New Glarus beer dinner

One of my favorite Milwaukee restaurants, Roots, held a "Beer lover's small plate dinner" featuring New Glarus beer. It was held in the Cellar and they closed the entire level for a "private event". It was really nice, made the whole event feel more welcoming.

They started us off with an "appetizer" of the New Glarus Raspberry Tart. This beer is much closer to a sparkling wine than a beer - it's actually recommended to be served in a champagne flute. This was served during the cocktail hour where everyone was supposed to mingle, but what really happened (at least by the time we got there) was everyone just sat patiently at their table waiting for the food to come out :-)

This appetizer was followed by some brief introductions and then the 5 course dinner.

First course

Brandy smoked duck

Bitter chantrelles

Almond croquettes

Wisconsin Belgian Red

This was my first time having duck. I though it had the texture of a German bologna combined with a pork chop. I also defiantly got the smokey flavor on the duck.

Second course

Salt and pepper crab

Avocado salad

Fried scallions & jalapeno

Moon Man

I had imagined this being a fresh salad of large lump crab seasoned with fresh sea salt and cracked black pepper - nice and light! That's not what came out but it still was very good. The crab was a breaded and fried dungeness crab.

The garnishes were delicious too but I've never been a fan of Moon Man beer, so..

Third course

Buffalo & bandaged cheddar Frankfurter

Pork belly & rutabaga beans

Kohlrabi pickle

Back 40 Bock

This sounds better than it tastes, it really was just sausage and baked beans. It was good, but nothing that really excited me. However, I did find a new love for the Back 40.

Fourth course

Shake & bake chicken

Spicy popcorn balls with beer caramel

Spotted Cow

By this time, I was getting full and they served a huge portion of chicken. I couldn't finish it. I was really looking forward to the spicy popcorn balls, but they were too salty (and from me, that's saying something), I just didn't want to finish them. Neither did my popcorn-loving husband.

Fifth course

Chocolate coffee stout cake

Malted Carmel

Scotch cherries

Coffee Stout

This was my favorite dish. Yum Yum Yum. I guess normally they would serve the Raspberry Tart for dessert, but I'm glad they didn't. The Coffee Stout worked so well with a dessert. Coffee and dessert - it just make sense.

I hate to say this, but overall I was disappointed. The food defiantly was good, but not up to the standards I'm used to at this restaurant. Also, I didn't feel the beer paired well with the food, nothing really complimented the other. I was expecting the brewer to be there too, but instead the evening was hosted by a local distributor.

Since this dinner was held on a Tuesday night, we finished the evening off at the German Beer Hall for some more beer.

I definitely will return to Roots again, I'm just not sure I'll be back for a dinner like this.

Hello Moto!!

We were watching tv at a friend's house and we saw a show called "Future Food" on the Green Planet network. It's a reality show that follows a pair of chefs who own a Chicago restaurant, with a focus on molecular gastronomy, named Moto.

Honestly, I wasn't that into the show until I saw the back drop to their "confessional" - it was a life-size periodic table wall with each element being a little cubby space. I thought it was the coolest thing.

Fast forward about a week later to one spontaneous Saturday afternoon. We (my husband, his friend, and myself) ended up making 5pm reservations for that night at Moto. We jumped in the car and headed to Chicago.

Based purely on price, we chose the 10 course menu vs the gtm (the gtm came with about 20 courses. Each dish was a tasting menu size, so you left satisfied but not stuffed. I really wanted to analyze each flavor and try not to eat the bite size dishes too fast but there really want's much to analyze. The flavors were simple, good but simple. I felt it was more about the presentation, which is nice. Not too much thinking needed with the meal, other than your imagination.

So, here is what we ate:

White steel

Gruyere & onions - my favorite tasting

Cigar de cuba - my favorite looking

Rabbit maki

Rabe & pork belly

Reuben lasagna

Mexican cannoli

Phad Thai esque

Carrot cake

Tuber melanosporum

I feel like they added an extra dish of a root beer float, but I lost count.

When we first arrived, I was searching for that periodic table wall but didn't see it. The dining room was a lot smaller than I'm used to and I knew there was no way it was here - I was very disappointed. About half way through our dinner, we asked one of our servers where it was and she told us it's downstairs (in a part of the restaurant where you might hold a private party) and she offered to show us!!

We all had our picture taken in front of it. I felt sooo geeky; all the diners were watching us. Then we were greatly surprised when we were offered a chance to see the kitchen and meet the chefs. I was so nervous I said no, but they insisted. It was the coooolest!

It was nothing like I imagined a professional kitchen to be. It was clean and calm!! And by clean I mean uncluttered and minimalistic vs. small and cluttered :). All the chefs were busy, but they took a few moments to say hi and introduce themselves. I just couldn't wipe the smile off my face. I actually felt faint - like when a teeny-bopper meets their favorite boy band. It was either the rush of excitement or all of the nitrous in my food :) either way, I had the best time.

For two people, this meal was about $300 with tip. Very expensive but worth it - for that rare splurge. Luckily, it was near my birthday so it was easy to justify.