Mud City Crab House - Manahawkin, NJ

GOT CHOWDA?

GOT BLUES?

GOT DUNGENESS?

1185 East Bay Avenue
Manahawkin, NJ 08050-3915
Phone:  (609) 978-3660

http://www.mudcitycrabhouse.com/

Tastebuds - New Hope, PA

Well, my first Friday night home in almost 2 months, and you bet I wanted to have a great dinner!  I was craving a steak, so Zelda recommended we head back to Tastebuds in New Hope!  Great call, and once again, we were super impressed, and our stomachs left very happy!  This place has a solid meal dinner in, dinner out, and at VERY affordable pricing for the quality of food you get, it's amazing that they are not reservation only on the weekend!  Add BYO to that, along with great service from the two man team on the floor, and you have a recipe for some serious success!  Stay tuned for another shining review in the next day or two!

ARTICHOKE FLAN, BURRATA, ROASTED TOMATO COULIS, ANCHOVY OIL $9

AVOCADO AND WILD MUSHROOM DUMPLINGS, TAMARIND-SOY SAUCE, CILANTRO $9

ROMAINE, HERBED CROUTONS, GARLIC LEMON ANCHOVY DRESSING $8

Again, this is one of the best cuts of meat you will find at a restaurant in this area.  The grade of beef rocks, and the flavors here are awesome!  FILET OF BEEF TENDERLOIN, ANCHO CHILI RUB, PEPPERY GREEN BEANS,  WHIPPED POTATOES, CUBAN ESPRESSO SAUCE $33

CASHEW CRUSTED COD, BRAISED FENNEL, CILANTRO, SPARKLING GRAPEFRUIT SAUCE, LIME $25

Coffee Creme Caramel?

Cherry bread pudding?








Tastebuds
49 West Ferry Street
New Hope, PA
Phone: (215)862-9722
http://www.tastebuds-newhope.com/

Charcoal BYOB - Yardley, PA

Here is a restaurant that we have driven past hundreds of times, yet we've never stopped in. We've even had drink, appetizers, and dinners right next door at the Yardley Inn, but for some reason, we've never stopped in. One of my former coworkers has even told me about this place, and how he and his wife used to visit here for prime rib on Friday or Saturday nights, but again, we've never stopped in.

Maybe it is the whole perception of an old couple going out to a dinner for all you can eat prime rib, I don't know, but for whatever reason, we have never been here. So tonight, Zelda asked what our plan was for dinner via Blackberry Messenger, and I told her that I had no idea. So I threw an option out there, and she didn't like it, so the rule is that she has to throw the next option out there. And by some grace of God, she threw out Charcoal BYO in Yardley.

Anytime I hear BYO my ears perk up! Everyone knows, our love and passion for wine, and we are truly spoiled in this area to have so many great BYO's! So I checked out the menu on the iPad, then checked out our cellar on CellarTracker(http://www.cellartracker.com/) to see what we wanted to drink, loaded up the Riedel carrying case with glasses and a bottle of 2001 La Rusina Brunello di Montalcino, and off we went!

We pulled into the parking lot and there were mounds of snow everywhere as we got pounded with another 12-18 inches of snow this last week or so. Found a parking spot close to the door, and away we went. As we walked around the side, I really wasn't sure where to go, and found the wooden stairs to go upstairs. There is also a handicap accessible elevator if need be. So from the looks of it, they were smart when they remodeled this restaurant after the floods a few years ago, and built it up onto pylons. As we walked
in, I was shocked at how nice the interior of the restaurant was. From the gorgeous dark floors, to the nice earth tones on the walls, to the dark tables and chairs, the place looks really nice.

We were seated at a table in the front of the restaurant, overlooking the Delaware, and I am sure that the view is gorgeous when the sun it out. Unfortunately, it is winter, so it is dark right now, but you still had a
nice view of the Delaware, as well as River Road. To the left side of our table, there is a half wall, and a breakfast bar of sorts on the other side of that wall. Behind that, you can see into the kitchen, where the kitchen staff looks to be working hard. On the far back left hand side of the restaurant, it looks like there are a few booths along a nicely painted, striped wall. I'm not sure that I am a fan of these booths, but it works. After all, this is not fine dining, but definitely a nice place.

I pulled out our stems and opened out wine as our server of the evening, Nicole, came over to ask us if we had been to the restaurant before, which we replied no. She then gave us a little lesson in the history of the
restaurant, and gave us time to look over the menu. What a great server though, with a great attitude, and a pleasant smile. Definitely one of the gems in this industry. She came back over, and we both decided to start with some appetizers. 

Zelda ordered the Grilled Romaine with a lemon confit and a Caesar dressing. I was kind of torn, and really wanted to try the Duck Rilletes on toasted baguette, but Nicole talked me into the Quesadilla of Duck instead, served with cherry, pepper jack, and a vegetable salsa. Meanwhile, we looked around at the restaurant enjoying the sights, with the exception of the woman at the table next to us who was wearing sweat pants. Come on people, really? I know it was a snowy and chilly night, but there is no reason to go out to dinner in what seems to be a pretty nice restaurant, in sweat pants. This was also however the same lady who was digging in her nose as she walked up to the table. Gross.

One thing that I did notice however was their stemware, which is actually similar to the Riedel O glass. These are stemless, and this is what they give to every table. Nothing wrong with this really, and one of the reasons
that we bring our own stemware everywhere.

Our appetizers came out a few minutes later, and they both looked gorgeous! Zelda's was a nice sized head of romaine, with several stalks on it. This was grilled lightly, and just a tad bit warm from hitting the grill. Not a bad thing at all really, and the lettuce had some nice grilled char marks on it. This when then drizzled with a tasty Caesar dressing, and just a nice, light salad. I would definitely order this again, and I am actually kind of curious to try making this at home sometime.

My Quesadilla of Duck came out and was not what I was picturing at all, but that is not a bad thing! I was expecting a soft, flour tortilla, however, these were mini flour tortillas, cut into small rounds, and pan or deep fried to a nice crisp. These were then stuffed with a pulled duck that was absolutely delicious! These were filled with a pepper jack cheese, and topped with a vegetable salsa of sorts. Awesome flavors in the duck though, and extremely tasty. For anyone who likes duck, this is a treated!

For entrees, Zelda ordered the lobster cake, along with a few sides so we could give them a try. The lobster cake was served with a saffron aioli that was dabbed all over the plate. Each little "dab" of aioli was then garnished with some little spouts which made for a nice presentation. The flavors in the lobster cake were nice. There were large chunks of lobster, and all different pieces from the lobster. I am sure there is some claw and body in there, and who knows if there is any tail or not. The seasoning here was very nice, and there was not an over amount of filler in my opinion to hold these together. Regardless, it was a tasty entrée, and it would be something that I would order again in the future.

As for the sides, Zelda chose the parsnip puree, which was sweet, smooth, and succulent, along with the creamed Brussels sprouts. Let me tell ya that I am not a big fan of Brussels sprouts, but I have also never had them prepared like this. WOW! These were halved, and served with a creamy, buttery gravy, and also had some thick sliced bacon as well that these were cooked in. All I can say is that the saying "everything tastes better with bacon" holds very true here! The flavors were intense and awesome!

For my entrée, I went the hangar steak route, which they like to call "Steak ad Eggs." The steak itself was seasoned for 48 hours from what Nicole had said. The steak was cooked to a perfect medium, and had some great spice and herb flavors. I could definitely taste some rosemary influence, and it was nice and tender. The "egg" portion of this dish was derived from a pastry of sorts, formed into a small egg, and when you cut into it, out spewed the hollandaise sauce. Talk about a great idea, and kind of innovative for this area. Regardless, it was super tasty, as were the fingerling potatoes on the side.

By this point where were absolutely stuffed, but how could we pass up dessert? Out came the dessert tray, and the raspberry linzer cake looked delicious, and it was! I absolutely love fruity desserts with nice crusts, and this was awesome! Almost like a shortbread crust and delicious! Zelda had a chocolate mousse of sorts that was then topped with pop rocks. Really? Pop Rocks? This made it fun, and it too was delicious!

So by the end of the meal, our belly's were stuffed, and I don't even know that I can say they were happy at this point as we ate so much that we were almost uncomfortable. LOL! But at the end of the day, we found a great new restaurant with nice ambiance, that also has an amazing breakfast and lunch from what Nichole our rockstar server told us! Does it get better than that? Stay tuned as I'm sure we'll be back! Cheers!

Charcoal BYO

11 South Delaware Avenue
Yardley, PA 19067
Phone: (215)493-6394
http://www.charcoalbyob.com/

Dish - A Restaurant - Red Bank, NJ

Met one of my good pal's from back home, John Rueff here since he was in town and doing some work in Long Branch.  With its proximity to Red Bank, Dish was the perfect option tonight, so I called earlier in the day and left a message on their machine for a reservation.  I then saw their e-mail address on their site, so I e-mailed them and got a reply back, so we were good to go.

Got into Red Bank and there was some serious hustle and bustle on Friday night.  Parking was a bit tough, and I ended up parking a few blocks down the road across the street from Tiffany's.  Not a bad walk in the least, even on a cold December night!

John was standing outside as I walked up, and we said hello, and went inside.  We were immediately greeted and sat at our table.  We had a nice little two top next to a pillar, with another two top next to us.  At this point, the restaurant was pretty full, and had a nice little buzz to it. The place looked nice and vibrant!  From the red color of the walls on the exterior, to the fresh yellow walls inside, with the blonde floors and tables.  The place really was cozy.

I reached into the wine bag and ask John if he preferred pinot noir or cabernet sauvignon, and he called for a cabernet.  That said, out came a 2003 Stag's Leap Winery Cabernet Sauvignon.  Stay tuned for a review of that soon as well. 

Our waitress came over and opened the wine.  I have to say that the stems at Dish are OK at best, and I will remember to bring our own on a return visit.  She went over the specials with us, and gave us a few minutes to peruse the menu.  Meanwhile, we shot the bull and caught up on old times.  So many funny memories!

For starters, John had the Cream of Squash soup, and I ended up ordering the calamari.  I know, it's calamari, but it sounded good tonight, and it was indeed tasty.  The rings were huge, as were the tentacles.  Fried golden, brown, and delicious.  John said his soup was absolutely amazing as well.

For entrees, I ended up going the short ribs route, and these were a rockin'!  The portion was absolutely massive, with two giant chunks of meat, served over a maple mashed sweet potato, and some haricot verts and carrots.  The short ribs were absolutely awesome, flavorful, and fork tender!  I can't believe I forgot to take a picture of these to show just how massive the dish was, but the two were stacked on top of each other and almost as tall as my wine glass. WOO!  These were a hit.

John opted for the rib eye special, and he said it was cooked perfectly, and absolutely flavorful.  I can't remember what this was served with, but it looked delicious.  It may have been topped with a Roquefort or something else, but again, I can't remember for sure.  Seeing how good his steak looked however, I would be hard pressed not to order the NY Strip of Hanger Steak on my next visit! 

From what I read on Chowhound, we absolutely cannot leave without having dessert.  UGH! At this point, I am absolutely stuffed like a pig, and no hungry in the least, but when our server read off the special and I heard bread pudding, how could I resist?  It's a favorite of mine, and a staple!

The bread pudding came out, and this too was massive!  This had a side of whipped cream, and some caramel and chocolate syrup on it.  All I can say is wow!  This rocked, and had great consistency.  It almost reminded me of a croissant, so maybe they use croissants in here?  I have no idea, but wow, it rocked!

All in all, this is a great little restaurant with a lot of charm, and a great place to bring my wife on a date.  It's cozy, intimate, and has great food, great service, and some outstanding desserts!  Maybe next time they'll have the coconut cake that I hear is a must try!  I hope so!  Huge kudos to Dish though!  We'll definitely be back in the future!  Cheers!

Dish - A Restaurant

13 White Street

Red Bank, NJ 

Phone:  (732)345-7070

dishrestaurant1@verizon.net

http://dishredbank.com/

Ploy Siam - Robbinsville, NJ (Dine at your own risk)

It’s Friday night, and we went home and did the usual Friday ritual of cleaning, then taking a shower before heading out. Unfortunately, it is a work weekend for me, so we figured it would be an early night, and opted for something quick and easy. That said, we headed over to Delorenzos Tomato Pies in Robbinsville, only to see that there was a long wait. So from there, we headed down Route 33, to see what else we could find.

Moments later we remembered that we had heard of a Thai Restaurant from someone, somewhere, right down the road in the next shopping center, so we figured we’d give it a try. I think this actually came from someone that we met at the Farnsworth House in Bordentown, so we figured we’d give her recommendation a try.

As soon as we walked in, all I could think to myself is WOW! They dropped some serious money into the interior of this place, or should we say palace? From the gorgeous stone work around the waterfall and pond, to the tile work around the restaurant, to the huge wooden apron coming down from the ceiling on the left side of the restaurant. The décor really was gorgeous! We were sat along the long, narrow water feature, and I sat on the bench side, which went the entire length of the water feature. This was adorned with nice Asian inspired pillows. The tables looked nice with their dark stain, and even the silver wear was meaty and expensive looking. All these touches were done with class.

Ploy Siam is BYOB, so I opened up the wine bag, pulled our glasses, and popped and poured a 2005 Chateau Malmaison Bordeaux. This would have been perfect with a tomato pie at Delorenzos, but definitely not my choice for Thai. No worries though as we are not big believers in food pairings.

We looked around the restaurant as we perused the menu, and there were about 14 tables seated. Not bad at all for a Friday night, and this place could seat quite a few more. The couple next to us had the most well behaved kids we have ever seen, and they were just so proper. It was actually quite refreshing to see…

Our server came back to the table to take our order, and we started tonight with the Thai Spring Rolls. These came out a few minutes later, fried up golden brown, and nice and hot. The vegetables tasted good and fresh, and you really can’t go wrong with these. Unless of course your ingredients aren’t fresh. That said, these were very nice.

On the entrée front, Zelda went with the Pad Cashew Nut with chicken, which was stir fried with green bell peppers, pineapple, scallions, carrots, mushrooms, zucchini, baby corn, onion, etc. These had nice flavors too it, and the chicken was tender. This wasn’t a knock your socks off kind of dish, but it was as good as anywhere else around here.

For my entrée, I ordered the Pad Thai, and it looked very nice, with a giant mound of noodle, shrimp, scallion, bean sprout, egg, crushed peanut, and tofu. I went to take my first bite, and as I raised it to my mouth, I got a horrible smell. As brought my nose closer to my plate, and I hate to say this, but the smell was almost a cross between smelly feet (I know, this is a terrible descriptor, but it is honest), as well as dry cat food. For those of you with pets, imagine a double bowl, where the food and water are right next to each other, and the water has been spilled into the food, making it swell and crumble. This is exactly what it smelled like, and I just could not get past it!

I put the smell aside (the best I could), and took a small bite of the pasta, and it tasted off. I also took a small bite of the shrimp, and it too tasted off to me. The colors on it seemed very dark, and it was very fishy. Yes, I understand that shrimp is seafood, and it is supposed to be fishy tasting, but these just did not seem right to me. It was actually a bit scary, as in Thai cuisine, shrimp is served by the ton, and I hope this was an isolated incident. Even so, my stomach turned, and I just couldn’t eat, and really lost my appetite.

So my question is, where did this dirty smell come from? Was it something in the sauce? Was the oil bad that this was cooked in? We thought maybe it was the tofu, but I don’t think that that was it. It just smelled dirty and sour. There was zero freshness here whatsoever, and all I can think is that one of the ingredients was spoiled. But what ingredient could it have been?

At this point, we were a bit disgusted, and asked for our check. Our server and the staff could tell that there was something wrong, and I really didn’t want to make a scene. I could have complained, but what really is the use? It’s not like these were expensive entrees, so we’ll take it as a lesson learned. Had the restaurant not had a lot of tables within ear shot, I probably would have said something, but again, we didn’t want to cause a scene.

That said, we hopped in the car, and took a drive down the road. I knew that we needed to eat something, and laugh as you will, but we stopped at Pizza Hut to get our annual Pizza Hut craving taken care of. Once or twice a year, we crave some good old fashion down and dirty Pizza Hut. Is there anything wrong with that? Oh heck no, and I do love me some stuffed crust! That said, Zelda opted for green pepper on her half, and I went with sausage, and it was just what the doctor ordered. Maybe we should have come here in the first place. Either way, we won’t be back to Ploy Siam.

Ploy Siam
Foxmoor Shopping Center
1041 Washington Blvd
Trenton, NJ 08691
Phone: (609) 371-9600
http://www.ploysiamthaicuisine.com/

Pizza Hut
630 New Jersey 33
Trenton, NJ 08619
Phone(609) 587-8342

Lorena's - Maplewood, NJ

If there was one restaurant in NJ at the top of my 2010 Must Try list, Lorena's would it, and we finally made the trip up to Maplewood today to give it a try for ourselves.


After receiving an e-mail on Thursday about the new launch of the Sunday afternoon, early 2 course pre fixe menu for $32 that started today, what better reason to go up to Lorena's and check it out. This menu is served from 2PM-4:30PM. It worked out even better since I received a wine shipment from  Kistler Vineyards this past week, of which some of the wines belonged to my good friend, and winemaker Steve Eisenhauer, who lives a hop, skip, and a jump from Lorena's.

Steve has been kind enough to share allocations with us on some great wines, such as Scarecrow, and he has jumped in on a few of our allocations as well, this one being Kistler. On a side note, be sure to check out Steve's wine, Congruence.  I was fortunate enough to try the 2007 Congruence back in November, and it is definitely an up and coming cabernet sauvignon! You can tell that Steve has put his heart and soul into this wine, and his meticulous wine knowledge really makes this wine a treat! With that being said, I highly suggest you sign up for his mailing list, as his wines are made is small quantities, and will sell out fast. We are really looking forward to his 2008 release!


Back to the task at hand, we met Steve and Sue at their home, and headed over to Lorena's. We parked in the lot behind the restaurant, and turned the corner into what is a gorgeous little town. This was my first trip to Maplewood, but I am sure it will not be our last. Maplewood really reminded me of a town back in Illinois, but I can’t remember which town it was from my youth. Regardless, it had some nice charm.

I made a 3PM reservation, and we were greeted by the friendly staff. We were seated in the dining room to the right as you walk in, at a 4 top in the window, and were the only customers at the time. But really, who goes out to lunch at 3PM on a Sunday? The dining room was small and quaint, with some artwork and sconces covering the light sea foam green colored walls. The tables were spaced nicely, and covered with nice clean white linens.

Our server noticed that we had red wine, and immediately removed the white glasses, and brought red glasses to our table. As I always say, it is nice to see good stemware, and Lorena's is one of the few restaurants where we can leave the Riedel's at home and use their stemware. This is always a bonus, so kudos to Lorena's for the decent stemware. First wine opened was the 1999 Hartford Court Marin pinot noir that I brought, so feel free to read the notes in the previous post.

We were handed two different menus, and all of our eyes immediately focused on the 2 course pre fixe menu's priced at $32. Our server explained that it was a tasting menu, so the portions would be smaller, but this is always expected, and we were not disappointed in the least. A tasting menu is just that, and gives you a nice little preview of their entrees. I can say that none of us were disappointed in the least by this.

We chatted over a glass of wine, and in the mean time, our server brought over a basket of bread, ranging from some raisin bread rolls, to a brioche, to a few other kinds. This was a nice assortment, and served with butter topped with cracked sea salt.

Our waiter returned to take our order, and we all opted to go the pre fixe route. Zelda opted for the Sushi Grade Big Eye Tuna, with a Yuzu marmalade, radish, organic avocado puree, and smoked sea salt as her starter, and this was absolutely gorgeous. This was a great cut of tuna, and the two pieces were served over a gorgeous green avocado puree. The tuna had a great color to it, and from the bite that I had, I would order this in a heartbeat on our next visit as it was perfect. The tuna was very fresh, and had some great flavor to it. Sue had ordered this as well as her starter, and I think the both of them were happy with their choice.

For my starter, I chose the Duck Confit, with endive, apples, Roquefort, candied walnut, with a roasted shallot emulsion, and this too was far from disappointing! The flavors all worked so well together, and the duck confit was nice and tender, and cooked absolutely perfectly. What I really liked was how all the flavors played off of each other, from the endive, to the apple, to the sweetness of the walnut, to the shallot, to the pungent Roquefort. The flavors were endless, and it left my taste buds very happy. This was an absolute winner, and every bite gave you tastes of different elements. This was absolutely awesome.

Steve had the Spring Pea Soup, with fresh peas, a balsamic reduction, smoked bacon, and crouton. This was a gorgeous bowl of soup, with a seductive green color. From the look on Steve's face, and from seeing how empty his bowl was, I am sure that he enjoyed it.

Shortly after we finished our starters, we were down to the sediment in the pinot noir, so our waiter opened up the '96 Jadot that Steve and Sue had brought. I can't remember for certain which wine this was, but I did e-mail Steve to find out. Regardless, this was a very nice wine, with many years ahead of it. It seemed to drink so young, and I look forward to finding a bottle of this in the future to age. There is nothing as elegant as aged Burgundy, and I think this wine will develop for another 10-15 years. In that time frame, I think it will knock your socks off at the price, so hopefully I can find a bottle in the future to cellar.

For mains, Zelda and Sue opted for the Atlantic Halibut, with a vegetable fricassee of peas, fava beans and Brussels sprouts, with smoked bacon and a cauliflower puree. Chef Humberto was kind enough to make this to Sue's dietary restrictions, as well as Zelda's since she does not eat the swine. Zelda enjoyed this dish and the flavors, and if she had to make a complaint, it was that it was just a tiny bit overcooked, making it just a bit dry. Even so, she still enjoyed it, and it did look delicious.

I opted for the Braised Beef Short Ribs, with poached green asparagus, fine herb and mushroom fricassee, topped with a pan fried hen egg, and a natural jus. I am a huge short rib fan, and these were some of the best I’ve had. At first, I was a little skeptical with the egg, but this added such a unique element to the dish, and worked so well as the egg was cooked to perfection. The yoke was soft and runny, and the way this melded the dish together was awesome. The short rib was cooked very nicely, and very tender, and the meat pulled apart with little to no effort, with just a few small traces of fat. The asparagus spears were cooked nicely, and the flavors all worked so well together. This was a stomach pleaser for certain, and I couldn’t have been any happier with my selection.

Steve opted for the Sea Scallops, with morel mushrooms, Fiddlehead ferns, charred spring onions, white truffle oil and a mushroom emulsion, and it too looked nice, with 3 large scallops adorning his plate. Yet again, another delicious dish, and I am sure that Steve enjoyed this as well.

After dinner, we opted to skip dessert, enjoyed the rest of our glasses of wine, and had some good conversation. By this point, there were other diners in the restaurant, and it was starting to fill up. I will say that I couldn’t have been any happier with the food, the service, and the ambiance. This was a great lunch, and a great little preview for our next visit to Lorena’s.

On the way out, one of the staff was waiting at the door to hand Zelda her umbrella, and Steve had a chat with Chef Humberto on the way out. All in all, a heck of a great meal, and a very nice value for such elegant, high quality cuisine made with heart. Chef Humberto has some talent, and his creative menu highlights this.

I will say, that although the dining room is small, this would be a great place to have an offline for the oenophiles. For those in NYC, this is just a few short steps from the Maplewood train station, so it would be very easy to get do. With the fine cuisine, you could do a multitude of different wine themes, and it would make for a great night. Food for thought!

All in all, kudos to Lorena’s for a great experience, and we look forward to another visit in the future! Cheers!

168 Maplewood Avenue
Maplewood, NJ 07040
Phone: (973)763-4460
http://ww.restaurantlorena.com/

Carriage Trade Cheese Shoppe - Medford, NJ

After hearing about Carriage Trade Cheese Shoppe in Medford, NJ from Zelda's Mom, and posting on Chowhound looking for information on this new cheese shop, today, we finally made it to Medford to check it out, and we were not disappointed to say the least!

Upon pulling up, the first thing you notice is that the building is gorgeous, looking a though it recently went through a total renovation from top to bottom, inside and out. It is just a nice looking place, with a corner door, located on an angle, and a great, old fashion looking sign that suits the historic Medford downtown just perfectly.

As we walked in, the first thing that you notice is the giant chalkboard wall behind the cheese counter and register that lists at least 50 different kinds of cheeses, from different parts of the world! WOW! These cheeses range anywhere from Fresh & Bloomy, to Washed Rind, to Semi-Soft, to Firm, Hard, and Blue. The selection is by far one of the best I have seen locally, and the service behind the counter could not be any friendlier.

What I really liked was the fact that the girl working the behind the counter really encouraged us to try the different cheeses. Today, we sampled anything from a manchego with a rosemary rind, to a gruyere, to a Red Dragon cheddar with a mustard seed, and all were absolutely delicious. In total, we ended up leaving with 5 different cheeses, and a plethora of other great items.

Another interesting feature that Zelda noticed on their board was the sign mentioning "cheese orphans." This consisted of a box of different size cheese in small qualities, that were the last of these particular cheeses. There was nothing wrong with these in the least, and we scored a nice farmhouse cheddar and beemster XO gouda from this box. There were probably at least a dozen different cheeses in this box, and it was just fun to look through.

Other than cheese, they also carry a lot of other items, ranging from cheese knives and cheese plates, to other gourmet foods and gourmet items, to include crackers, wine sausages, honey, gourmet chocolates, and sweet and savory confits.

They also offer an amazing amount of cheese classes, tailored to your needs, and they are also BYOB for the different cheese classes that they host at their facility. They are set up with some nice high top counters in the store, along with a small kitchen setup to host these different classes. I can say that I really look forward to attending some cheese classes there, or to set up some cheese courses with our local group of wine friends!

All in all, a great cheese shop, with a nice selection, and a staff that could not have been any friendlier or more helpful! $60 later, we were ready for lunch in Medford, and ready to roll. We walked out with 5 different cheese, a brie baker, and 2 Coca Cola's in the old school glass bottles (Made in Mexico and Fructose Free). Interested in attending a cheese class with us there? E-mail us at NJFoodies@gmail.com Cheese, I mean, CHEERS! -F. Scott

.

Carriage Trade Cheese Shoppe

32A South Main Street

Medford, NJ 08055

Phone: (609)654-0400

http://www.carriagetradecheese.com/

Tastebuds - New Hope, PA

For Valentine's Day this year, I wanted to check out yet another new restaurant that we haven't visited, and tonight, Tastebuds in New Hope, PA fit the bill. I made our reservation about 3 weeks ago, and had nothing but great customer service on the phone, returning my call the same day I called for a reservation. I also received a nice greeting his morning, to confirm our reservation. . I first remember walking past Tastebuds a few years ago, and can remember it looking nice from the window. Unfortunately, at the time, they were not opened for lunch, and it kind of slipped my mind over the last 2 years. Even today they are still a dinner only restaurant. Two other things worth noting,which were pointed out to me on the telephone, are 1) The restaurant is BYOB (surprise, I know), and 2) the restaurant does not take credit cards, so be sure to hit the ATM before your visit. . Upon walking in, the front dining room was full. The first thing I noticed were the exposed beams, revealing some old wine planked hardwood floors up on the second floor. This had a nice rustic look to it, yet the dining room has some modern elements as well from the hanging orange lighting over the tables, to the curtain along the back and side wall, to the white leather bench seat as you walk in. . We were greeted shortly after arriving, and brought to our two top in the right side dining room. This room has rustic painted white hardwood floors, exposed beams on the ceiling again, and a fireplace filled with river rock and candles. I think there were 3 other tables in this room. Behind this room, there is yet another dining room, with a large, white, round swanky looking fabric like ball hanging like a chandelier over one of the tables. . I reached into the Riedel carrying case, grabbed our stems, and was torn between a 1975 Château Léoville Las Cases, as well as a 1998 Hartford Court Pinot Noir Jennifer's. Needless to say, I went with the old Bordeaux, and was sure glad that I did. What a surprising treat, so feel free to read my review below. . One of the nice bonuses tonight was the fact that there was no special menu, and tonight's menu was the same as last nights, and the same as it will be next Wednesday. This menu can be seen online. No high priced menu, no markups, etc. This was a nice touch, and I can definitely appreciate a place that didn't raise their prices for Valentine's Day. . For starters tonight, Zelda opted for the ARUGULA salad, with Avocado, Heirloom Grape Tomatoes, and a Spicy Corn Vinaigrette. This salad seemed very intriguing to her with the different elements, and was a nice surprise. The arugula was nice and fresh, and cleaned nicely with no grit or funk whatsoever. It had a nice pungent aroma, and some good spice as well. On the salad were small pieces of avocado, and the arugula was tossed in the very light dressing. . I was actually expecting the dressing to be more like a creamed corn, but instead it was nice and light, with very subtle corn flavors. The dressing itself was not over done in the least, and the salad meshed together very nicely with the fresh grape tomatoes. . I on the other hand opted for a hot appetizer, and went way out of my comfort zone and ordered the Wild Mushroom Strudel with Goat Cheese, pistachios, and Carousel Farm Lavender Honey. . For the longest time, I haven't been a big fan of mushrooms, mostly because of the texture, but lately I have been trying to overcome this. I really don't know why I want to like mushrooms so bad, but this was nice as the mushrooms were meaty, yet had a very light flavor to them. They didn't overpower the dish in the least, and combined with the goat cheese, this really made for a nice dish. But as I have said in the past, and as Zelda will confirm, how can you not like anything wrapped in puffed pastry? . The lavender honey also added a very nice element. I will say that I am no a huge honey consumer, however, this was very tasty. The lavender was so subtle that I had a hard time picking it out. But the flavors of the honey were very vibrant, and very fresh, with a nice sweetness to it. I think I am going to have to order some soon. In short, this was a nice dish, and I would definitely order it again. . Zelda opted for the Crunchy Paillard of Chicken Breast with soy shitakes, whipped potatoes, and a tarragon jus. This came out, and was a nice chicken breast, pounded thin, with nice shitake mushrooms on the side, served over a bed of whipped potatoes. The chicken itself was breaded, and cooked very nicely. There was a nice even browning on the breading, and the chicken was cooked through perfectly, and was nice and juicy. Sometimes, you will order a breaded chicken piece like this, and there will be charred spots from where the chicken has been overcooked. This was not the case at all here, and all of the different ingredients melded together very nicely. The mushrooms were good and soft, and the tarragon sauce added a very nice, and flavorful element to it. As perfect as the filet would have been with the mature Bordeaux, I was in the mood for seafood, and opted for the Firecracker Gulf Shrimp, with coconut basmati rice and toasted cashews, with a tangerine honey. The sweetness on this dish was elegant, and not overpowering in the least. The shrimp were cooked perfectly, and were the furthest thing from firm. They had a really nice texture to them, and the rice was a nice match. I really enjoyed the sweetness of this dish, and that is something that I do not say very often. The coconut was barely noticeable, and that was appreciated. The last thing I want my dinner to taste like is a Caramel Delight Girl Scout cookie. Not the case at all here, and this was nice. Surprisingly, we saved room for dessert, and ordered a special that was not on the menu. This was a chocolate espresso mousse with a framboise sauce and whipped cream, and was nice, light, and tasty. They make this from decaf espresso, so be not worried about staying away all night after this one. The chocolate was nice and rich, and was the perfect portion for the two of us to share. It was light, and just capped off a really nice meal. So overall, I am very happy that we came to visit Tastebuds. For just over $71, we each had a starter, an entree, and we split dessert. That is a small price to pay in my opinion for food of this quality, on Valentine's Day nonetheless, but as I have said in the past, that is the beauty of visiting a BYOB. . The service tonight was outstanding between our two servers. They were both very pleasant, quick, and attentive. I didn't feel rushed in the least, and we were not pressured in the least. Unfortunately, I didn't get either of their names, but kudos to the staff for giving us great service on this lovely Valentine's Day. Kudos to the chef as well . I also thought the decor was nice, with some rustic charm, as well as some modern elements. Parking however is not super convenient, but you really cannot fault the restaurant for that, as everywhere in New Hope has this same issue. We were lucky and parked a 1/2 block up the street. . All in all, the service was great, and the food was good. Was it the best meal we've ever had? No, but all the dishes were well thought out for the menu, and well executed. A very pleasant Valentine's Day, and I look forward to going back and re-visiting Tastebuds this summer! Cheers! . Hours: 5:30PM Wednesday-Sunday Closed Monday and Tuesday B.Y.O.B Credit Cards NOT ACCEPTED - CASH ONLY 49 W. Ferry Street New Hope, PA 18938 Phone: (215)862-9722 http://www.tastebuds-newhope.com/

1975 Château Léoville Las Cases

I was very skeptical about this bottle, but knew that it has been well stored in our cellar for the last few years. Popped and poured tonight, Valentine's Day at Tastebuds in New Hope, PA. This was a classic example of a mature Bordeaux, from what was supposed to be a weak vintage. Regardless, this showed well, and had a good fill well into the neck. Cork was soaked 80% of the way through, with the faintest sign of mold under the foil. Nonetheless, it came out in one piece, which surprised me...or maybe our server was just that good with the corkscrew! Regardless, we gave him a nice taste, and he seemed to appreciate and enjoy it. Good on ya! Nice to see someone with a nice appreciation for the nectar of the God's at a BYOB! Deep garnet color in the glass, with the slightest bit of bricking, but this was more of a purple color with a slight fading around the rim, which surprised me. A bit of band aid on the nose, with some nice hints of cherry, pencil lead, wet slate, tobacco, leather and cedar. There was also the slightest bit of sweetness on the nose. On the palate, I was absolutely shocked, not expecting much in the least. Very nice mature cherry and strawberry on the palate, with a little bit of spice and cedar/leather. Some other red fruits were on the palate, but didn't really dominate, and were hard to identify, but had some berry like qualities. Overall, I was surprised there was as much fruit on the palate as there was. The finish was nothing to write home about, and albeit a bit short, it was smooth, the acidity was nice, and the tannins were well integrated. It was no 1982, but it was nice and pleasant, and worth of 92 points. Happy Valentine's Day! Cheers!

Manon - Lambertville, NJ

Manon is yet another restaurant that we have been meaning to visit in Lambertville, and once again, I was much impressed.

I called and made us a reservation yesterday for 7:30PM tonight, and on the phone I was reminded that they are cash or check only, and BYOB. This is a nice reminder for someone who is unaware. Had the gentleman not said anything to me, chances are I would not have gotten cash, and would have had to take a quick walk to the ATM. Thankfully that was not the case.

We actually arrived in Lambertville a half hour early, and they were able to seat us before out 7:30 reservation. At the time, there were just two other tables at Manon dining, and this was a bit surprising based on all the positive reviews I have seen and heard. But we'll give them the benefit of the doubt. We were greeted and seated by our server who's name I don't think we were ever told, but she was very pleasant. I immediately moved their stemware aside, and pulled two Riedel glasses out of our carrying bag, along with a 2003 Fiddlehead pinot noir 728. Talk about a great, mature pinot noir at it's peak, but with many years left. Be sure to read my review on this wine soon. After a few minutes looking at the menu, we decided to start with an appetizer, and have the Prince Edward Island mussels in a lobster sauce, with cellar root and a nice broth. The mussels came out, and for $13, this was a heck of a deal. They came out in a large bowl, and if I had to guess, there were 3 dozen there, maybe even 4 dozen. They came out steaming hot, and had a great fresh nose. You could see the celery root garnished all over the mussels, and the brown translucent broth. I will say that the broth itself was not super flavorful, and didn’t add a very dynamic element to the mussels. It was a bit bland, and could have used something to give it a little flavor. I will however say that these were some of the plumpest, most sweet and succulent mussels we have had in the area, and were a real treat. The quality of these mussels definitely made up for the lack of complexity in the broth, but I would order them again just based on the quality and freshness displayed. The portion size made this a bargain as well, and this would make for a great lunch. Some time passed in between finishing our appetizer and our dinner, and we just enjoyed some great conversation and talked about the ambiance. By this point, all but 2 tables in the restaurant were full, and it was amazing to overhear and observe how many people were speaking French in the restaurant. For a French-esq restaurant, I think that it speaks for itself that they are coming here and enjoying their cuisine. We also enjoyed the nice warm colors on the walls, along with the nice décor. From the giant candle hurricanes on the tables, to the huge vase with lilies sitting on a table behind Zelda, to the Van Gogh “Starry Night” theme inspired ceiling. The lighting was dark, the feelings was warm and cozy, and this is just a romantic place to take your sweetie out on a date. I know that I really enjoyed it, and I would go back again just for the warm feeling I got from the dining room. On to dinner, Zelda’s scallops came out, topped with a perfectly cooked piece of puffed pastry. I will try to get her comments on her thought, but my thoughts were that the scallops were perfectly cleaned and cooked. There was no grittiness to them, the rubber like texture, and they were just perfect. One comment that she made was that she wishes they had a bit of caramelization on them from the pan, and as usual she was spot on. The sauce added a nice element, and it was very pleasurable. The size of beans, carrots, and au gratin potatoes were nice as well. My rack of lamb came out steaming hot, and looked gorgeous. There are not many places that I will go for the first time and order rack of lamb. Oliver-A Bistro in Bordentown is usually my go to place for rack of lamb, but the mustard and thyme crust sounded really nice, and I was really in the mood for lamb tonight. Had I know that originally, I would have brought along an ’05 Maybach cabernet sauvignon, but live and learn. They came out perfectly medium rare, with a nice redness to them that almost looked as though it were painted (I mean this is a good way). The outside had a very nice sear on them, but the inside was hot, pink, and juicy! Man were these heaven, and I couldn’t have cooked them better myself. The mustard and thyme added a very nice crusty quality to them, with a little tang, and a little spice, and the crust was not burnt in the least, with some nice color. This paired nicely with the red sauce, which I am assuming was wine based, however I might be incorrect. Regardless, the 6 “lollipops” were the perfect portion, and I could not have been any happier. The quality of the meat was very nice, and they took the time to trim them nicely, so there was next to no fat. Like Zelda’s dish, mine was paired with a nice, cheesy potato gratin, long cut green beans, and carrots with a nice sweet caramelization to them. Needless to say, neither of us saved room for dessert, so we finished the last of the Fiddlehead pinot noir, before heading out. In short, this was a great, romantic evening, filled with pleasurable ambiance, good service, and great cuisine. Total bill came in just under $80, and it was worth every penny. I look forward to our next visit, and I am sure we will be back sometime in the Spring when the weather gets nice. After dinner we ended up spending some time with our good friend, and old neighbor Arounkone, who is lucky enough to now reside in Lambertville. Be sure to check out his venture, Pure Energy Cycling and Java House, and have a cup of coffee while you enjoy browsing the “Ferrari of Bicycles” in his shop! Cheers!

Blackbird Dining Establishment - Collingswood, NJ

There are a lot of restaurants in NJ that we have been looking forward to trying, and Blackbird definitely ranks in the Top. Our good Wine and Chowhound friends tom246 and DW have had nothing but great things to say about Blackbird, so let me tell you how excited I was to finally get the chance to visit Blackbird tonight. . Blackbird is a BYO located in Collingswood, NJ, which has quite a few other restaurants that we have tried, and others that we look forward to trying in the future. Chef/Owner Alex Capasso is a Chambersberg (Trenton), NJ native, and has given this restaurant a Franco-Italian flair, with a bit of Asian influence. He makes all of his pasta fresh, and has a menu of items ranging from Atlantic Salmon, to a Wagyu Beef Burger with Foie Gras, to Spring Rolls! The options are plenty, and they all have a very nice flair to them. . Tonight, we arrived and were greeted by Chef Capasso. We arrived a few minutes early as our table was being set up. Needless to say, his staff accommodated us promptly, and they were able to seat us at a nice banquette with a nice high leather back. The leather had a nice pattern to it, and was a gorgeous tannish/brown color that worked well with warm colored walls. . There was a very nice buzz throughout the restaurant tonight, and you could see almost all of the tables taking advantage of the BYO aspect. I thought that the restaurant was very well done, and was very comfortable and cozy, from the copper colored table tops, to the Wedgewood silverware. This too was a very nice touch, and you can tell that Chef Capasso likes to pay attention to the little details. Tonight, it paid off, and didn't go unnoticed. As always, being a BYO is something that we look for in a restaurant, as you all know we like to enjoy the wonderful wines from our cellar. Tonight we chose a 2006 Kosta Browne Sonoma Coast, and it did not disappoint. Feel free to read my notes on this wine HERE. As always, kudos to Dan Kosta and Michael Browne for crafting such great, high octane fruit forward pinot noir. These wines can be a real treat! Despite 2006 being an "off vintage" so to say, these wines are still showing nicely, and continue to be a treat. We still however have not tried any of the single vineyard designates from the 2006 Kosta Browne lineup, although we did go 3 deep on them. . Our server tonight was Edward, and the service that he provided us was world class. He came over with menu's, and returned shortly after with nice Rona stemware for our wine. As always, we travel with our Riedel carry bag and two glasses that we selected that night for the wine we have chosen, but tonight, the Riedel's stayed in their case. It is definitely a bonus, and a very nice touch to find a restaurant that takes pride in their stemware. These glasses had a nice bowl(not in the Chianti sort of way), and I wish that more restaurants would furnish stems like these. . Edward then read us the nightly specials, and gave us a few minutes to peruse the menu. In the meantime, one of the staff came over with some delicious bread, served with a very light, and wonderful tasting olive oil. I really wish that I knew what kind of olive oil they used, because it was next to perfect. After looking at the menu, and reading about the homemade pasta's that Chef Capasso takes pride in, we figured we had to try at least one of them, so we opted for the half order of the handmade potato gnocchi with fresh mozzarella in a tomato basil sauce. This was an absolute treat, with the gnocchi being nice and light, with a very nice texture to them. These are by far the best gnocchi I have ever had since moving to NJ. If we could make the perfect sauce at home, this would be it. The sauce had a very nice texture, with a creamy, buttery influence to it. It almost had hints of a vodka sauce to it, and was a pleasure to taste. Zelda really appreciated the basil chiffonade, while I appreciated the small cubes of fresh mozzarella. There was a bit of a nutmeg taste in the sauce, which Zelda thinks can be attributed to the basil. I would have to agree. We actually asked Edward if the chef used nutmeg in his sauce, and Edward stated that he would send Chef Capasso over to our table when he got a chance. Needless to say, he did make the time to come over, however, he didn't give up his secret. Can you really blame him? Not a bit. He did however have a bit of an aura to him. I wouldn't call it cockiness or arrogance, but I would call it confidence. Regardless, we both appreciated that about him, and both found it warranted based on the quality of our appetizer. The only gripe that we have about this dish is that it did seem to be just a tad salty for our tastes. Regardless, it wasn't overwhelming in the least, and I did not find it offensive. For dinner, Zelda opted for the Coriander and Rice Crusted Tilapia, served over an avocado salad, with a sweet and sour sauce. She also opted for the seafood wonton add on. I will let her add her comments on this dish in the morning, but here are my thoughts: The fish was absolutely perfect, and the crust on it added a really nice flair. It couldn't have been cooked more perfectly, and it had just the right amount of crispness to it. The rice gave it a very nice crunch, but it is not rice in the way that you are picturing. It is almost as though the rice has been ground with the coriander, giving it a great texture. The tilapia paired very well with the avocado salad, however, Zelda first pointed out that the sweet and sour sauce overwhelmed the fish. It truly gave the dish a different dynamic, and I couldn't have agreed with her more. I would rather seen the sweet and sour Served on the side to go with the seafood wontons. To both of us, the sweet and sour overwhelmed the tilapia, and from the tastes that I had, I preferred the tilapia by itself, or with the avocado salad. Regardless, the main element of the dish was an A+. I on the other hand had a very hard time tonight choosing what I wanted to have as my entree. There were many choices, but it was the Wagyu Beef Burger with applewood smoked bacon, Gorgonzola, caramelized shallot, morel mushrooms and veal sauce with truffled pomme frittes on the side. I know what you are thinking! I too cannot believe that I am visiting an establishment like this and ordering a burger, but this was not to disappoint. The burger came out on a gorgeous bun, and after cutting it in half, it could not have been cooked any better to the temperature of medium. Why so many places struggle with burger temperature is beyond me, but they hit the nail on the head! A lot of people talk about how wagyu and kobe are overrated, but I will be the first to disagree. The flavor that the meat alone had was delicious, and I have never had a basic ground beef that was so flavorful. If anything, the bacon and mushrooms really masked how good the flavors of the wagyu were, but that was nothing that a little scraping couldn't take care of, just so I could get a good flavor for the burger. But the element that the mushroom, shallot, and applewood smoked bacon added to the burger was absolutely brilliant. I cannot think of a better combination for a high end burger. These flavors all melded together so nicely, and the different ingredients added such great flavor to the burger along with the Gorgonzola. I would be hard pressed to come up with a better combination, so kudos to the chef. After dinner, we had zero room for dessert, however, I found it necessary to give something a whirl. When Edward talked about this dish, the Chocolate 3-Ways, I had to try it. I think Zelda gave me a look as though I was crazy when I said we would try that, as we were both stuffed. Regardless, our dessert came out and contained 3 different elements: Chocolate Profiterole, Milk Chocolate Pot De Crème, and Warm Chocolate Cake. I will be the first to say that I am not a chocolate lover, and unlike Zelda, I would rather have something fruity or dessert. This however is a no brainer, and I could eat this over and over. It really gave me a new appreciation for chocolate based desserts! The profiterole was easily my favorite, and had such a great, velvety texture to it. My second favorite was the Pot De Creme, with it's great rich flavors, yet it was light and airy. The creme on top was absolute heaven. Finally, the warm chocolate cake was just that. I could eat these by the handful, and would love to have this again! In short, this is a great restaurant, with a great chef and owner, nice ambiance, outstanding service, and amazing cuisine. I have to say that it has been years since I have left a restaurant so stuffed, and my belly was as happy as could be. There is nothing at all I would change about this restaurant, and I think that they have earned the reputation that they have established. Kudos to Chef Capasso and his staff for giving us such a unique experience! It was one of the best "dates" we have had in a long time, and we look forward to our next trip back to Blackbird soon! Saluti! Blackbird Dining Establishment 619 Collings Avenue Collingswood, NJ 08107 Phone: (856)854-3444 http://www.blackbirdnj.com/com/

2006 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

I know I said that I would wait another 2 years before we opened up another one of these, but after thinking about the Kosta Browne 4-Barrel we are auctioning off for the relief efforts in Haiti, what nicer opportunity to open one of these tonight? Needless to say, I grabbed one of these from the cellar to enjoy at Blackbird Dining Establishment in Collingswood, NJ.

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This was popped and poured, and served in a Rona glass at the restaurant, and let me say that this was by far one of the nicest restaurant stems that we have seen in quite a while. So much that we even left the Riedel's in their carrying case, so this saved me a bit of hand washing! Great touch in my opinion, so kudos to Blackbird!

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In the glass, a gorgeous color, ruby color, and as the glass sat on the table, I could already smell that seductive Kosta Browne nose that is so identifiable as Kosta Browne. I don't know what it is about these wines, but they are so easy to pick out, and that is a beautiful thing.

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The nose was dominated by an intense sweet black cherry, with nice hints of cola, spice, a touch of vanilla, and a subtle earthiness. The nose on this wine is huge, and I absolutely love it. As the wine warmed up and was allowed to breath, there were also secondary hints of jammy red berries, hints of plum, and raspberry. I also picked up a bit of alcohol, which Zelda did not pick up, but I will be the first to admit that she has a better nose than I do, and I am also a bit stuffed up today. That said, I wouldn't be surprised in the least if it were just me.

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On the palate, what can you say other than the fact that this wine is HUGE! Once again, the dark cherry dominates, and it is a bit on the candied side, which is not a bad thing at all. The cherries explode in your mouth, along with some jammy, sweet red berries. As the wine mellowed in the glass, secondary nuances of raspberry, strawberry, and plum come through, with a nice bit of earthiness and spice. On the mid palate, the acidity has settled quite a bit, and the wine has rounded out nicely since the last time we had this. There is still a bit of heat on the finish, but it does not dominate, and it is not offensive in the least. This just proves my theory that with another year in the bottle, this is going to integrate nicely.

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All in all, another great Kosta Browne! There seems to be a very defiant love hate relationship with these wines, but we just happen to be part of the crowd that loves them. I really look forward to trying this wine side by side with an '07 in the future, and I am sure that we will get a chance.

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This wine picked up another 2 points since we last had it, and is worthy of 92 points. Another point is definitely possible as this wine continues to come together! Stay tuned, and keep up the good work Kosta Browne! Cheers!

2007 Rivers-Marie Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

Now here is a wine that I have been dying to try since I placed my order this time last year, and it has been hard to wait this long, but I figured the wait from their arrival last March would be worth it. Needless to say, it was indeed! If I didn’t have a few more of these young babies sleeping in the cellar, I would probably be a little hesitant to pop one, but with a few more, it is always fun to try a wine in its infant stages. We have not had many ’07 pinot noir yet, and this is by far the best that we have had. Popped and poured tonight with sushi at Wasabi in Mount Lauren, NJ, this had a gorgeous dark purple ruby color in the glass. Absolutely gorgeous. We let it “decant” in the glass for a good 20 minutes as we were waiting for others to show up, and from just 2 feet away, you could smell it’s enormous nose. Tons of jammy cherries on the nose, with subtle hints of raspberry and citrus notes. There were also hints of vanilla and spice, which I attribute to the oak used on this wine. On the palate, the first glass almost seemed a bit thin and was disappointed. I drank about ½ of the glass, and refilled, and wow what a different. I have no idea why the first glass may have been so thin, but the refill was nothing at all like the first, and boy what a pleasure it was. This wine is BIG, with lots of nice fruit that I did not find over-ripe, or candied in the least. More HUGE cherry, strawberry, and raspberry notes that exploded in your mouth. At $25 a bottle, this is by far one of the best pinot noir I have had in this price range. You can tell that TRB put some heart and soul into this wine, and he really does know these grapes, and knows how to make something beautiful from them. The finish was as pleasant as pleasant can be, with a mild acidity, the perfect amount of tannin, and next to no heat at all. This bottle was really in a great place, and I look forward to the rest. One thing I will note is that there was a ton of sediment in this bottle, but it didn’t show until there was next to nothing in the bottom of my glass, and this is no worry whatsoever. All in all, a great pinot for the money that I would love to find some more of. Gorgeous and worthy of 92 points. Cheers!