Its a great night when you find incredible food paired with special wines and the table is worthy of the Chef. 3 Wine Guys had a special meal at Elements Restaurant, in Princeton. The restaurant is somewhat new but the Chef/Owner, Scott Anderson has cooked at some of New Jersey's best, as has Joe Sparatta the Sous Chef and his wife Emilia the GM. We put ourselves in their care and they did an extraordinary tasting menu. I went in the back and blind decanted an older La Mission and a bottle of Chai Neuf that I bought in Beaune from Magnum Wine Cellar. Scott, Joe and Emilia shared a big glass I poured and they planned our menu on the spot. The other wines, Ravenneau Chablis Burgros and Guigal la Turque 1990 were tasted and intergrated into the dinner.
The best part was not having to take a train to New York, but getting this artisan meal in Princeton, a mere 20 minute drive for the diners.
One clever plate after another, starting with his apples and allium, 4 different tastes and combos. Intriguing and modern. It was delicious and left you ready for the next creative effort. The ris de Veau was done with local mushrooms in a rich demi-glace, a perfect size portion in a modern bowl. I was just amazed at how Scott & Joe, just created this dazzling array after tasting our wines and matching the food to our wines. They did Foie Gras 2 ways with the d'Yquem; nothing like great food and wine, course after course. It was wonderful to see a talented trio bursting with creativity at work. Elements is in a renovated industrial building, very modern and hip, lots of sculptural wood and steel, it makes for a relaxing experience. The cheese plate featured farm Brie and Blue from Lawrenceville, one town over. The great trend to source and feature the best of Local Artisans. Probably the best new place in Princeton for quite a while. www.elementsprinceton.com
Thursday, September 17, 2009
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