On Saturday, November 27, 2010, it was a freezing cold and rainy night. It was also a date night for my and my friend Joy B. at Cafe Pinot. We were not too thrilled with the cold and freezing rain but all of our whining and complaining about the weather quickly vanished as soon as we stepped foot into Cafe Pinot. Inside it was warm and dimly lit. We were welcomed and taken to our seats. Soon after we were greeted by the Executive Chef of Cafe Pinot, Chef Kevin Meehan. Extremely funny, friendly and talented, Chef Meehan was the perfect host for our evening. =)

1st Course – Trio of the Sea: Japanese Hamachi / Ruby Grapefruit; Scallop Ceviche / Meye Lemon Snow / Red Beets; Pepper Crusted Yellow Fin / Jicama Relish / Avocado Jam

Wine Pairing - Allimant Laugner Cremant d’Alsace Rose

This trio was light and a great introduction to our 6 course meal. The fish was extremely fresh and simply prepared so not to take away from the original flavors of the hamachi, scallop and tuna. The Japanese Hamachi was my favorite out of the three; soft, light and refreshing especially with the fresh slice of sweet grapefruit. Our sparkling French rose was crisp and flowery and complimented all three well.

Our bread basket had fresh, warm bread. I tried not to eat so much so that I had more room for the rest of the meal.

2nd Course – Wild Mushroom Risotto: Truffle Shavings / Parmasan Frico / Chantilly Cream

Wine Pairing: Ogier Heritages, Cotes du Rhone (2007)

Dubbed “The Panty Dropper” by fellow foodie friend Oanh (Wish I could take credit for that nickname but I can’t haha), and rightly so, this dish set the tone of the rest of the night from sexy to sensual. Rich, creamy and decadent, the texture and taste of the risotto was heavenly in my mouth. There was an abundance of truffles too. Fine by me because I love truffles, everything from the taste to the smell to just how luxurious it is. Before I knew it, my plate was figuratively “licked clean”. Trust me I wanted to but the other Cafe Pinot guests next to me would have probably felt a bit awkward! One bowl of this truffle mushroom risotto was definitely not enough for me. Thank you Chef Meehan for this “panty dropping” dish! (*Disclaimer* No actual panties were harmed in the creation of this dish. However, do not try to recreate this dish at home kids or else real panties might drop.)

I almost forgot to mention our excellent red wine pairing because I was so caught up with the risotto. Smooth wine that brought out the flavors of the truffles and risotto even more but to be honest, I was so enraptured and captivated by the risotto, everything else just faded into the background.

Chef Kevin Meehan served us the dish personally and grated the truffle slices himself. Thank you Chef!

3rd Course – Pan Seared Diver Sea Scallop: Vichysoisse Cream / Leek Fondue / Potato Cubes / Pea Shoots

Wine Pairing: Chateau Laures, Entre Deux Mers (2009)

Still recovering from the aftershocks of a thoroughly devoured risotto plate, we were presented with our 3rd course. Seared to perfection, this scallop dish was full of flavor, although a tad bit too salty for my taste. My friend Joy loved it though. It was a great course after the rich and creamy risotto because this was definitely lighter. Our glass of Chateau Laures was dry but sweet with a crisp finish. It helped to balance out the saltiness of the scallop for me.

4th Course - Hudson Valley Foie Gras: Wild Mushrooms / Smoked Bacon / Mirepoix Soigne

Wine Pairing: Chateau Grillon, Sauternes (2007)

I really enjoyed this pairing. Both the foie gras and our wine were strong and bursting with flavor. One would think that it would be too overpowering and either the dish or the wine had to be more subdued of the two, but this was not the case. I am a fan of foie gras if done right and Chef Meehan served an excellent foie gras dish. The excellent blend of textures were a party in my mouth. You had the soft and buttery foie on one hand and then the salty crunch of the bacon on the other. Then, you took a sip of the thick and almost syrup-like sweet wine. Like I said, party in my mouth. I was a happy camper.

5th Course – Filet Mignon and Pinot Braised Short Ribs: Wild Mushrooms / Potato Cake / Bordelaise Sauce

Wine Pairing: Vinum Cellars Petite Sirah (2008)

By this course my pants were starting to get tighter but that didn’t stop me from savoring. I was extremely excited to taste the Pinot Braised Short Ribs because the last time I had something similar was at a dinner at their sister restaurant in Costa Mesa called Pinot Provence. I fell in love with it at Pinot Provence and was hoping to rekindle that spark here. One bite of that tender, fall-off-the-bone, juicy meat and I was in love all over again. I have to admit I was a bit biased for the short ribs over the filet mignon. Don’t get me wrong… the filet sitting high and mighty on the potato cakes was delicious, but in this carnivorous love triangle, the short ribs won my heart (and my tastebuds). Our glass of petite sirah was very versatile. I could easily pair it with other meat dishes or even duck.

6th Course – Chocolate Mousse Gateau: Hazelnut Crunch / Cocoa Soil / Bitter Chocolate Paint

Wine Pairing: Graham’s 20 Year Old Tawny Porto

Last but certainly not least, was our 6th and final course; our dessert. If I had it my way, dessert would actually come first. Many people tend to engorge themselves on the appetizers and entrees, not leaving any room for the sweetness that is dessert. That is so wrong! It’s like coming to a sudden halt right when you are about to ummm… “sing”. Anyways, I was excited for dessert. Full as I was, I have a second stomach for dessert. First of all, I was already won over simply because it had chocolate and hazelnut. Ever heard of Nutella? Yeah I go crazy over that stuff. I eat it by the spoonfuls. The dessert was sweet but not too sweet. It was rich and decadent the way a chocolate dessert should be. Having port as our pairing only sweetened the deal. Graham’s 20 Year Old Tawny Port wasn’t syrupy and thick either so it wasn’t overbearing. (Tip for those who haven’t tried port before: Take a bite out of a chocolate truffle, leave it in your mouth and take a sip of port. Totally changes both tastes and textures.)

With our senses thoroughly ravished, Joy and I just sat back and savored the moment. We were happy, full and slightly buzzed. I highly recommend dining at Cafe Pinot. Not only is the ambiance amazing (If you get a chance and the weather is perfect, dine outside! It is like an enchanted garden out on their outdoor patio), the service is excellent (Thank you to our amazing waiter, Brian!), the food is top notch and Chef Meehan will definitely take care of you. If you can, try not to order off the menu and just ask him to whip up something great for you. Trust me… Trust him. =)

Cafe Pinot: 700 West 5th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90071

* This was a sponsored dinner.

Related posts:

1. Dinner with Dave at Memphis Cafe at the Santora
2. Animal Restaurant, West Hollywood
3. EVENT CANCELLED! – GIVEAWAY Time #2! VIP Tix to Soups & Sweets Tasting Event: 12/11/10
4. EVENT CANCELLED! – Soups and Sweets Tasting Event – 12/11/10
5. Pre-Grand Opening Dinner @ The Capital Grille, South Coast Plaza