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C A K
E S P E C I A
L E D I T I O N: Vittles In The Vineyards A man walks into a restaurant and the maître d' asks him, "Do you have reservations?" The man answers, "Yeah, but I'm going to eat here anyway!" Now that we have that out of our system . . . The Temecula Valley |
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suffers an embarrassment of riches. Wine Country offers the senses no shortage of wicked delights: easy on the eye, the sweet smell of agriculture, waves of juice-of-the-grape lapping at the tongue. Enchanté! But wait, it gets better! Wineries can be forgiven for entertaining delusions of grandeur, considering that all-the-above serves as prelude: Winery Restaurants! Next to the Winemakers, Wine Country Chefs are the Masters of the Universe. For wine & cuisine - let alone convenience - Vineyard Restaurants should be Brides' first & last consideration for their all-important Rehearsal Dinner. Beyond this time-honored tradition, though, more rehearsals these days are taking place in the early P.M., setting the stage for Rehearsal Luncheons. And finally, with the thought of drawing out the Wedding weekend just as far as it'll possibly stretch, consider the Farewell Brunch. On the day after your Special Day, gather with your family & friends at your favorite Vineyard Restaurant for one last meal and just a bit more time together. They'll be inspired by your brainchild!
PHOTOGRAPH OF THE MONTH Due to the length of this Special Edition, |
VINEYARD RESTAURANTS
Temecula Valley Wine Country
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SMOKEHOUSE RESTAURANT We lead off with the Smokehouse Restaurant, located on the grounds of Claudio Ponte's pride & joy, Ponte Family Estate Winery. This trčs-hip bistro draws discerning foodies from far & wide, lured by the menus of Chef Steve Stawinski. Chef Steve's culinary philosophy defines simplicity itself: scour local farmers' markets for the freshest seasonal ingredients, prepare them with an eye toward elegance, be certain they complement Winemaker Robert Cartwright's creations, present the results in a fashion worthy of Ponte's loyal wine club members enjoying a day in the country. |
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Chef Steve's "got-your-back" guy in the Smokehouse Restaurant is manager, Randy Rodriguez. Along "The Street" - as Rancho California Road is known by locals - Randy's regarded as a restaurateur extraordinaire. Be sure to say "hello" on your next visit to the café. CAKE is often asked by Brides & Grooms to recommend a place to dine for their all-important Rehearsal Dinner, Rehearsal Luncheon or Farewell Brunch. Either the Smokehouse Restaurant - or Ponte's awe-inspiring Barrel Room - will readily suit the occasion. On a parting note, we have to tattle that the
many-faceted Chef Steve does an off-the-chart impersonation of Saturday Night
Live's "Bronx Beat with Betty & Jodi." The next time you're
dining at the Smokehouse, ask your server to arrange for a private performance at
your table. (You didn't hear this from CAKE! We don't want to hear Chef
yelling at us, SMOKEHOUSE RESTAURANT Ponte Family Estate Winery |
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PINNACLE RESTAURANT Next up is Ray & Loretta Falkner's creation, Pinnacle Restaurant at Falkner Winery, one of the Valley's ingénue eateries. Sitting atop a 1500' hill above the vineyards, the panoramic view is arguably bested only by the Mediterranean-style food. Captained by Chef Dennis van Rumund, Pinnacle's overseer hails from the Netherlands, via a stop-over at New York's Culinary Institute of America, on his way to Wine Country. |
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CAKE first chanced upon Chef Dennis during his tenure owning the Lace Apron Restaurant in the Main Street Historic District of Fallbrook, where his signature soups pulled us through more than one blustery winter. Impossible as it may seem, his culinary talents have only taken a turn for the better! Brides are offered several Rehearsal Dinner options at Pinnacle, including the restaurant with its sunset views, seating on the outdoor balcony overlooking the vineyards, or the VIP Room in the Wine Cave below the restaurant. The VIP Room tantalizes with its interior windows looking out onto barrels of Winemaker Steve Hagata's slowly-aging vin extraordinaire. Give Pinnacle Restaurant a ring and begin planning a Rehearsal Dinner guaranteed to impress! PINNACLE RESTAURANT Falkner Winery lfalkner@falknerwinery.com
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VINEYARD ROSE
RESTAURANT How's this for a food / wine pairing? Take Tuscany-born Chef Alessandro Serni, team him with Master Winemaker Jon McPherson, then serve-up the results at proprietor Jim Carter's darling, the Vineyard Rose Restaurant at South Coast Winery. Color CAKE ravenous! Chef Alessandro's another of those culinary wizards seeking out fresh local foods not to be found elsewhere, then blending them into dishes to complement the seasons, alongside South Coast's award-winning wines. |
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CAKE's take on the manor house ambience of the Vineyard Rose is to wax sentimental for the Lodge at Koele, the island of Lanai's 5-star Four Seasons Resort. As with Koele, the Vineyard Rose lifts us to a fanciful setting where we would expect only the best of wines, only the most Mediterranean of cuisines. Your experience at the Vineyard Rose will elevate Rehearsal Dinners to a new high. It'll be a long time coming before the evening is surpassed! Make your reservation. Now! VINEYARD ROSE RESTAURANT South Coast Winery Resort & Spa |
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CHAMPAGNE RESTAURANT For the past 20 years, as visitors have crossed the portal into Wine Country, they've been greeted by John, Sally & Steve Thornton's historic Thornton Winery, home to Café Champagne. Holding the reins at the Café is Chef Steve Pickell, who, along with Winemaker Don Reha, fabricates memorable pairings guaranteed to weigh on one's palate & thoughts for days to come. Originally from San Diego, Chef Steve paid his dues on the Right Coast, attending culinary school and having his day at DC & NYC restaurants. |
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Returning to the Golden State, restaurant stints in San Francisco and San Diego eventually led to the Wine Country. Making use of Thornton Winery's unique herb garden for garnishing signature presentations, Chef Steve offers an unparalleled combination of Contemporary Fusion cuisine served in a Country French ambience. One concept certain to be appreciated by Brides, Grooms and their families at Rehearsal Dinners is the Café's "breaking the rules" approach to the creature comforts of pairing food & wine. Red wine with beef? Been there! White wine with poultry? Done that! Rosé with salmon? So last-century! Wine-color rules are off the point. Chef Steve simply complements the flavors of the wine with the flavors of the food. Can it make any more sense? |
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Thornton Winery |
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CAROL'S RESTAURANT Conceived by Phil & Carol Baily of Baily Winery, Carol's Restaurant offers famished diners two venue choices: first of all, an indoor dining room featuring a medieval theme, complete with fireplace and soaring ceiling. Or guests can choose Carol's outdoor pergola overlooking the Cabernet vines. |
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Serving as - respectively - Executive Chef, and Winemaker, Carol Baily and Phil Baily's vision for Carol's hasn't changed since its inception: to serve a high quality, moderately-priced gourmet menu in a casually elegant setting. It stands to reason such a philosophy would be a family affair. If you've scheduled your rehearsal for morning or early afternoon, by all means make reservations with Carol's for a Rehearsal Luncheon. What better way to while away the P.M. with family & friends?! CAROL'S RESTAURANT
Baily Vineyard & Winery www.bailywinery.com |
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MERITAGE RESTAURANT The Lin Family's bistro, Meritage at Callaway, continues the Winery's culinary saga with Chef Michael Henry at the helm. Chef Michael's credentials include cooking his way through Europe & South America. But most intriguing, in our humble opinion, was his native-soil stint working with Chef Robert Irvine in Atlantic City. Kick up the cool! When Robert Irvine's Food Network show - "Dinner Impossible" - airs each week, you'll find CAKE dropping anchor in front of the TiVo!
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| Chef Michael's blueprint for Meritage
Restaurant is to create seasonal tapas menus designed to integrate
seamlessly with Winemaker Bela Varga's
creations. [Side bar: Winemaker Varga is reported to play
in-the-zone jazz piano, jamming with the likes of guitarist Pat
Metheny!]. Once upon a time, Callaway Winery paved the way in the Temecula Valley, laying the foundation for today's Wine Country. Hosting your Rehearsal Dinner at Callaway promises that rare combination of tradition & hipness, certain to leave a long-lasting impression! MERITAGE AT CALLAWAY Callaway Winery |
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BLOCK 5 RESTAURANT Leonesse Cellars' owners - Mike Rennie & Gary Winder - aptly named their Block 5 Restaurant in honor of the vineyard now taken by the Winery's tasting room. Newly arrived in the Temecula vineyards, Block 5 is unique in being the only restaurant in this CAKE special edition situated on De Portola Road. As reported here last month, Wine Country's "back road" is a picture-postcard marriage of equestrian estates, vineyards and wineries. |
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The restaurant's cuisine joins with Winemaker Tim Kramer's vintages for offerings guaranteed to delight the palate. Managed by Nicole Blankenship, Block 5's impressive surroundings offer a Rehearsal Luncheon setting certain to impress in the short term, then linger in the memory long-term. BLOCK 5 RESTAURANT Leonesse Cellars nicole@leonessecellars.com
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ALLIE'S TAPAS AU VÍN Although not technically in the Wine Country (10 minutes distant, in Temecula), we're including Steve & Allie Hamlin's newest venture - Allie's Tapas au Vín - for reasons of tradition & history. For one, tradition. Chef Steve's savory fare at the former Allie's at Callaway - Callaway Winery in the Wine Country - was legendary. To this day, we still hear wails-of-woe at the passing of the fabled bistro. Chef Steve continues his Wine Country relationship by catering |
Weddings at Keyways Winery and Frangipani Winery. Secondly, history. Steve & Allie's entourage includes Rachel Mason (Allie's sister - Director of Catering at Allie's), Chef JP (Director of Culinary at Allie's), and Cathy Lyle (Wedding Coordinator at Keyways Winery). Back when the world was young, these CAKE-chums worked alongside us when Steve was Executive Chef at Pala Mesa Resort in Fallbrook. Allie's Tapas offers Brides three particulars considered paramount for their all-important Rehearsal Dinner: 1). Scenario. 2). Cuisine. 3). Wine. Scenario? Conjure up a private dining chamber appearing to have been designed by a winemaker. Cuisine? Don't get us started! The ambrosial tapas take wing from the kitchen seemingly in the same breath as they're ordered! Wine? Varietals from throughout Temecula Valley vineyards. A Bride's take on the whole setting? Trčs élégant! When your Bridesmaids walk into Allie's Tapas au Vín for the Rehearsal Dinner, they're going to be s-o jealous! ALLIE'S TAPAS AU VÍN 41653 Margarita Road steve@alliestapas.com
CREEKSIDE GRILL Finally, under the heading of "Coming
Attractions," CAKE is in a total tizzy over Wilson Creek Winery's WILSON CREEK WINERY 35960 Rancho California Road events@wilsoncreekwinery.com |
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CAKE is the Wedding newsletter
of the |[caution: please read responsibly. CAKE is not your mother's wedding newsletter!]|
© 2007-2008 CAKE |
