# Dinner last night



## Cary Grant (Sep 11, 2008)

Need to up the cardio today to compensate 

Anam Cara 4-course dinner
with Nick Nicholas, owner/operator of Anam Cara, Oregon

[URL="https:// 
Nick is a great guy. Child of farmers, a career in marketing and restaurant ownership. Lived in London in the 80's where he met his wife Sheila (Sheila is from Scotland - she's in wine PR... her hand is in a lot of the stories and ideas you'll see in Food and Wine, Spectator etc).

Anam Cara's vines have only been in the ground since 2001. The depth they're getting out of this young vineyard is pretty remarkable. Typical production so far totals a mere 1200-2000 cases a year.
FYI- New Yorker's... Nick is doing a tasting dinner at Le Cirque in April, I believe.
First Course

Pan Seared Scallop
Grapefruit, honey*, star anise, scallions, ceviche
*Riesling, Anam Cara, 2006*
Very floral, lots of green apple but also very citrus/grapefruit. High acid. This is a very drinkable, very fresh white. Holds up to just about anything. Restaurants often pair it with scallops but this would also, IMO go well with a hearty blue cheese.
Second Course

Tasting of Lamb
Beggar's purse, lamb loin, rosemary, risotto, lingonberry
*Pinot Noir Estate, Anam Cara, 2006* (FWIW: WA-91pts, IWR-92pts, WE-89pts)
Anam Cara restricts it's Estate production to ~4lbs grapes per vine. This pinot is pretty brassy-ferrous. As Pinots go... pokes you in the eye a bit. Not unbalanced or coarse but it's not exactly elegant. Fairly raisiny as it sat. We also got a sneak taste of the 2007, just coming in. A much smoother, more elegant Pinot.
Third Course

Teres Major Filet
Rogue blue cheese mousse, celery root puree, red wine essence, chive oil
*Pinot Noir Reserve, Anam Cara, 2005* (IWR-90pts, WS-91)
THIS is a NICE Pinot! 261 cases produced. Very smooth, big fruit, bitter cherry, lavender and mineral. I'd happily own a few bottles.
Anam Cara restricts it's RESERVE production to ~2-2.5lbs grapes per vine.
Fourth Course

White Chocolate Cheesecake
Strawberry sorbet, balsamic, chocolate crumb
*Late Harvest Gewurtztraminer, Anam Cara, 2006*
Like all Gewurtz, sticky-sweet up front but this one is countered with similar floral notes to the Riesling and very comparable high acidity, the result is that, unlike other Gewurz I can recall, all that sugar gets overridden/eliminated in the back of your mouth... no syrup running down your throat with this one. Refreshing. Paired very nicely with both the cocoa and the condensed strawberry of the sorbet.

Cheers!


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## ZachGranstrom (Mar 11, 2010)

Whoa! That all sounds good, but four courses? Better spend some time on a stairmaster. :icon_smile_big:


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## Cary Grant (Sep 11, 2008)

ZachGranstrom said:


> Whoa! That all sounds good, but four courses? Better spend some time on a stairmaster. :icon_smile_big:


Heh- considering it was 6 course about ten days ago that I'm still burning off.


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## lovemeparis (May 20, 2006)

*My favorite food...*



Cary Grant said:


> Need to up the cardio today to compensate Anam Cara 4-course dinner
> with Nick Nicholas, owner/operator of Anam Cara, Oregon


I took my son and his friends to dinner last night for his birthday at

https://www.gyu-kaku.com ... simple, affordable... and I like it :icon_smile_big::icon_smile_big::icon_smile_big:


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