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The chef's 5-course tasting menu with paired wines is held every Saturday. The menu selections and wine flights change every week. Here are the details for this week.
Please join us (21 and up only, please!) anytime from 5:00 on for a chef's 5-course tasting menu. Cost is a mere thirty bucks for all five courses. We've also put together a wine flight that pairs each course with a different wine. Cost for the flight is only twenty bucks for five wines, or if you'd prefer not to do the flight, we'll also have wines available by the glass or bottle, as well as beer and cocktails.
Cheese platters, oysters on the half shell and chocolate truffles are also usually available. The bar will be open until at least 11:00 and the kitchen will be open until at least 10:00. Here's the line-up. Wine notes and bottle prices are at the end of this announcement if you're interested.
CHEF'S 5-COURSE TASTING MENU ~ $30 Bartlett Pear Salad | Smoked Burrata Cheese | Wild Arugula | Spiced Walnuts | Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette Butternut Squash Bisque | Foie Gras Crostini | Cardamom Mascarpone Pan Roasted Chicken Breast | Buttermilk Biscuit | Braised Greens | Speck Wagyu Beef Cheeks | Cauliflower Purée + Roasted Florets | Black Truffle Local Apple Crisp | Cinnamon Ice Cream
WINE PAIRING FLIGHT ~ $20 2008 Cassagnoles Gros Manseng 2007 Palmina Dolcetta 2007 Melville Pinot Noir 2005 Chateau Tournefeuille Bordeaux 1998 Domaine Fontanel Rivesaltes Ambré
LOCATION & PHONE Wine Vault & Bistro is located in the heart of San Diego between Little Italy and Old Town at 3731-A India Street on the upstairs terrace. Follow the black handrail up the stairs from the sidewalk to our front door. Our phone number is (619) 295-3939.
PARKING ~ FREE & PAID On-street parking is usually available within a 3-block radius. Remember that it’s OK to park in yellow commercial zones after 6:00 and that meters are also free after 6:00. You can also park in the lot behind Shakespeare Pub two doors down, but do not park in El Indio's lot unless you want your car towed! If you can’t find parking next to the restaurant, there’s always LOTS OF PARKING on San Diego Avenue and the adjacent side streets just past the Chevron station across Washington Street. There's also a huge pay parking lot ($1 per hour) at the Mission Brewery Building two blocks south at the corner of Washington & Hancock. (You'll have to take San Diego Avenue to Noell to Hancock to get there due to the one-way streets.) So please don't drive yourself crazy endlessly going around in circles waiting to pounce on that perfect spot when there's TONS OF PARKING less than three blocks away!
WINE NOTES & BOTTLE PRICES 2008 Cassagnoles Reserve Cuvee Gros Manseng ~ $11 (France) 100% Gros Manseng. Buttery yet crisp nose of apricot, pineapple, green apple, sweet lime and grapefruit pith. Vibrant, refreshing attack of honeyed stone fruit flavors balanced with sweet lemony acidity in the evolution and long dry finish.
2007 Palmina Dolcetto ~ $17 (Santa Barbara County) Winemaker's Notes: Dark ruby color with amethyst highlights. Nose of raspberry and cherry, a bit of toast and a hint of violets. At a first taste, the smooth texture caresses the palate with summertime notes of black cherry, fresh red plums, and wild berries like blackberry, huckleberry and dark raspberries. Yet with all the intense fruit flavors, there’s a nice underlying bright acid in the wine and soft, almond-like tannins on the finish. Ready to drink now. Ideally serve with an ever-so-slight chill.
2007 Melville "Estate" Pinot Noir ~ $24 (Santa Rita Hills) Review by Robert Parker ~ 94 points: An explosive Pinot Noir which possesses abundant amounts of boysenberry, black raspberry, forest floor, roasted herb and subtle smoke characteristics. Rich, textured, pure, and profound, this deep Pinot has the acidity and tannin necessary to age easily for 5-8 years.
2005 Chateau Tournefeuille Bordeaux~ $32 (Lalande de Pomerol, Bordeaux) 85% Merlot + 15% Cabernet Franc. Spicy bouquet with some complex ripe black fruit. Fine palate with firm, well-integrated tannins and lots of black fruit. Well structured, long finish.
1998 Domaine Fontanel Rivesaltes Ambre ~ $26 (France) 100% Grenache Blanc from 60 year old vines. A "vin doux natural" where the fermentation is halted by the addition of alcohol. Aromatic nose of roasted nuts, caramelized banana, pineapple and baked fruits. Rich, viscous, oily attack of complex roasted sweet orange and caramel flavors balanced with a richly spicy baking spice acidity in the evolution and long complex finish. 16.0% alcohol. |