as “unfiltered” and “wild yeast,” while I learned that old vines produced smaller grapes. My favorite quotes that night, however, came from the appreciative crowd: “Break out the credit cards!” and “Won’t last that long at my house!”

The first course was the fresh and fruity Caramelized Apple Salad mixed greens, blue cheese crumbles and an apple cider vinaigrette with Estancia Riesling, Monterey County (2008, $7 glass/$26). The Riesling went very well with this course, and tasted quite different when we sipped at it in comparison with the other white wine we later sampled.

The Macadamia Nut Crusted Tuna with baby bok choy & drizzled with wasabi citrus soy was served with Gary Farrell Pinot Noir, Russian River (2007, $60). The wasabi was mild and hardly evident; the bok choy was crisp with wilted edges belying the fact that they had been steamed. The nutty crusting did not add much to the experience, but the ingredients were of good quality.

We were warned of hot plates upon the arrival of the Lobster Mac and Cheese Sherry cream sauce and Fontina cheese with Ramey Chardonnay, Russian River (2007, $58). I have a thing for sherry, and the meaty lobster claw pieces were evident among the curly tubes of creamy pasta.

Unfortunately, the Beef Wellington with blue cheese smashed potatoes paired with Sterling Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley (2005, $60) arrived just warm, which meant that the blue cheese hidden within the scoop of mashed potatoes was chunky, and the pastry had begun to get a bit soggy on the bottom. Otherwise, the pastry was well made, and the meat inside tender and well dressed with a mushroom sauce.

Finding room in my tummy for the Braised Lamb Cannelloni with a Malbec demi glace with Ruta 22 Malbec, Patagonia, Argentina (2009, $7/$26) was a bit of a challenge. The cannelloni was a bit thick, but the small pile of cubed vegetables added some nice acid to the tender strands of lamb. This was the first and only plate that I did not clean, after all, as it is well known, there is entirely a different stomach for dessert!

From the sound of the crowd, the Apple Tart with cinnamon gelato with Sandeman Tawny Port ($9) may have found a place in the next incarnation of the Horseshoe Grille’s menu. Thin slices of apple topped an almond filling within the crust. The port went really well with the tart, and I found myself wishing it hadn’t been the final drink of the night, as I was feeling the affects of the alcohol I had already ingested, and could not allow myself the pleasure of emptying the glass.

At $75 (tax & tip included) for 6 courses, the Small Plates Wine Dinner was actually a really good deal. They have these annually during the winter, while throwing other events throughout the year. It was well worth the trip up north!

Horseshoe Grille

226 Main St.

North Reading, MA 01864

(978) 664-3591

http://www.horseshoegrille.com/horseshoeGrille/