If food really is the way to your sweetie's heart, then head to Different Pointe of View this Valentine's Day for a feast that is sure to provide you the key to their heart.
Perched high on the mountains of the Pointe Hilton Tapatio Cliffs the fine-dining establishment affords some of the most spectacular views of the Valley of the Sun that can be had at any restaurant. Thankfully, the food measures up to scenery.
Chef Anthony DeMuro changes his menu seasonally, relying on fresh ingredients from local producers whenever possible. No matter what's on the menu, his Mediterranean touches, infused oils and unique rubs flavor the dishes. For Valentine's Day, a special five course tasting menu is being offered that is similar to the tasting menu with wine pairings that I recently enjoyed.
Eric Spragett, a.k.a “the wine guy” (officially a Master Sommelier) saunters over to my table to explain that he'll be pairing the menu with wines from the West Coast and hints that not only will the wine highlight the cuisine and vice versa, but they'll be some fun stories along the way.
The meal kicks off with Chef DeMuro's take on the overdone crab cake. Instead of the traditional cake, the chef presents sumptuous lump crab meat in a ravioli on a bed of wilted Swiss chard. The dish is paired with a Viognier from Santa Barbara. Two bites of deliciousness!
Salads can present a challenge for wine pairing, but our wine guy hits it out of the park by pairing a beet salad with Arizona's Sam Pillsbury One Night Stand dry rose wine. I take a sip of it before the meal and I'm not sure if I like it or not, it's interesting. However, when paired with the salad the wine changes dramatically into a smooth drinking wine with great flavors. Frankly, I've never had a wine pairing where the change in the wine was so dramatic. Clearly, others love this wine because Pillsbury meant it to be a one-time production (hence the name) and it was so embraced by wine lovers that it's turned into a long-term relationship.
The fish course is a perfectly seared diver scallop, two meaty shrimp and some tri-colored cauliflower.
The dish is paired with a Fox Farm (Oregon) Pinot Gris. David Fish, one of the owners of the winery, used to work with Marc Tarbell.
Since I don't eat red meat, the next course was another fish dish and my favorite taste of the night. A pan-seared halibut with laughing bird shrimp, enoki mushrooms, asparagus and Peruvian mashed potatoes. I love halibut, but it was the shrimp and mushrooms in this dish that won my heart. Spragett was going to pair the dish with a Riesling, but I really wanted to try a red wine so he offered up the 2004 K Syrah from Washington state. It fit his philosophy of “the best wine is the wine you like best.”
Of course no meal would be complete without dessert (even if you're as stuffed as I was). My favorite was Apples on the Rocks, a concoction of apple spice ice cream, crumbled oatmeal cranberry cookie, crème fraiche and apple confit and an apple cider caramel sauce.
If the weather cooperates, sit outside by one of the fire pits after dinner and enjoy the view and your special someone.
Comments