Press Club's Summer Menu
August 29, 2012 Last weekend, we got to check out Press Club's summer menu. Taste Catering's Chris Borges did a fine job in creating new seasonal dishes - underneath these simple presentations lie a tantalizing melange of rich flavors.
Press Club's Olive Oil Poached Tuna.
We tried the 5 Course Chef's Tasting Menu ($54) with a wine pairing ($30). The Roasted Brentwood Corn Salad was heightened with grilled Little Gems, radish and fennel. Accompanied with a delightful corn panna cotta, this is really an unexpected starter. The dish was paired with the dry and minerally 2011 Malat Gruner Veltliner (Gottweiger Berg, Kremstal, Austria), a refreshing choice to complement the sweet corn.
Next, we tasted the Citrus Cured Arctic Char Gravlax with a trio of heirloom summer melon. Cured for six days, the arctic char was so buttery. Curry oil, pickled Fresno pepper and micro basil danced across our tongues as we inhaled everything. The melon notes in the 2009 Brooks Amycas (Willamette Valley, OR) was a perfect match.
Roasted Brentwood corn, Little Gems, and corn panna cotta.
The Olive Oil Poached Tuna was more subdued compared to the first two courses. I wished that there were more Meyer lemon notes to elevate this pretty dish. This one was paired with the light and elegant 2011 Vittoria Frappato from Valle Dell' Acate (Sicily, Italy).
The House Pitman Farms Duck and Pinot Noir Sausage is just fantastic. You can definitely taste the wine in the sausage. Tempered with a quinoa fritter, roasted stone fruit and pickled cherry duck jus, this is easily a favorite. The medium-bodied 2010 Fort Ross Winery Pinot Noir, Sea Slopes (Sonoma, CA) makes for an excellent pairing choice.
As a fifth course, we sampled the Berkshire Blue Cheese from Berkshire Cheese Co. The gorgeous 2009 Rancho de Oro Puro from Oro Puro Vineyards (Napa Valley, CA) was an unusual pairing, which really delighted our palates. The honey and apricot notes melded beautifully with the medium body cheese.
As a lovely bonus, we tried the Petit Fours du Jour plate. The selection changes weekly so you'll always get a nice surprise. This time we got blackberry lemon cheesecake, salted caramel bite, strawberry panna cotta, cherry mudslide brownie, and vanilla buttercream macaron. The panna cotta was not too sweet and the macaron is reminiscent of a sugar cookie or cupcake frosting.
To make a reservation, go to www.pressclubsf.com.
For editorial consideration, a media visit was provided by the brand's PR representative.
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