Stone Brewing World Bistro breaks the brewpub mold with Fresh Dinners

November 5, 11:57 PMSan Diego Vegetarian ExaminerMichelle Vint

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On Monday, October 19th, Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens held a special "Fresh Dinner" event. Held several times throughout the year, the Fresh Dinners consist of multiple course meals specially created with only the freshest local ingredients. These ingredients are hand selected bright and early starting at 6 AM the very same day the Fresh Dinner is served. Ingredients are collected by teams everywhere from Wildomar to Ramona to Pauma Valley to the San Diego docks. Even the beer is fresh - several beers are freshly kegged that very day to continue the theme of the evening.

Monday night's Fresh Dinner was yet another testament to Stone Brewing's creative forces. The evening started off with a mixer and appetizers provided by Scott Murray of San Pasqual Academy and Dragon Organics. Scott teaches organic farming to foster teens at San Pasqual Academy and brought fresh produce from their farm, Dragon Organics.

Employees then move Fresh Dinner patrons upstairs to a private banquet area. Long, picnic style tables are elegantly decorated with tasteful adornments. Monday night's set-up included beautiful stems of green and purple basil with red hot peppers interspersed throughout. The table layout encourages a feeling of community with fellow Fresh Dinner goers and it's easy to make friends with like-minded locavores. A large movie screen projects images taken from earlier in the day, showing the harvest and preparation of the food for the evening.

The best part? The Fresh Dinners have an emphasis on meat-free foods!

The dinner started with bread and olive oil that had been hand pressed only 3 hours before it was served. It was very aromatic with a rich, earthy, spinach taste.

The first course was Ginger Roasted Winter Squash Soup. The soup was a beautiful, rich orange color and the ginger taste was not overpowering. Served in a lovely little glass, it was a great way to begin the meal.

A special treat, Beet Apple Juice, was presented as a surprise. The light beet flavor was slightly sweet from the apple juice.

The Herbed Crepes were next on the menu. Stuffed with mushrooms, fresh ricotta cheese, and topped with a charred tomato compote, these crepes were flavorful and hearty. The herbs came from Dragon Organics and Stone's own bistro gardens and included oregano, marjoram, thyme, and chives. The sweet compote was made from grilled tomatoes, lending a delicious flavor. The mushrooms came courtesy of Mountain Meadow Mushrooms, the ricotta was made in house with fresh milk from De Jong's Dairy, and the tomatoes arrived from Connelly Gardens.

Arugula & Persimmon Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette used organic lemons from Stone, arugula from La Milpa Organica, persimmons from Crows Pass Farm, and olive oil from Temecula Olive Oil Company. The sweet persimmon slices balanced nicely with the strong, spicy arugula taste. The lemon juice and salt provided a little zing of flavor, as well.

One of the best items on the menu this night, of course, was the Two Lemon Tart with Candied Lemon Zest & Pomegranate. Made with both Meyer lemons, which are typically sweeter, and regular lemons the tart was absolutely delicious. The merengue topping was fluffy and light, wonderfully complementing the thicker, more bitter lemon base. The pomegranate seeds added crunch and extra flavor.

Executive chef Alex Carballo is a friendly, informative man who was happy to introduce his staff and explain the process of creating these dishes. CEO Greg Koch also spoke about Stone's desire to showcase local and fresh foods, with a "Slow Food" approach.

To experience the next Fresh Dinner event at Stone, keep checking the Stone Bistro website to see when new dates are added. Dinners are typically in the $50 range and sell out quickly, so be sure to make reservations fast! Also, visit Stone World Bistro & Gardens restaurant for more delicious food every day!

Ideas? Questions? Contact Michelle.Vint@Gmail.com

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