Valentine Wine Dinner

Welcome to my inaugural food blog post!

Most of the restaurants set for review in the upcoming months (and years?!) will require a minimum of 3 visits before an overall review is provided. Special food experiences, like the one described in this article, are more likely to only have 1-2 visits. Similar to the Michelin rating system, my rankings are as follows: 1 star signifies a good experience, 2 stars indicate an excellent experience, and 3 stars denote an exceptional experience. Therefore, even a 1-star rating represents a ‘good’ experience. I will only review places or experiences to which I can give at least one star.

This year, my husband, J., and I celebrated our main Valentine’s Dinner at a special event in the Fort (Fort Smith, AR of True Grit/Hanging Judge Parker fame for out-of-towners). The occasion was hosted by The Lawyer’s Table, which is a personal chef service based in the Arkansas River Valley. The dinner took place at the lovely, historic Bonneville House, constructed in 1880 and situated in the Belle Grove Historic District. The ambiance was exquisite and tasteful, yet I couldn’t help but think that a touch of low-key background music would have enhanced the evening even further.

Overall Experience: The evening was thoroughly enjoyable, with the chef and sommelier passionately discussing each course and their pairing decisions. As a self-proclaimed food nerd, I relished the educational yet unpretentious atmosphere. It was informative without being pedantic.

The dinner began with an “amuse-bouche” (not pictured) which is basically an appetite opener to “amuse one’s mouth” (tantalize the tastebuds). An excellent earthy mushroom consommé awakened the palate, leaving us eager for the delights that lay ahead.

The appetizer course was celebrated all round at our table and was titled “CIAO ITALIA!”
It consisted of bright bruschetta, cannellini bean crostini, and 3 ages of excellent Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (18, 24, and 36 months). The wine pairing was spot on for the course (especially the cheeses): a 2016 Rotari Brut from the Trentino-Alto Adige region of northern Italy. Made in the traditional champagne method, it was yeasty and earthy (with notes of pear and minerals on the nose), and helped to balance the saltiness of the cheese. It had a very minimal bubble finesse. The chosen cheeses brought a fruity sweetness to the surface of the sparkling wine.

Course number two was titled: “A LOBSTER, A TURKEY, AND A PIG WALK INTO A BAR.”
Included in this course was a warm lobster cocktail with onion caramelized in turkey broth, sherry, and tarragon. Our salad nod – perfect for a mid-winter evening – was cabbage, sauteed Friuli-style with pancetta. Paired with a 2022 Champalou Vouvray (Chenin Blanc), this was my favorite pairing of the evening! The prominent (though not overwhelming) acidity helped to cleanse the fatty, unctuous palate of the cabbage dish, and the delicate minerality/citrus notes were the perfect accompaniment to the lobster cocktail. My only minor wish was for the course to be served a tad warmer.

Our soup course was named “RISK IT FOR THE BISQUE’T.”
A creamy shrimp bisque with shallot, cognac, and a truffle oil brioche crouton, it was significantly lighter than similar bisques I’ve sampled – but pleasantly so. Our table was obsessed with the large crouton, and it had a touch of cornmeal taste, which I found delightful. To accompany this course, we enjoyed a 2020 El Enemigo Argentine Chardonnay. Its unique character revealed itself primarily on the finish, leaving me curious to explore more Argentine whites.

Our main course for the evening was “HOT STEW BY A WARM FIRE ON A COLD EVENING.”
I found myself sitting in front of a generous portion of exceptionally tender Wagyu Beef Bourguignon which was slow braised in French wine. Sides were a hefty & savory Potato Gruyère gratinée in a prosciutto “oven,” accompanied by earthy maple & cinnamon roasted butternut squash (neither pictured). The sides paired particularly well with the wine chosen for this course: a 2020 Domaine Fagolet Morgon Le Janin (an excellent French Gamay). The body of this wine was comparatively light while the flavors/nose were robust. I searched online for bottles of this wine the following day.

Dessert was “LEMONY TELL YOU ‘BOUT THIS CAKE.”
An understated Italian lemon ricotta cake, I found it a nice, tart finish to this cozy, winter meal. Upon first taste, my mind immediately went to a lemony Guatemalan coffee I’d love to pair it with…I was almost tempted to ask for a take-home slice. The Limoncello spritzer that accompanied the dessert course had a distinct Fruit loop taste to it; so fun!

TLDR: Our Valentine wine dinner with The Lawyer’s Table was a lovely & tasty experience in an historical setting that we’ll definitely look back on with fond memories. Price for the entire experience was $175 per person (gratuities included). If you’re in the AR River Valley, you should check them out! I give this experience 2 stars. Cheers! 🥂🍽️🍷

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