This Thursday; Starts With My Number One Favorite
Single-Malt Scotch Dinner At Antoine's
Now here's something I don't think I've been to before: a dinner whose courses will come not with wines but with single-malt Scotches. Antoine's is doing this in their marvelous Twelth Night Reveler's room (it's above the main dining room, with windows and a balcony).
The Scotch whiskies are all first-class bottlings, from a wide range of styles. They begin with my own Scotch of choice: the delicious Dalwhinnie 15-year-old, from the highest-altitude distillery in all of Scotland.
Although I drink Dalwhinnie straight in a snifter, I'd recommend that after you taste it that way, you add some ice or water to it, just to have more liquid with the food. Otherwise, the alcohol will stun your taste buds, and you won't get the most out of Antoine's classic food. Here's the menu:
Soufflee Potatoes
Dalwhinnie Fifteen-Year (Highland)
Shrimp Regua
Grilled shrimp with a spicy aioli (this may be the best new standard dish Antoine's kitchen has created in thirty years).
Glendullan Singleton Twelve-Year
Trout Cardinale
Sauteed trout topped with crawfish cardinale, with fried asparagus.
Cragganmore Twelve-Year, Speyside
Grilled Chicken Breast
Wwith a roasted garlic pepper sauce and curry rice
Lagavulin Sixteen-Year, Islay
Chocolate Mousse
Oban Fourteen-Year (Western Highland)
If you know anything about Scotch, you don't need to be told that all tghese are first-class malts, selling at retail for around $50 each. They also represent all the major areas of Scotland's distilleries.
If you know nothing about Scotch, or think you don't like the spirit, you will learn quite a bit from this tasting. James McCartney, a Master of Whisky, will answer questions and talk a little about Scotch.
If I weren't on a ship that day, I'd be there. This is a steal at $75 inclusive. I'll life a glass of Dalwhinnie on the ship as you do.
The dinner begins at 6:30 this Thursday, October 22. For reservations, call:
Antoine's. 713 St. Louis. Reservations: 581-4422.