Nice Wine Pairings and Great Evening; Slightly Rocky Service
Last year, we closed out August by participating in a wine tasting at our favorite local restaurant, Lago, in Meredith, New Hampshire. This year, we took advantage of Lago’s Flights & Bites (pairings of three wines with special appetizers)
Although we had tried similar flights at other restaurants before, we were a bit confused by the restaurant’s marketing; it made it sound like the wine flights were an RSVP event instead of the traditional add-on or alternative to the regular menu. Once we sorted that out, the Flights & Bites went smoothly, with a few service hitches.
Flights & Bites gives the chef an opportunity to experiment with new appetizers not on the regular menu, and to showcase wines from the restaurant’s list. For food and wine lovers, flights are a great opportunity to try something new and experiment with wine. Lago’s wine list is relatively extensive and carefully selected, with most of the wines ranging in price from $22 to $40 (although there are a number of excellent reds in the $50 to $100 range). No matter what you order or how much you spend, Lago takes wine seriously; we watched how the waiter served a neighboring table with a bottle of the house wine ($18), treating it every bit as ceremoniously as if it were a $85 bottle of Gaja Ca’Marcanda Promis.
My husband tried the white Flight, and I tried the red Flight. Each series of bites was prettily presented on a long, white rectangular plate. Each flight was delivered on a wooden carrier with three large shot glasses (I am guessing 2-3 ounces each) of wine and a single wine glass.
Here are our verdicts:
White Flight & Bites Menu
Crab claws with lobster sauce, served with a Beaulieu Vineyard Riesling: Our favorite wine of the whites – crisp, dry and a perfect complement to seafood. We never think to order Rieslings, but we will now. This one was very memorable. While my husband is not a big crab fan, the lobster sauce was imaginative, light and delectable.
Grilled scallop with basil sauce, served with Seghesio Fiano: The plump scallop was perfectly prepared, and the bright-green sauce very light and piquant. This wine was also crisp but with a grassy nose and a bit of lemony fruit at the back. This was the favorite bite of this flight, and the favorite pairing. (Scallops are always great at Lago, no matter what the dish.)
Smoked tuna slices, served with a Robert Mondavi Fumé Blanc: The rich fruitiness of the wine nicely balanced the smokiness of the tuna. It reminded us how great Fumé Blanc can be with the right food.
Red Flight & Bites Menu
Mushroom cap stuffed with Italian sausage and ground chick pea, served with Jargon Pinot Noir: In spite of the hokey name, Jargon Pinot Noir is a very decent and drinkable pinot, particularly for the price (it retails for around $10). It’s not listed on the wine list at Lago, but they always seem to have it. The wine provided a light wrapper for the bite, which was spicy and rich and earthy. This was my favorite bite, and a great pairing. This is the bite I would most like to see on the regular app menu.
Fried duck confit with berry sauce and a slice of grilled ciabatta, served with Stephen Vincent Crimson: This was an inspired bite, which I would never think to order but was an explosion of textures and tastes. The wine, a Syrah (75%)-Cabernet Sauvignon (25%) blend from Sonoma, had a rich but clean berry taste, making it a perfect complement to the bite. This is an excellent wine, particularly for the price (it retails for around $10-$15). I liked the wine so much that I later had a glass with a small bowl of Sicilian pasta spiced with grilled anchovies – and it was perfect with this spicy, smoky dish.
Beef short ribs over potato puree, served with Donna Laura Alteo Chianti: I love short ribs, but this was a miss for me. I think it was meant to be a creative Tuscan take on meat-and-potatoes – and it was very attractive – but I found it a bit bland. The chianti was enjoyable, with hints of berry and floral, and it didn’t overpower the bite.
We finished our meals with two entrees – lasagna for my husband (which wasn’t so great) and my pasta (which was terrific).
Overall, we had a great evening. Service started out on a high note, but degraded a bit as the place became busier. Service is usually excellent at Lago, so I attribute these problems to a busy night and the change in format. We will try the Flights & Bites again if offered, and see how they do. The experience was a lot of fun and a break from regular dining.
The price for the flights – one flight for $15, two for $25 – was very reasonable; our total bill came to around $70, for a very nice night out and two well-satisfied palates.
Last year, we closed out August by participating in a wine tasting at our favorite local restaurant, Lago, in Meredith, New Hampshire. This year, we took advantage of Lago’s Flights & Bites (pairings of three wines with special appetizers)
Although we had tried similar flights at other restaurants before, we were a bit confused by the restaurant’s marketing; it made it sound like the wine flights were an RSVP event instead of the traditional add-on or alternative to the regular menu. Once we sorted that out, the Flights & Bites went smoothly, with a few service hitches.
Flights & Bites gives the chef an opportunity to experiment with new appetizers not on the regular menu, and to showcase wines from the restaurant’s list. For food and wine lovers, flights are a great opportunity to try something new and experiment with wine. Lago’s wine list is relatively extensive and carefully selected, with most of the wines ranging in price from $22 to $40 (although there are a number of excellent reds in the $50 to $100 range). No matter what you order or how much you spend, Lago takes wine seriously; we watched how the waiter served a neighboring table with a bottle of the house wine ($18), treating it every bit as ceremoniously as if it were a $85 bottle of Gaja Ca’Marcanda Promis.
My husband tried the white Flight, and I tried the red Flight. Each series of bites was prettily presented on a long, white rectangular plate. Each flight was delivered on a wooden carrier with three large shot glasses (I am guessing 2-3 ounces each) of wine and a single wine glass.
Here are our verdicts:
White Flight & Bites Menu
Crab claws with lobster sauce, served with a Beaulieu Vineyard Riesling: Our favorite wine of the whites – crisp, dry and a perfect complement to seafood. We never think to order Rieslings, but we will now. This one was very memorable. While my husband is not a big crab fan, the lobster sauce was imaginative, light and delectable.
Grilled scallop with basil sauce, served with Seghesio Fiano: The plump scallop was perfectly prepared, and the bright-green sauce very light and piquant. This wine was also crisp but with a grassy nose and a bit of lemony fruit at the back. This was the favorite bite of this flight, and the favorite pairing. (Scallops are always great at Lago, no matter what the dish.)
Smoked tuna slices, served with a Robert Mondavi Fumé Blanc: The rich fruitiness of the wine nicely balanced the smokiness of the tuna. It reminded us how great Fumé Blanc can be with the right food.
Red Flight & Bites Menu
Mushroom cap stuffed with Italian sausage and ground chick pea, served with Jargon Pinot Noir: In spite of the hokey name, Jargon Pinot Noir is a very decent and drinkable pinot, particularly for the price (it retails for around $10). It’s not listed on the wine list at Lago, but they always seem to have it. The wine provided a light wrapper for the bite, which was spicy and rich and earthy. This was my favorite bite, and a great pairing. This is the bite I would most like to see on the regular app menu.
Fried duck confit with berry sauce and a slice of grilled ciabatta, served with Stephen Vincent Crimson: This was an inspired bite, which I would never think to order but was an explosion of textures and tastes. The wine, a Syrah (75%)-Cabernet Sauvignon (25%) blend from Sonoma, had a rich but clean berry taste, making it a perfect complement to the bite. This is an excellent wine, particularly for the price (it retails for around $10-$15). I liked the wine so much that I later had a glass with a small bowl of Sicilian pasta spiced with grilled anchovies – and it was perfect with this spicy, smoky dish.
Beef short ribs over potato puree, served with Donna Laura Alteo Chianti: I love short ribs, but this was a miss for me. I think it was meant to be a creative Tuscan take on meat-and-potatoes – and it was very attractive – but I found it a bit bland. The chianti was enjoyable, with hints of berry and floral, and it didn’t overpower the bite.
We finished our meals with two entrees – lasagna for my husband (which wasn’t so great) and my pasta (which was terrific).
Overall, we had a great evening. Service started out on a high note, but degraded a bit as the place became busier. Service is usually excellent at Lago, so I attribute these problems to a busy night and the change in format. We will try the Flights & Bites again if offered, and see how they do. The experience was a lot of fun and a break from regular dining.
The price for the flights – one flight for $15, two for $25 – was very reasonable; our total bill came to around $70, for a very nice night out and two well-satisfied palates.
Fussy Diner Rating: One-and-One-Half Forks Up.
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