Last night we went to 315 Restaurant and Wine Bar to try their new chef and menu. They’ve been re-opened just a little over a week, after being closed since June for ‘minor’ kitchen remodeling.
We were warmly greeted by the owner Louis Moskow, the manager Babs Jaramillo, and the staff. Louis had the chef, Ryan Mann, come out and see us. We had met him at the Railyard before the reopening. Louis and Ryan suggested we try a tasting menu with several of the new dishes. We agreed, as long as the pork belly dish was part of it.
We were seated at our favorite table. Louis suggested we start with a bottle of 2006 Blanc de Lynch Bages. He got two bottles from the distributor, was keeping one and selling one. Shortly after Louis brought us the wine, we were served our first course - a lovely beet salad - yellow, Chiaggia, and red beet pieces on a bed of small dark lentils dressed with a sherry vinaigrette and pieces of Montrachet cheese. The salad was very tasty and nice with the white Bordeaux - bright, complex nose and flavors of spicy pear, quince, & citrus; complex balanced mid-palate with rich fruit and good acidity; and a long complex fruit finish.
The next course was Cavatelli with Chanterelles and Mascarpone on a bed of creamy leeks. We had ordered our red wine in case we wanted some with the chanterelle dish. A 2004 Louis Jadot 1er Cru Savigny-les-Beaune "La Dominode’ - rich, spicy red and dark fruit in nose and flavors; good mid-palate with rich fruit and good acidity; and a medium long fruit finish. The Jadot was better if there was a preponderance of chanterelles, the white Bordeaux was better with more of the creamy leeks.
Next we had a tasty steamed littleneck clams with picadillo peppers and chives. This dish was perfect with the Lynch Bages Blanc.
Then we had foie gras with roasted apple and toast. With this dish we each had a glass of 1990 Roumier-Lacoste Sauternes - very dark orange-brown in color, slight maderization in the nose; less so in flavors; it was rich and nice with the foie gras, except for a slight deficiency in acidity.
Next was a spicy Merguez sausage on couscous with orange slices and herbs. This was very good with the Jadot.
Then came the crisped pork belly with carrots, sautéed greens, and frisée. The pork was a little bland, but the accompaniments perked it up. It was also good with the Jadot.
Next was the cheese plate - a nice slice of Point Reyes Blue with roasted grapes and a plum sauce. This was enjoyed with a light Dow’s 1982 Colheita Port.
Then, as if we needed more, came dessert. Carollee got a pumpkin pie with vanilla cream. I got a rich flourless chocolate cake (like eating a rich chocolate bar) with warm cream sauce and orange slices. With this we each had a glass of 2003 Tokay ‘5 Puttonyos’,
We then each finished with a very short, intense double espresso (a single espresso cup about 2/3 full). It was a nice palate clearer and digestiv. Then we headed home, very full.