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Style, elegance, ambiance…these are all key elements of a fabulous dining experience. The first time I walked into Lido Restaurant I knew I would become a big fan. The dining area had all of these things and more…a breathtaking 180 degree view of the ocean, prime sunset watching windows, and a menu full of creativity and bold pairings. On this particular night I was there as the featured winery for their Tuesday night wine tastings. Although it is the slow season, we had a fabulous time with various wine industry personnel showing up, along with the owner of the resort and then a few casual diners who decided to expand their wine knowledge and partake in the evening’s tasting. I love these kind of tasting events and as a consumer I love going to them, so keep an eye out for fun, mid-week tastings going on in your neighborhood. They are usually a great chance to try new wines and speak one-on-one with a winery representative. As good excuse as any, we decided to stay and enjoy dinner. We are big-time seafood lovers and don’t get a lot of raw seafood platters down in the Santa Ynez Valley, so we decided to start with that. It was delicious and I could have literally eaten ten more. They served oysters, clams, mussels, shrimp, and scallops with the three traditional sauces for dipping; champagne mignonette, cocktail , and remoulade. Heavenly! For the main course my fiancé went with New York Peppercorn Steak. There were of course many different temptations for a red meat eater, but it was the sides that sealed the deal on this one; green beans and a potato pancake with Maytag blue cheese and shallots. I think we can all take a second to appreciate that. He said it was the best steak he’s had in a long time and he eats quite a bit of steak, so you know it was top-notch. For me, I opted towards the coriander crusted halibut filet on a bed of couscous with currants, shaved fennel, and curry vinaigrette. It was amazing! The halibut was perfectly cooked; moist and flaky and full of flavor. The couscous was a great complement to the dish and tied in all of the spicy accents. For dinner we had brought a bottle of the 2005 Iconoclast to share with the owner and Sommelier. It was a great addition to this wonderful meal and after about an hour of decanting was opening up nicely. Oh, dessert….always a favorite among readers and diners alike. This time it was the chocolate truffle torte with cinnamon cream and Latin wedding cookies. Rich and thick, it was a lovely ending to a lovely evening. We went home wondering when we can fit in another trip to Dolphin Bay and Lido Restaurant. It is a great getaway for people on the Central Coast so check out their website and let us know what you think! |
