Three days of the finest wines, food and seminars will take place during Memorial Day weekend.
It’s the prestigious Third Annual Food & Wine Festival at Newport Beach’s Balboa Bay Club & Resort on May 26-28.
The private Balboa Bay Club was frequented by John Wayne, Ronald Reagan, Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart. Now the club has opened up to the public, with the 132-room luxury resort now offering casually elegant accommodations, a marvelous spa and fitness center and a destination restaurant and bar.
The resort’s First Cabin restaurant has earned the Award of Excellence from the Distinguished Restau-rants of North America. Duke’s Place offers live jazz entertainment nightly at the resort.
The grand ballroom and special occasion rooms of the club also happen to be among the most glamorous places in OC to hold functions. That makes it all the more impressive as the location for this gala, food and wine festival.
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Balboa Bay Club’s First Cabin: tastings, seminars coming to resort on Memorial Day |
More than 50 acclaimed winemakers and a host of outstanding chefs will participate in the event.
The Balboa Bay Club’s president and chief operating officer, Henry Schielein, food and beverage director, Dieter Hissin, and executive chef Josef Lageder, have been polishing this event for months.
Events are individually priced, or the entire weekend can be bought for a reduced price.
The festival kicks off on Friday evening at 6:30 p.m. with Mediterranean Night on the Bay. The theme is drawn from the coasts of Spain, Southern France and Italy, which are matched by the food and wine that they are known for.
Enjoy the rich flavors of traditional Mediterranean dishes prepared with the freshest ingredients by the resort’s culinary team. Sample sparkling wines from the cavas of Spain, experience ros & #233;s from the C & #244;te de Provence, barolos from Piedmont among other European varieties and California wines made old-world style.
Flamenco music will add to the ambiance. Cost: $95 per person, plus tax and tip.
Saturday is set to be a day of fine meals, tastings and seminars.
At 11:30 a.m. there’s the Louis Latour Reception and Lunch. Maison Louis Latour is one of the most highly respected n & #233;gociant- & #233;l & #233;veurs in Burgundy. Latour President Bernard Retornaz will present white and red wines from his company.
French chefs Pascal Olhats, Yvon Goetz, Dominique Briaire, and Jean-Marc Webber will prepare a Burgundian gourmet luncheon that will be paired with wines from the region’s finest appellations. Cost: $90 per person, plus tax and tip.
The afternoon continues with Pinot Noir Tasting: California and Oregon versus Burgundy at 2:30 p.m. Pinot Noir is often described as being a difficult grape to grow and handle.
Five pinot noirs from California and Oregon, along with five of the great reds from Burgundy will be poured. Join three of America’s famed master sommeliers, Ron Mumford, Ira Harmon and Emmanuel Kemiji, in experiencing pinots. Cost: $75 per person, plus tax and tip.
At 4:30 p.m. on Saturday it’s time for The Marriage of Cheese and Wine with Max McCalman.
Max McCalman, ma & #238;tre fromager of New York’s famed Picholine and Artisanal restaurants and author of two cheese-related cookbooks, is highly responsible for the increased visibility of high-quality cheese found on fine-dining restaurant menus.
Renowned as one of the cheese world’s living legends for his expertise, insight and passion, Max will lead this seminar on cheese and proper pairing of wines for any occasion. Cost: $65 per person, plus tax & tip.
There will be time for a brief rest before the 7 p.m. event: Grand Tasting in the Ballroom.
This promises to be an enticing evening showcasing more than 50 of the world’s finest wineries and the creations of chef Josef Lageder and his culinary team.
It’s the perfect opportunity to travel the world of wines while pairing them with a wonderful selection of seafood, meats, artisanal cheeses and decadent desserts. The Marc LeBrun jazz quartet is set to perform and a silent auction that includes artist Michael Bryan and an array of large bottles will benefit the club’s 1221 Club Scholarship Fund. Cost: $95 per person, plus tax and tip.
Sunday offers another full day of food and wine.
At 11 a.m. there’s the New Orleans Brunch with Dixieland Music. A Southern affair at its best, the easiness of Dixieland tunes will create a relaxing atmosphere for a lazy Sunday brunch.
Executive Chef Lageder spent many years exploring the American South, learning about its food and traditions. He will present some of the South’s greatest traditional dishes worthy of a Dixieland brunch you will never forget. Guests may sample sparkling wines and champagnes or many variations of the Bloody Mary.
Costs: $75 per person, plus tax and tip.
Continue the day with the Riesling Tasting with the Master Sommeliers at 2:30 p.m. Many consider the riesling grape as one of the noblest varietals of winemaking.
The dry rieslings from Austria and the Alsace region of France and Germany are commonly described as great, intense and racy wines. These wines express delicate flavors of fruits such as peach, pear, apricot, apple and mango as well as having an herbal earthiness with a little spice.
Join Master Sommeliers Ron Mumford, Ira Harmon, and Emmanuel Kemiji, in a tasting of these elegant and graceful wines. Cost: $60 per person, plus tax and tip.
The grand finale of the weekend is Sunday evening’s BBQ and Big Reds on the Lawn at 5 p.m. The season gives every reason to pair big red wines with variations of traditional American and innovative barbecue favorites.
An amazing selection of zinfandel, syrah, cabernet sauvignon, meritage blends and more will accompany smoked and barbecued beef, lamb, roasted piglet, prawns, smoked seafood paella and rattlesnake chili in the casual atmosphere of the resort’s beach and lawn overlooking Newport Harbor.
Cost: $70 per person, plus tax and tip.
In addition to individual event prices, VIP passes to all seminars are offered for $550 per person. A Grand Festival Package, priced at $2,300 and including VIP passes for two to all events, also includes two nights in a deluxe bay view room, a deep tissue massage or champagne facial per person, valet parking and breakfast for two each morning.
Call for other packages.
The Balboa Bay Club’s stunning waterfront location adds to the charisma of any function held there. That, along with the highly acclaimed food of chef Lageder, is why you are seeing so many of the county’s fund-raisers being held at the resort.
The resort is a member of Preferred Hotels, is the recipient of the Star Diamond Award of The American Academy of Hospitality Sciences and the AAA Four-Diamond Award of Excellence.
The Balboa Bay Club & Resort is at 1221 W. Coast Highway, Newport Beach. For reservations, call (949) 645-5000 or (888) 445-7153. Web site: www.balboabayclub.com.
Poultry Palace
Good, casual Mediterranean food got a recent boost in OC with the opening of Chicken Dijon Rotisserie & Grill at Culver Plaza in Irvine.
The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner and offers rotisserie chicken marinated in natural herbs and spices of the Mediterranean persuasion. Salads, sandwiches, homemade soups, side dishes and desserts also are on the menu.
The grill is a healthier alternative to traditional fast food. The restaurant’s signature rotisserie chicken is served with two side dishes and pita bread, along with a garlic sauce. The food is made fresh daily.
One can dine in or order food to go. There is a free delivery service for orders of more than $10 in the area around the restaurant.
Chicken Dijon is in the food court section of the Culver Plaza at the corner of Culver and Irvine Center Drive in Irvine. Phone (949) 654-7893.
