Muvaney's B&L

The Dining Meet-Up Group met this evening at Mulvaney's B&L. Lucky Robert was the lone male amongst all of us females. Though everyone is bemoaning the state of the economy Mulvaney's was busy, not a single empty table which speaks to the quality of their food. I think everyone would agree that the food was delicious.
We started with an Amuse Buche of Raddichio with Duck Confit and Apple Chutney.
I chose 3 small plates for my dinner. The first was the Sweetbreads with Polenta and Mushrooms. The sweetbreads were battered and fried but still tender and creamy, the polenta was creamy and flavorful; great along with the mushrooms. Second was the Foie Gras with Toast Points and some kind of fruit, but what it was I can't remember and it really didn't taste like anything I could recognize. That doesn't mean it was a bad thing, it all tasted great together and I love Foie Gras.

My final course was the Pappardelle Pasta with a mushroom confit of sorts and a slice of cheese..sorry I don't remember what kind. It was somewhat like goat cheese but not quite as strong. The whole combination was delicious. After the first two courses I was full and I didn't really need this course but it was wonderful.
Sue started with the Lox which I got a bite of and it was very good. She loved this dish.
Sue then had the Choppino which consisted of clams, large scallops and shrimp. I tasted her sauce and loved the flavor but she thought it was too thick. Not the usual broth type sauce. She wasn't thrilled with this dish since it wasn't a true Choppino.

Desert for Sue and I was the Valrhona Chocolate Ding Dong. I was way too full to fully appreciate it. I liked the fact that it wasn't too sweet. Sue said she would have liked some kind of cream filling in the center like a real Ding Dong has. I'll finish mine for breakfast tomorrow and I'm sure I'll appreciate the taste a whole lot better.
Katherine had the Sticky Toffee Pudding. She said it was good but not what she expected. She said she was expecting more Sticky. It looked good.

A couple of the people had the Apple Tart which looked good.. I don't know what the verdict was though. Everyone who ordered it cleaned their plate so I'm assuming it was good.

This was a great dinner, everything was delicious. There were several people that I had not met and as usual we all had a great time. I have never been to a dining event where consistently the group of people are so much fun. If you like to try different restaurants this is a great group to join. Katherine one of the assistant organizers has lots of dining events coming up.Dining Galore and More (Elk Grove, CA) - Meetup.com check out the group it is a lot of fun.

Check out Katherine's blog ~MUNCHIE MUSINGS for her view of tonight's dinner.

Price wise it is on the expensive side, but well worth the money.


Mulvaney's B&L

1215 19th Street

441-6022

Mulvaney's Building and Loan

I received this announcement in my e-mail today asking me to share this with everyone.. so here it is. I love lamb so I will have to check my schedule and see if there is anything going on that evening. Sounds good..
Please patronize this event so chefs will be more likely to do these special events at their restaurants.

CALENDAR ANNOUNCEMENT

Patrick Mulvaney Welcomes Texas Chef Tim Love
for an Evening Barbecue and a Celebration of American Lamb

You are invited to a special event on Monday, July 16 at Mulvaney's Building & Loan. The beautiful, garden patio will serve host to a family-style barbecue featuring American Lamb prepared by guest Chef Tim Love, aka "The Cowboy Chef." Chef Patrick Mulvaney has created a menu of appetizers, side dishes, and dessert to complement the succulent flavor of American Lamb. Trefethen Family Vineyards will provide perfect wine pairings.

The barbecue begins at 6:00 p.m. with passed hors d'oeuvres. Chef Love will conduct a brief American Lamb presentation and serve dinner at 7:00 p.m. Chef Love and guest farmer, Joe Pozzi, will be on hand to answer questions regarding lamb preparation and the lamb industry.

The event is open to the public and costs $45 per person. A discounted price of $40 is available to Slow Food members. Please contact Melinda McRae to make reservations at 916-492-5331or melinda.mcrae@fleishman.com. Space is limited.

Passed Hors D’oeurvres
Smoked Salmon on our own Potato Chip with Crème Fraiche and Chives
Crispy Fillo Cups filled with Summery Delights
Pinxtoix

Family Style Dinner Service
Ray Yeung’s Heirloom Tomatoes and Handmade Mozzarella, Basil, and Apollo Olive Oil

Sloughhouse Corn Ravioli with Fresh Savory
Del Rio Cherry Tomato ~ Grana Padano

Whole Pozzi Farms Lamb Roasted on a Spit
Smoked Belly
Uncle Bob’s Potatoes
Grilled Full Belly Farms Squashes
Tuscan Salsa Verde

Wine
Trefethen Family Vineyards

Dessert
Stone Fruit Strudels with Lavender Ice Cream
Old Soul Coffee
*Menu subject to change


About Tim Love
An authentic cowboy by way of Denton, Texas, Tim Love ropes, rides, hunts, drives cattle and a big truck and cooks a mean buffalo corndog. Tim Love is the Cowboy Chef with a genuine affinity for all things Texan, including cuts of domestic and game meats such as American Lamb, steer, wild boar to which he gives a global spin with such diverse ingredients as Spanish anchovies, Swedish lingonberries and Cuban mojo sauce.

Located in the famed Stockyard’s of Fort Worth, Texas, Love’s critically acclaimed flagship restaurant The Lonesome Dove Western Bistro opened in 2000. In 2006, Love opened Duce, a modern European restaurant in Ft. Worth. Love recently opened a third Fort Worth restaurant, The Love Shack, a casual burger joint, where guests can gather over fresh steer burgers, hand cut fries, and live music while enjoying views of the historic Stockyards.

Among Love’s many honors: Taste of Breckenridge Grand Award (three years in a row), Taste of the Mountains Award; Zagat Survey – America’s Top Restaurant award (No. 1 in Ft. Worth), and a James Beard nomination for the documentary “Cowboys on the Trail”.


About Patrick Mulvaney
A native New Yorker, Patrick Mulvaney is the chef and owner of Mulvaney’s Building & Loan as well as Culinary Specialists catering. Patrick has cooked professionally in five time zones beginning with his European apprenticeship in 1985. He worked with Leslie Revsin and David Burke in New York before moving to Phoenix.

During his tenure at Roxsand restaurant, Patrick was named "the rising star of the Southwest" by the American Institute of Wine and Food. In 1991 he attended the School for American Chefs at Beringer Vineyards, studying with Madeleine Kamman. He continued his education in food science at the University of California, Davis, and returned to the Napa Valley as a teacher. His time among the chefs and winemakers brought Patrick to the realization that he is, at heart, a chef not an academic. Patrick fell in love with the Central Valley and its wondrous bounty and decided to make Sacramento his home.


About Joe Pozzi
Third-generation farmer Joe Pozzi raises natural grass-fed lamb on his coastal ranch in Sonoma. He spearheads the “Pozzi Lamb Growers of Marin and Sonoma,” where sheep ranching has been a tradition for more than 100 years. Pozzi launched the program to create a more sustainable source of income so that sheep ranching can continue for many more generations on the coastal ranches in Sonoma and Marin counties – the grazing land on the coast is ideal for sheep ranching and the perfect appellation for growing natural, grass-fed lamb. Pozzi’s marketing and branding goal is to distinguish locally produced lamb from others, including the Australian and New Zealand lamb dominating the market. Pozzi’s efforts identifies the grower of the lambs so consumers know where their meat is raised.