Dynamic Duo Back in Action
When Moshe the Barman and Chef Johnny of Hailey’s Harp and
Pub get together, magic happens. It did again last evening, and the twenty-five
beer and food devotees were both dazzled and fully sated when the night ended.
Servers Brigitte and Colleen kept the courses and their matching beers coming
out with efficiency, and the pairings on the table worked as well as the
pairing in the kitchen.
Many of the attendees were repeaters from Hailey’s
successful Oktoberfest event, but there were many new faces on hand as well.
That’s actually one of Owner Chris Flynn’s goals. “These dinners are not about
making money. They are about exposing people to new beers and wonderful foods
to go with them. It helps that I’ve got a couple of Houdinis in the kitchen and
at the bar to make it successful.”
The first course set the tone for the rest of the dinner, as
a truly incredible ricotta sauce made the figs and starfruit sing and the Saranac
Blueberry Blonde beer joined in for a duet.
Yard’s Saison accompanied the Orrechiette and Mushroom dish, and a magnificent sausage-stuffed
poblano pepper and salmon gravalax dish
was paired with Carton Brewing’s highly quaffable Boat. Doug Edwards, Carton’s
rep, sat with us and told us this beer was designed to be a hoppy, low-alcohol
session ale that should “dance out of
the glass with a whack of grapefruit and open into a crisp, stony tangle of
white and yellow fruit with pine and moss notes.” That it did.Climax Brewing’s tasty Golden Ale, escorted by the legendary
James Larkin, matched up with Moshe and Johnny’s Spring Salad, and the
very-hard-to-get (and very high octane)Dogfish Head 120-Minute IPA accompanied
a delectable Hangar Steak ka-bob entree.
Moshe and Johnny’s Banana Split a-la Hailey’s, reportedly
sans ANY calories (yeah, right), was a work of art and Wells Banana Bread Beer
worked well with it.
In all, a most enjoyable dinner made that way by two
masters, an owner who cares about quality and a distinguished and fun-loving
group of beer nuts. Rumor has it that the summer will see another seafood-based
beer dinner, too, so stay tuned.
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