On Tuesday, I had the privilege of attending a special tasting event for Bonefish Grill. If you know me, you know that Bonefish is one of our favorite restaurants, and we visit on a regular basis. You should too: the food is wonderful!
Anyway, Bonefish Grill was holding a tasting for their new Taste The Notes menu. This menu runs every Thursday through July 12, 2012. It features 20 different wines by the half glass…for $2-4 price points! You can’t beat that!
At the tasting, we enjoyed a variety of the wines off the Taste The Notes menu, as well as some new (and classic) dishes from the Bonefish Grill menu. First up: appetizers! You can’t go to Bonefish Grill without an order of Bang Bang Shrimp, right?
If you haven’t had the pleasure of enjoying Bang Bang Shrimp before, it is lightly battered and fried shrimp tossed in a sweet but spicy sauce. Oh, how I love the sauce! Bonefish Grill also added Bang Bang Chicken to their Happier Hours menu recently…so if shrimp isn’t your thing, you can still enjoy the goodness!
The other shrimp appetizer that was brought to our table was a new one: Coconut Curry Shrimp!
I have to say, this is a great new addition to the menu! The yellow curry sauce is just right: not overpowering, and it pairs well with the shrimp and mixed vegetables. And you have to love a generous scoop of sticky rice.
These appetizers were paired with Jacob’s Creek Moscato. It isn’t overly sweet, and features just a touch of effervescence. The sweetness of the wine pairs well with the Bang Bang Shrimp, as it balances out the spicy flavor of the dish. It also plays well with the Coconut Curry Shrimp because the sweet flavors in both complement each other. Nice!
Next up: another new dish on Bonefish’s menu: ceviche!
Scallops, shrimp, avocado, lime, and fresh tortilla chips…it’s definitely a great summer dish. This appetizer was paired with the King Estate “Signature Collection” Pinot Gris. I have to say – this is one of my favorites. We even happen to have a bottle at home! It has a nice balanced flavor of melon, fruit, and honey. It’s pretty much guaranteed to be a crowd pleaser.
The next dish on our tasting menu was one that I’d been dying to try out: the Prosciutto Wrapped Monkfish. Sounds good right from the get-go, right?
If you aren’t familiar with monkfish, it is also known as “poor man’s lobster.” The flavor and texture is very similar: light and sweet…and when it is wrapped in prosciutto and covered with marsala wine sauce? Oh, so delicious! As a side note: see those Potatoes Au Gratin on the side? I have to say, they are full of cheesy goodness: they’re definitely rich in flavor, and would be a great splurge if you’re in the mood. Yum. The monkfish dish was paired with two different wines: the Snoqualmie “Naked” Riesling (simple and not overly sweet) and the Meiomi Pinot Noir. I like that both wines work equally well with the dish! Actually, the Meiomi Pinot Noir might just be a new favorite of mine…
The folks at Bonefish also brought out a few other dishes that would pair well with the Meiomi Pinot Noir: the sea bass with mango salsa…
The Lily’s Chicken (a personal favorite of mine when I’m not in the mood for fish):
The Fontina Chop (so tender!):
And the “American Style” Kobe Beef Burger (a steal at $10.90 on the menu):
We couldn’t end our evening without dessert, right? We had two more wines to taste alongside two different desserts: yum! First was the Peanut Butter and Jelly dessert, paired with the Dona Paula “Los Cardos” Malbec.
The Peanut Butter and Jelly dish is a warm bread pudding, topped with peanut butter ice cream and raspberry sauce. It will definitely take you back to childhood with this particular flavor pairing. And hey: no crust (I always wanted my PB&J without crusts)! The Dona Paula “Los Cardos” Malbec is a great complement to the dessert – it features bright berry flavors that mesh well with the Peanut Butter and Jelly.
Finally, we came to the macadamia nut brownie:
Oh yum: a flourless chocolate macadamia nut brownie with raspberry sauce, vanilla ice cream, and whipped cream. This is right up my alley. The dessert was paired with The Dreaming Tree Cabernet Sauvignon, which has flavors of blackberries and cherries…perfect alongside this decadent dessert. Also, if you aren’t familiar, The Dreaming Tree is Dave Matthews’ wine…fun fact!
Now, at this point, we were pretty much stuffed. But Bonefish wanted to end the evening with a nightcap: their Espresso Martini!
This martini includes Svedka vanilla vodka, Kahlua, creme de cacao, and real espresso. The rim is covered with chocolate and sugar. Ohhh my heavens: this is the perfect night time martini. The foam on top made me think of a latte as I sipped it. So delicious! I just might have to order it again…
I love that with the Taste The Notes menu you are able to sample a variety of different wines at affordable price points. I know sometimes when I am attempting to select a wine at dinner I tend to stick with the flavors I know. However, the Taste The Notes menu really lets you be more adventurous at little cost. Fantastic! And of course, you are able to enjoy some delicious food alongside those wines…
For more information about the Taste The Notes menu, visit Bonefish Grill’s website (and check out the local specials at your nearest Bonefish Grill while you’re at it). Thanks again to Bonefish for a great evening!
Do you think you’ll stop in to a Bonefish Grill to experience the Taste The Notes menu?
I’m so picky that stuff like this scares me! But I bet I would be up to try the bang bang chicken (I’ve heard great things about the sauce but hate shrimp! So good to know they have it!) paired with some moscato… spicy/asian-y flavors with moscato are just the best!
Yes – the Bang Bang Chicken is definitely something you should try during the Happier Hours menu (only $5)! They’re essentially chicken nuggets covered in the yummy bang bang sauce, all on a bed of lettuce. I hear you on the shrimp thing: the texture freaks me out a bit so I don’t eat it often. Haha!
Everything looks delicious. I need to make a reservation ASAP.
Yum! Looks so good! And I love all the NW wines they had on their menu.
I really like that they’re doing this with the half pours of wine…lets you try a few different things!