If you’ve been wondering where chef Rob Newton went after leaving the gig at Gray & Dudley, we’ve got at least a partial answer for you. After embarking on book tours to expose people to his Seeking the South cookbook, Newton has been working with Sylvia Ganier of Green Door Gourmet to plan a couple of really special dinners on May 26 and 27.
Newton and Ganier have been inspired by the sort of dining experience that has been wowing diners at Charleston’s Chez Nous over the past few years, a dinner that features a chef-driven menu designed around the absolute freshest seasonal ingredients with just a few options for customization. The Green Door Gourmet version will be called “Eight Plates,” a single table for eight diners who will enjoy four courses of light bites on the porch at Cumberland Cottage beginning at 6 p.m., and accompanied by bubbles.
After apps, the assembled crowd will retire to the eight-top table for a multicourse gourmet meal prepared by chef Newton using locally sourced meats and products, including produce harvested mere yards away from Green Door, along with fine wines and spirits pairings. Hopefully, this will become a regular event going forward, especially because the Saturday, May 27, dinner has already sold out. Tickets for Friday night’s event are still available at the time of this writing, so jump on them if you want to be part of the party.
Marsh House seafood tower
Marsh House is hosting a wine dinner of their own at the Thompson Hotel in the Gulch on Thursday, May 18. Already well-known for their impressive wine list and excellent seafood, Marsh House will show off both aspects of their repertoire as part of this intimate 16-seat dinner inspired by the fine foods and wines of France.
Chef/owner Brian Landry has crafted four courses to accompany wines from North Berkeley Imports, a company known for seeking out rare and interesting French wines. The menu will kick off with a raw bar accompanied by Champagne, always a great start at Marsh House, followed by two mains and dessert. Here’s the menu if you’re the sort who likes to check out the set list of a show before you attend:
Course 1: Raw Bar (Champagne)
Scallop Crudo, kumquat, fennel, celery
Course 2: Fish/Veg (Loire & Burgundy)
Royal Red Shrimp, squid ink gnocchi sardi, lemon
Course 3: Lamb/Duck/Game (Loire & Burgundy)
Roast Lamb Loin, wild rice, huckleberry
Course 4: Dessert (Champagne)
Clafoutis, black cherry, rose, basil crème anglaise
The cost of the dinner is $140/person including tax and gratuity, and seats are limited. Grab yours at the event website.
On the same night as Marsh House’s wine dinner, May 18, Curious Elixirs is hosting a booze-free cocktail party at Killjoy’s retail location at The Loading Dock at 2028A Lindell Ave. in Wedgewood-Houston. Curious Elixirs is a company that sells a line of alcohol-free craft cocktails created by a team of botanists, herbalists and mixologists. When I was in college back during the Dark Ages, parties were required to offer an Equally Attractive Non-Alcoholic Beverage (or EANAB) at any event that served alcohol. The “equally attractive” detail was critical so that fraternities couldn’t claim that the water in their fish tank was the alternative beverage, which some had. Companies like Curious Elixirs have helped society come a long way since those days.
In fact, they’re not just hosting one boozeless cocktail party in Nashville on May 18; they’re throwing 50 parties in 50 cities on the same night! If you’re curious about their products or just want to enjoy a night out of trivia and fun without feeling up hazy, drop by Killjoy from 6 to 8 p.m. and check out the scene.
