Food and wine adventurers who love a great pairing may want to jump on the few remaining tickets for the Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival’s satellite restaurant programs. The festival, a series of presentations, conversations, tastings, demonstrations and more, takes place this weekend, Sept. 19-22, at the magical Rosecliff mansion, but if you missed out before it sold out, fear not. Annually, the Preservation Society of Newport County’s WFF staff partners with our area’s fine dining establishments to offer adjunct opportunities for inspiring culinary events and the added benefit of supporting the local restaurant community.
Similarly to the programs being held on Bellevue Avenue, these events highlight unique wines and other beverages from around the world, some paired with hors d’oeuvres, others with multi-course meals prepared by world class chefs.
You can go full-on luxe to more casual, depending on your palate and your budget, but there’s a little something for everyone: a sake pairing at Yagi Noodles with dishes created by James Beard semi-finalist Chef Basil Yu; an elegant, five-course dinner featuring the wines of Piedmont, Italy at Cara at The Chanler; an Ammunition Whiskey tasting at The Studio Bar at the Gardiner House; a Spanish wine dinner at Gardiner’s Flora Restaurant; a tapas and Mezcal experience at Midtown Oyster Bar; and events at Beech in Jamestown, 41 N, and Newport Harbor Island.
On Thursday, 9/19, James Beard Award nominee Chef Basil Yu presents a sake pairing dinner at Yagi Noodles, with sashimi, mollusk, ramen and fig the featured ingredients of courses for which co-sponsor Komé Collective’s sake sommelier Dila Lee will match unique and diverse Japanese rice wines. The event includes a welcome cocktail and nibble, followed by the lively and informative dinner.
The high-end Cara at The Chanler is presenting the renowned wines of Piedmont, Italy, blended seamlessly with the flavors of New England as imagined by Chef Jacob Jasinski. His five-course menu features local, seasonal ingredients for dishes that mirror the classic essence of Piedmont, highlighting the unique culinary connection between the two regions’ shared environments and crops. Each course features a specially selected Piedmontese wine, curated by Empson USA. How does Block Island Sound Tuna Rossini with Acquerello risotto, perfectly paired with a magnificent Barolo sound? Mmmhmmmm.
Friday, 9/20, Midtown Oyster Bar joins forces with Mezcalum for a pairing of mini, mezcal-inspired cocktails and street-style tapas bites by Chef Jeremy Boudreau. The agave-based spirit, a brand that “marries the richness of Oaxacan culture with Tulum beach vibes,” is described as light on the smoke with complex undertones andsignificant depth. Co-owner Chris Roth will be on hand to share his knowledge and passion for all things Mezcalum.
Also on 9/20, the beautiful new Flora at the Gardiner House will host a Spanish wine dinner, featuring an exquisite selection of wines curated by Ana Fabiano, author of “The Wine Region of Rioja,” and paired with delicious regional fare created by Chef Miguel Somoza. The evening begins with bubbles at the Cava reception, followed by a four- course sit-down dinner. The event is sponsored by Palacios Chorizo and Beronia
Winery. The setting is sublime.
Before you hit the town on Saturday, 9/21, stop by the Ammunition Whiskey cocktail party at The Studio Bar, also located at the Gardiner House, from 6 to 8 p.m. featuring award-winning Ammunition Kentucky rye and bourbons. Tickets include two cocktails stirred up by in-house bartenders in the warm and sophisticated lounge.
A second opportunity to sip Mezcalum comes in the form of an End Of Summer Soiree at Dive Bar. Dress to impress, meet the brand’s owners, sip on specialty cocktails blended with this unique Mezcal brand, and party ‘til late with DJ 4 HUNDO.
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