Tuesday, January 30, 2007

Wine & Dine Okanagan

I was a little disappointed that I would not be joining my family for my mom's birthday dinner on the coast this past week. They had originally planned to go a little 'Dine Out Vancouver'. It's a great way to try new restaurants for a great price. Then I discovered that I did not have to miss out on the great food. There is a dining experience here with local restaurants through 'Wine & Dine Okanagan'.

I invited a friend from work to join me in my culinary experience at a little italian restaurant we had both never been to and off we went. The starter course was very yummy; crab cakes with a spicy sauce and ceasar salad with lots of garlic, just the way my dinner companion likes it.
The main courses were good but certainly not expectional. I had seafood stuffed pasta shells in a rosé sauce while my partner had the lasagna in a rosé sauce. She commented on how the rosé sauce was good but just not appropriate for a lasagna. And my entree was filling but not tons of flavour in the shells as I would have expected from the seafood.
The cosmos we ordered had to be sent back for more juice as the alcohol was overwhelming and did not taste just right; we believe that the triple sec was forgotten altogether. And while the service was not great, they did seem to be understaffed with only two servers in the whole restaurant but it is Wine & Dine season so it was to be expected.
The desserts were pretty good. Creme Brulee for me (yum) and Zucotto (Belgian chocolate chunks and toasted hazelnuts, folded with whipped cream and layered between ladyfingers laced with Galliano) for my friend. It was a great time for us both but I think it had more to do with the company than the food.

But I won't give up on 'Wine & Dine', that's what it's all about...trying something new and different.

2 comments:

sparadis said...

The dessert sounded yummy. My mahi mahi for my birthday was very good. LOvE Mom

Sheri said...

hey joanne,
just noticed this post.

what restaurant did you go to?