Date night, Quality Grandparent Time, A Little Space Please...whatever you choose to call it, a night out with The Other is mighty important. If you feel as though you and Partner X have become 2 ships passing in the living room, make a reservation and GET OUT! We've become addicted to Dream Dance's Around the World Wine Dinners with Ray's Wine and Spirits. OK, that may be an exaggeration since a habit of this expense is equal to smoking $100 bills. When in Rome. We are eating in Potawatomi Land after all.
Not often enough, Dream Dance holds an event that features the food and wines of a country or region. Ray's teams up with Left Bank distributor and chef Jason Gorman of D.D. to produce a coursed dinner that heightens the wine experience and elevates the typical menu to art.
The most recent success was Pacific Northwest, exemplifying all that is fresh and wonderful about the cool coastal waters of Washington and Oregon. I know, I know...pinot noir and salmon. Mushrooms and oysters, blah blah blah. You can get that anywhere, flown in daily. This meal was definitely superior to the typical raw bar sushi joint experience. Let's discuss.
Course #1: a wee tiny little petite Fanny Bay Oyster with fennel and white pepper sorbet. Yeah, they rocked hard. You doubt me? The sorbet flavors opened up the palette and the oyster, as small as it was, shocked the senses with a lovely briny wash. Paired with this course was the 05 Banyan Riesling "Madera" Santa Lucia Highlands, from CA. The wine maker, we were informed was of Thai descent and quite a "hottie". He makes an admirable white; sea, salt and apples. The freshness lingers on the tongue briefly. A nice light mouth feel.
By course #2, my head was already swooning (note-a head start on the drinking happened while we wait for other diners to arrive, oops). Jumbo lump crab cakes are the star. Combined with a Pinot Gris that was new to me, 05 Brandborg Pinot Gris, Umpqua Valley, OR. Umpqua doesn't roll off the tongue, even when I'm sober. The base of this plate was a Thai basil cucumber salad, which plucked the bright flavors from this white. The acid in the P. Gris cut through the richness of the crab cake, in turn the crab mixed nicely with the typical gooseberry in the Oregon bottle. Not great by any stretch, but a flavor enhancer for the Asian inspired dish.
Everyone at our table was guilty of making squishy faces when reading the menu of our 3rd course. Beef Tongue Stuffed Walla Walla Onion. A delightful smoked wood aroma rose from the little onion, matching the rich berry bbq in the 02 Amani Syrah from Walla Walla. (that does roll off the tongue nicely. beef tongue) I imagined I was sitting around a campfire in the North Woods, minus the wind chill and the threat of bears. This match was perfect. I would never in a million years go to the extent that Chef J.G. did of mincing tongue and shoving it into an onion skin. Thankfully someone did!
Not often enough, Dream Dance holds an event that features the food and wines of a country or region. Ray's teams up with Left Bank distributor and chef Jason Gorman of D.D. to produce a coursed dinner that heightens the wine experience and elevates the typical menu to art.
The most recent success was Pacific Northwest, exemplifying all that is fresh and wonderful about the cool coastal waters of Washington and Oregon. I know, I know...pinot noir and salmon. Mushrooms and oysters, blah blah blah. You can get that anywhere, flown in daily. This meal was definitely superior to the typical raw bar sushi joint experience. Let's discuss.
Course #1: a wee tiny little petite Fanny Bay Oyster with fennel and white pepper sorbet. Yeah, they rocked hard. You doubt me? The sorbet flavors opened up the palette and the oyster, as small as it was, shocked the senses with a lovely briny wash. Paired with this course was the 05 Banyan Riesling "Madera" Santa Lucia Highlands, from CA. The wine maker, we were informed was of Thai descent and quite a "hottie". He makes an admirable white; sea, salt and apples. The freshness lingers on the tongue briefly. A nice light mouth feel.
By course #2, my head was already swooning (note-a head start on the drinking happened while we wait for other diners to arrive, oops). Jumbo lump crab cakes are the star. Combined with a Pinot Gris that was new to me, 05 Brandborg Pinot Gris, Umpqua Valley, OR. Umpqua doesn't roll off the tongue, even when I'm sober. The base of this plate was a Thai basil cucumber salad, which plucked the bright flavors from this white. The acid in the P. Gris cut through the richness of the crab cake, in turn the crab mixed nicely with the typical gooseberry in the Oregon bottle. Not great by any stretch, but a flavor enhancer for the Asian inspired dish.
Everyone at our table was guilty of making squishy faces when reading the menu of our 3rd course. Beef Tongue Stuffed Walla Walla Onion. A delightful smoked wood aroma rose from the little onion, matching the rich berry bbq in the 02 Amani Syrah from Walla Walla. (that does roll off the tongue nicely. beef tongue) I imagined I was sitting around a campfire in the North Woods, minus the wind chill and the threat of bears. This match was perfect. I would never in a million years go to the extent that Chef J.G. did of mincing tongue and shoving it into an onion skin. Thankfully someone did!
The main course was, of course, salmon. By now, my notes are unreadable, I'm slurring and my table is having an intense discussion about cats. I think I wrote blackberries, smoky time mushrooms, bitcin’ salmon & bitter greens. Maybe I should take a tape recorder next time. What I do remember was that both of these Pinot Noir bottles had body way beyond what I've been feeling lately in my personal choices. They tend to be all over the place due to various climate and condition changes and it seems to me that the more $$ the better the product. Obvious? Who wants to find out that $30 isn't enough for an average pinot? This 06 Moshin Pinot Noir "Molinari Vineyard" from Sonoma was worth it. We ordered 2, we'll soon see if it was the drinky drinky or if it truly stands on it's own.
Finishing the meal was an enormous (granted, this word never once crept into my mind during this meal) huckleberry tart. Mild and not overly sweet, the berries yielded properly to the icewine which was considerably sweeter. Since it's at a premium, I made sure to enjoy this dessert wine. Sweet and earthy, simple. This 06 Pinot Noir Icewine from Adelsheim in the Willametter Valley was a tasty little bump at the end of the meal.
The fine people at Left Bank make a point of leading the troupes through the meal, pointing out the smart facts about the chosen pairings and at the end of the evening, the shy Jason Gorman makes a trip around the dining room to meet the guests. With such care taken to prepare beautiful plates with thoughtful wine pairings, it's hard to find fault with this dinner.
...except...the…location. Dream Dance is located in the single most smoky building I have ever smelled. To access D.D. the diner is forced to parade through the casino, picking up that awful ashtray eau d’parfume. Dream Dance itself lacks vibrant finishes and furniture. Dated artwork and dull colors do not inspire one to linger beyond the meal. Thankfully, they plan tp shut down for a month in the spring to move to the new space, haulting the Around the World series briefly. Please let there be an exterior entrance. If I wanted to experience the casino, I would so choose. I like to throw cash away, just like the next person. I’d prefer to do it after my $200 dinner, however.
Dream Dance Around the World Series
1721 W Canal St
(414) 847-7883
Investment: $70 ea
Sitter time: about 3 hours, unless you get lost in the casino
Investment: $70 ea
Sitter time: about 3 hours, unless you get lost in the casino
KID RATING: 0
PARENT RATING: 5, for sanity
BETTY BON VIVANT RATING SYSTEM: 1-5
1 = ABSOLUTELY NOT WORTH THE EFFORT, SAVE YOUR $ FOR BAROLO
5 = WOW, I WOULD STRIP NAKED AND ROLL IN THIS CHOW
