Cobble Hill/Lion Bridge Beer Dinner Set for April 4th!

March 15, 2019March 15, 2019Leave a comment

Lion Bridge Brewing and Cobble Hill restaurant, both in CR, have announced the date for their popular beer dinner. April 4th is the date, and if you want tickets you might want to jump on this quick as last year’s event sold out in 2 days. One of Iowa’s best breweries and one of Iowa’s best restaurants together for a night leading to a can’t miss event. Click HERE for the link to tickets and more info on the event below.

Come celebrate the birthdays of two of your favorite local businesses: Cobble Hill and Lion Bridge Brewing! Cobble Hill turned 6 in February and Lion Bridge is coming up on year 5, this month!

Head Brewer of Lion Bridge, Quinton McClain, and Executive Chef Andy Schumacher, and their teams, have put together a 5 – course meal with beer pairings, beginning with a welcome pint and a snack at the bar for your first course. The menu and pairings will highlight, complement, and celebrate the skills of these two talented individuals and the diverse teams that assist them.

This will be an experience not to be missed! Unique and well loved beers from Lion Bridge will be paired with imaginative dishes from the Cobble Hill team.

Price includes all tax and gratuity. All you have to do is show up and enjoy!

Kroul Farm/Pullman Bar and Diner Beer Dinner #3: Best gets Better

September 18, 2018September 18, 2018Leave a comment

Year 3 of the Pullman/Kroul Beer Dinner is in the books and just when you think they can’t top last year’s event, Chef Ben Smart and staff roll up their sleeves and do just that. Sunday’s event wasn’t exactly fall-like to start the day as temps were in the high 80s, so a tip of the cap for sure goes to the Pullman staff as they slaved over open-pit fires to cook up our terrific meal. Even though it was hot early on, the weather chilled a bit as the sun set and you really can’t beat the ambiance of sitting at a Kroul Farm picnic table with friends as you sip a beer or glass of wine and get served some of the best and unique food I’ve had. Cheers to the Kroul Family, Cory Kent, Chef Smart and staff, this is my favorite event of the year! Onto the food!

DISH #1 – Pan con Tomate – Bread, Heirloom tomato served with Broadbent Vinho Verde
Bread with a tomato puree? Sounds simple, and it is, but it was delicious. Local tomatoes with olive oil and salt put on top of some grilled bread and a glass of white wine, great start to the meal!

DISH #2 – Sea Urchin Bavarois served with Broadbent Vinho Verde
I had never had sea urchin before, but now I want sea urchin more often. The dish was presented and looked similar to a chowder dish with some charred sweet corn and that’s exactly how it tasted. Almost like a mix of a chilled lobster bisque/lobster chowder and the added local sweet corn really made the dish stand out. This was one I would have taken a whole bowl full of, excellent dish.

DISH #3 – Cedar Plank Salmon with slow roasted grilled lemons, herbs, shishito peppers, squash, and olives served with Prairie Standard Saison
Admittedly, I’m not a huge salmon guy, but, this dish was very good. Perfectly cooked salmon and a squeeze of some of the grilled lemon and tons of fresh dill on top made this a dish I could eat often. 3/3 so far Pullman crew!

DISH #4 – Potato Gnocchi with pumpkin puree, chanterelles, pistachio pistou, La quercia guanciale, and sheep’s milk cheese served with Prairie Standard Saison
I wasn’t sure what to expect with this dish as I’m hit and miss with pumpkin but this was a home run dish, from the presentation of being served in hollowed out pumpkins to the execution itself to the flavors. The gnocchi with pillow soft and combined with the pistachio and cheese with a little bite of the crispy and salty la quercia (pork cheek I believe) I had a hard time not finishing this dish in seconds. Blown away by this one. Keep it coming Pullman.

DISH #5 – Duo of Kroul Beef – tenderloin, ribeye, and sauce bordelaise with mushroom pithivier, kale, carrot, currant, pine nuts, and aged balsamic, served with Trim Cabernet
I always look forward to the main course although the dishes leading up are just as terrific, but with this being Kroul’s beef that they were serving made it even more special. The beef was wonderful, perfectly cooked, tender and salted exactly how it needed to be. To cook for 110-120 people and execute it the way the Pullman staff did shows their talent, you worry about it being overcooked but that’s not the case at all. The beef was phenomenal but the thing that really sealed the deal for me was the Mushroom Pithivier, which essentially was a pie with sliced potatoes, mushrooms, and cheese. I savored every bite of it. Extraordinary meal!

DISH #6 – The Space Donut – Sweet potato mousse, walnut shortbread, white chocolate goat cheese cremeux, pear, salted caramel ice cream paired with Cafe Amaretto
Onto the final course…dessert. I’m not sure how the staff could top last years parsnip cake served with Jean Luc Richard, but they came pretty damn close! The parsnip cake is my all time favorite dessert, hands down, but they brought out the big guns for this Space Donut. Chef Smart described it to every table how they concocted it and I’m not going to even try to replicate him, let’s just say it was tasty, eye-appealing, and very unique.

I’ve said this since the Kroul Farm dinner started 3 years ago and I’ll repeat myself again…this is a can’t miss event for food lovers, wine lovers, beer lovers, and people who just enjoy sitting and chatting with others. I look forward to this event every year and hope it continues. Thanks again to the Matt Kroul and family, Chef Smart and Staff, and Cory Kent for spoiling us once again this year! Cheers!

Big Grove Brewery and Taproom Hosting “Chef’s Night Off” Potluck Event August 12th!

July 30, 2018July 30, 2018Leave a comment

In what will no doubt be an amazing time with terrific food, beer, and socializing, “Chef’s Night Off” will feature chefs from Big Grove, Pullman, and Saint Burch, cooking you a feast potluck style right before your eyes. Here are the deets on this Big Grove inspired summer BBQ!

Here’s your invitation to:

…a beautiful summer day
…a backyard barbecue
…8 talented local chefs cooking for you.

Ever wonder what chefs are cooking for their friends and family on their day off? This is your opportunity to go behind the scenes and experience a bountiful potluck style meal, cooked right in front of you and served al fresco on a wonderful Iowa summer night. Chef’s from Big Grove Iowa City, Big Grove Solon, Pullman Bar & Diner and St. Burch Tavern will be pulling back the curtain and sharing their passion (and maybe a beer or two) with you!

In the wake of several high profile suicides, and the rampant metal illness issues that plague the service industry, a portion of our proceeds will be donated to support The Crisis Center to aid suicide awareness and prevention. https://www.jccrisiscenter.org/

Tickets are $30 for this all you can eat potluck. Visit the link below to order, cheers!

Chef’s Night Off Tickets

Lion Bridge Brewery Presents: Dinner w/ Chef Regina Escalante!

July 17, 2018July 17, 2018Leave a comment

A wonderful sounding menu that will no doubt include some wonderful beers, here’s the press release on the latest local beer dinner courtesy of Lion Bridge and Chef Escalante! This sounds like a can’t miss event!

Join us for a unique evening with Chef Regina Escalante from Merida, Mexico on August 6th at Lion Bridge Brewing Company.

Regina studied Culinary School and Restaurant Management at the prestigious Paul Bocuse Institute in France. She has worked at some of the finest restaurants in Paris, Lyon, and Marseille before returning to her hometown in Merida, Yucatan to start her own restaurant, Merci. She worked at Michelin star restaurants such as La Table de Lancaster with Chef Rochetau; the Hotel Crillon, with Chef Christopher Hache in Paris; and at Le Petite Nice, under Chef Gerald Passedat in Marseille.

Regina started her career under the tutelage of Chef Cheryl Lewis in Portland, Maine as well as Chef Roberto Solis from Mexico at the young age of 17. Regina’s mother is American and her father is from Merida, Mexico. The fusion of Mexican, American, and French cultures from her upbringing manifests itself in her dishes and creations.

Regina and her husband Vincent Ros opened the doors of their own restaurant Merci in 2014, where they focus on serving breakfast, brunch, and lunch chef-inspired, locally sourced dishes.

Regina was named one of “Mexico’s Top Chefs” by The Larousse Institute at the young age of 29.

Chef Regina Escalante has worked with The Nature Conservancy on a project to protect the traditional milpa systems of the Mayan and supports urban farming projects to empower her French-style cuisine and invite her consumers to support local products; in this meeting of worlds we are taken deep into the Maya Forest to discover how milpa farming systems continue to evolve to protect seed diversity and stop deforestation.

Regina is also part of the Slow Food Movement.

She will be presenting at Newbo Evolve™ in Cedar Rapids the weekend of August 4-5 and hosting a 4-course dinner at Lion Bridge Brewing Company on August 6. We will have suggested beer pairings with all of her courses.

Big Grove/Pullman Kroul Farm Beer Dinner #2: Fall’s Can’t Miss Beer Dinner

September 18, 2017September 18, 2017Leave a comment

If you ever come across a social media site advertisement consisting of any combination of these words: Beer Dinner, Big Grove, Pullman, Chef Smart, Kroul Farm….do yourself favor and get some tickets. For the 2nd straight year this combination of restaurateurs, chefs, farmers, and wait staff put on an amazing culinary experience highlighting fresh and local food and local beer.

Kroul Farms is about 2 minute drive from my town of Mount Vernon, IA just off of Highway 1. They grow and sell sustainable seasonal produce and for the second year in a row they have teamed with the fine folks from Big Grove + Pullman to bring us an amazing dining experience. There’s something to be said about enjoying a five course meal on a farm, sitting on seasonally decorated picnic tables and watching a chef and his staff cooking food over open flames. Onto the dinner:

Course #1:
**Tomato and Onion Confit Tart with Milton creamery white Cheddar
Paired with: Big Grove Sidehill Peach Sour

The perfect item to start off the dinner. Blistered tomatoes on top with the onions and cheddar gave you familiarity of an excellent slice of pizza and the sour from the Peach Sidehill cut through the richness of the tart. Many of these I could devour in a sitting.

Course #2:
**Ajo Blanco
Paired with: Big Grove Sidehill Peach Sour

I knew I was getting my first ever chilled soup but I wasn’t sure what the base of the soup was until after the fact. Ajo Blanco is a chilled soup with a bread, almonds, garlic, water, olive oil. I was very intrigued by this dish because of the melon and pickled grapes served with it. It was extremely refreshing and absolutely delicious. Getting the perfect bit of the base along with a pickled grape and a fresh cucumber was heavenly.

Course #3: Lamb and Garlic Sausage
Paired with: Bengoetxe, Txakolina 2015 (I think I spelled that right)

I’ll be the first to admit that lamb is not necessarily a food item that I crave. However, my apprehension and skepticism about this dish quickly disappeared after the first bite. This dish was served family style with a side of grilled pita and a dill yogurt. I piled the yogurt sauce as the aroma from that was intoxicating and when it mixed with the juice from the lamb sausages it was even better. It was paired with a white wine, I don’t know shit about wine so I won’t pretend that I do, let’s just say it was good:)This is a dish that would be perfect for a fall Saturday morning tailgate and couple of Boomtowns. (I ate it so fast I forgot a table picture, so here’s a picture of the Lamb Sausage being cooked).

Course #4: Smoked Trout with Melted Leeks and Horseradish Crema
Paired With: Big Grove Red Headed Stranger

I forgot to get a pic of this dish too but it was very campfire like. The smoked trout was served with a side of melted leeks (yum!) and a big dollop of horseradish cream, which I could eat on almost any dish. It also came with a campfire style potatoes and wild mushrooms wrapped in foil. All superb. I hadn’t had Red Headed Stranger for a while and I forgot how well-balanced it for a Red/Rye? IPA. Hops on the nose and flavor and then balanced perfectly by the malt. A really great and underrated Big Grove beer IMO.

Course #5: Wood Roasted Pork Chop
Paired With: Hedges Estates CMS Red 2015

I was very excited about getting to this dish especially when you actually go see the chefs and cooks cooking this on an open fire. It was served family style, cut into huge portions and also had some pork belly crisped up and served with it. The polenta was creamy and when the juices from the chop mixed with that polenta you had one hell of tasty bite of food. The succotash could be served all on its own and I would be perfectly happy with that too! The chop was tender and juicy and packed with flavor. Mouth watering and delicious! I finally took the time to take the fork out of my mouth and snap a picture.

Course #6: Caramel Apple Glazed Parsnip Cake
Paired With: Big Grove Brewery Jean Luc Richard

I’m not a big dessert kind of guy and I was really looking forward to just sipping on the glorious brew that accompanied the dish. A parsnip cake? No clue what this was going to be about but my god was this the best dessert I’ve ever had and I’ll have continued dreams about it. The cake was a cinnamon spiced cake that was made with, you guessed it, parsnips. It was delicious! Served with a mini caramel apple and also with the greatest ice cream I’ve ever tasted. Brown butter ice cream. A bit of cake with some caramel and some ice cream on the spoon was completely satisfying and beyond delicious. That was paired with Big Grove’s new Richard beer, Jean Luc Richard, which is described as a creme brulee tasting beer. The beer was exactly that; sweet, some barrel on it, chocolate, coffee, burnt caramel flavors. Simply awesome!

**With year two of this dinner in the books, it’s not too early to look forward to year 3. I know I am. How do the chefs top this though? The thing is, they will. Special thanks to the Kroul Family for hosting this event and Corey Kent, Ben Smart, Doug Goettsch and their hard-working staff. I will look forward to this every single year…it’s the event of the Fall!!

Mondo’s Reunion Brewery Hosting Beer Dinner July 20th

July 8, 2016July 8, 20163 Comments

mondos Coralville’s Mondo’s Reunion Brewery will be hosting a beer dinner Wednesday July 20th at their Coralville Strip location. 5 beers paired with 5 different courses for $40. Below is the menu for this event:

July 20th @ 7 p.m. – Mondo’s Reunion Brewery

Course 1
Lager
Cold smoked salmon, capers, crostini and avocado.

Juice Factory – pale ale
Local green garden salad with herbs, beets and crispy onion strings with a mint/honey vinaigrette

Pub Ale
Grotto Misto with fresh Cod, green beans, cauliflower, lemon fennel and garbanzo beans served with malt aioli

Hermit- belgian golden strong
Linguini with prosciutto di parma, basil and garden tomatoes

Schwartz-
Tiramisu

Upcoming Oakland Road Hy-Vee Beer Dinners

April 14, 20151 Comment

Received the following email from Oakland Road Hy-Vee in Cedar Rapids:

We are coming up on an exciting time in craft beer, we are going to celebrate everything about craft beer with back to back weeks of recognizing everything that is great about craft beer. We are going to start off with the first annual Cedar Rapids Craft Beer Week. You will see lots of events going on right here in Cedar Rapids that week which will lead right into American Craft Beer Week which will focus on all American Craft Brewers. We will host a few events during these weeks and couple of which will be two fantastic beer dinners. If you are interested in either of these beer dinners, please email me back to reserve your spot today. These should fill up fast so please be kind and only reserve a spot if you are sure you can make it.

Cedar Rapids Craft Beer Week(May 2^nd– May 9^th)

American Craft Beer Week(May 11^th-May 17^th)

Surly Brewing and Centro Restaurant Beer Event Coming Thursday March 26th

March 23, 2015March 23, 2015Leave a comment

I just received the following information from Surly Brewing. Sounds like a terrific event with lots of excellent beer and food. Full hog porchetta? Yes please! Here’s more info:

WHAT: Centro is welcoming the Twin Cities’ Surly Brewing to Des Moines with an exclusive food and beer event this week. The event will showcase Surly beer and food prepared by Centro executive chef Derek Eidson and Surly executive chef Jorge Guzman. Both chefs will feature dishes for sampling while guests are able to taste Surly’s beers.

Entrance includes five Surly beer tasting tickets, two paired small plates from Guzman, hors d’oeuvres from Eidson, and a complimentary branded tulip snifter. Additional pours of Surly beer will be available for purchase.

SURLY FOOD MENU:

Red Chili Pork Tamale with Cotija cheese, pickled red onion and cilantro

Pecan Smoked Brisket, sweet potato bun, spicy pickles

CENTRO FOOD MENU:

Full hog porchetta, South Union Bakery bun and pickled vegetables

Roman-style pizzas with assorted toppings

Charcuterie (assorted cured meats and accouterments)

Housemade frites with sauces

WHEN: Thursday, March 26, 6pm – 9pm

WHERE: South Union Bread Café at Centro, 1007 Locust St., Des Moines

TICKETS: RSVP to RDeAngelo@CentroDining.com, $30/person