Vin Bar

Vin Bar just gets better and better!!! Each and every dish was spectacular, superbly executed with top quality ingredients.

Schramsberg to start

Uni served on an orange salad, with pistachio, onion, arugala with orange sauce – the combination of citrus with the uni was a wonderful combination.

First Wine – “Falanghina is a historic grape from Campania, the region that includes Naples. Sannio is a hilly region of Campania, north of Naples, with a wine-growing history so ancient that it was favorably mentioned – as Samnium in Latin – in the works of Pliny, Cato and Horace.”

Chicken Foie Gras served simply with olive oil topped with raspberries –  a luxurious rendition of chicken liver that was rich with a smooth velvety texture

Monkfish tail, celery, capers, microgreens, pepper, olive oil mixed with the “fish jus” – Chef Nico handles fish perfectly

2nd Wine – Domodimonti winery is “located only two-and-a-half hours east of Rome, in the Le Marche region between Umbria and Tuscany. The winery has a spectacular landscape of narrow coastal plains that rise sharply into the peaks of the Sibillini Mountains, with a view of Ancona and the Adriatic Sea seen in the distance on a clear day.” The wine is “a mineral-laced and golden honey-colored white wine called LiCoste, with a grape varietal only found in Italy called Pecorino.”

Sweetbreads sauteed with porcini mushrooms, baked ricotta cheese on top, sweetbread reduced sauce – another winner!!!!

Pumpkin pappardelle, braised pigeon ragu, parmesan sprinkled on top – again Chef Nico’s flavor combinations are innovative and “spot on.”

Third Wine –  “Lamùri, or “love” in Sicilian dialect, is Tasca d’Almerita’s most luscious, fruit-forward, and youthful Nero d’Avola. Made from 100% Nero d’Avola from 10-15 year old vines grown in sandy soils. The unique micro-climate provides Lamùri its pleasant freshness and elegance. Intense ruby-red in color, Lamùri offers lush aromas of blackberry, mulberry and cherry. On the palate, this wine is incredibly rich, with velvety tannins and a refreshing acidity.”

Pici pasta (a thick, hand rolled pasta, like a fat spaghetti, originating in the province of Siena in Tuscany), rabbit, porcini mushrooms, pecorino, pomodoro puree

Turbot on a risotto with swiss chard and crabmeat, saffron oil – turbot is one of my most favorite fish dishes – this was just exquisite.

“THE WORTHIEST AND MOST “ARISTOCRATIC OF ITALIAN” WINES”
“Mario Soldati’s short but meaningful comment really does sum up what many connoisseurs think about that “pearl” of the world’s oenological landscape, the Gattinara DOCG appellation. The Travaglini Gattinara offers a number of incomparable sensory characteristics which help to make this great wine unique: an intense dark red colour along with rose and violet bouquets, plus a few hints of anis, vanilla, spices and undergrowth. This is a wine to satisfy even the most sophisticated of palates, and its smoothness and roundness will endear it to those in search of elegant, intense sensations.” “Gattinara is a red wine produced in the northwestern Piedmont region of Italy. It is based on the Nebbiolo grape.”

On the left veal tripe with fresh tomato and pecorino and on the right dry-brined pork rib first steamed with vegetables then roasted with honey and onions, sweet and sour sauce – I want this recipe for the pork rib!!!

On the left pork sausage with cherry tomatoes, sweet onions, herbs, light tomato sauce, roasted potatoes in the middle and on the right Colorado lamb chop, red wine sauce – I am running out of adjectives. You just don’t get better cuisine than what is being produced at Vin Bar/Valentino. I again urge everyone to just go.

Cheese plate —  pecorino, blue buffalo, aged ricotta, fig salami with walnuts, blueberries, raspberries, candied pecans and syrup from heirloom tomatoes and strawberries

The incredible chef Nico

The best restauranteur in Los Angeles – Piero