Elizabeth Spencer Wine Brunch--Stella Modern Italian Cuisine
What is better than sleeping in on a Saturday morning? Sleeping in on a Saturday morning and then going to a wine pairing brunch on a beautiful, sunny day! You have all heard of the 5 love languages, I'm sure. Brunch and wine are two of mine. When I saw that Stella Modern Italian Cuisine was hosting the Elizabeth Spencer Wine Bruch, my heart raced as I checked my Erin Condren Life Planner to ensure that I did not have plans. Alas, the wine and brunch gods knew what I needed, and It was an empty slot! Excitedly, I texted a few ladies I knew appreciated a good wine brunch and made our reservations.
Stella Modern Italian Cuisine is a classy, contemporary restaurant located in the heart of Midtown, OKC. I have dined with them a few times and have always been blown away by their attention to flavors, customer service, and my satisfied palate after indulging in my meal. Every month they host a wine dinner, which usually I am unable to make. But this time, they did an elevated brunch and it was worth every cent.
Due to the number of reservations, Stella cancelled their normal Saturday morning brunch and filled the tables with the pairing guests. We had a sunny table of five, perfectly located in a little corner in a room off the main area. We began our time with a coffee and delicious mimosa. Incase you are new to brunching, all brunches should begin with these things, . The Elizabeth Spencer wine pairing brunch was a four-course meal and wine pairing featuring wines from the international winery. Fresh off a plane from Napa Valley, one of wine-makers was there to present the wines. She passionately talked about the winery and how the wines were made and recently merged with another company that had vineyards in France and other areas of Europe.
First Course: Fried Potato Croquettes paired with Elizabeth Spencer Blanc de Blancs.
I can't say that I have ever had a potato croquette until now. It was everything I would dream it would be: Light, flaky layered potato melted on my tongue as the crème fraiche coated my mouth. The light saltiness from the pancetta danced in the mix of potato love. Paired with the light, chilled Blanc, it was the perfect palate cleanser to ready me for the next bite. The light acidity from the wine cut the richness of the crème fraiche leaving me wishing I had more potato.
Second Course: Jalapeno maple house-cured bacon lardon, confit grape tomatoes, herbed ricotta & Rosemary Lemon jam bruschetta paired with the LVE French Rose Languedoc.
People, this was a bite of heaven. Literally, I was silently scraping my plate after I finished, wishing I had one more to devour. The bread was a slice off a perfectly baked baguette, stacked with creamy ricotta, tangy tomato, bacon, and an addicting rosemary lemon jam that I am still dreaming about. I can still feel the creamy ricotta and that crispy delicate bread sticky with that magic jam. I want more now. This crisp and luscious bite of richness was tamed with the semi dry rose, which happens to come from John Legend's line of wines.
Third Course: Porcini Mushroom & ricotta ravioli with a roasted garlic cream, shiitake & cremini mushroom sauce paired with Elizabeth Spencer Sauvignon Blanc.
This was my absolute favorite course. Though the first two courses were divine, this third course was satisfying yet sinfully delicious. Even though these ravioli were vegetarian, they were stuffed full of mushroom ricotta, creating dreamy fat pillows for my tongue and teeth to melt into. The roasted garlic cream sauce was like silky sheets that glided over the ravioli pillows, tucking my mouth into a dreamy insulin-spiked slumber. Each bite had just enough of the silky sauce that I did not feel robbed. Nothing is worse than a dry ravioli. I would rather have extra sauce to soak up with bread than not enough sauce and dry pasta. After each rich bite of perfection, I took a sip of the crisp Sauvignon Blanc whose slight acidity tamed the creaminess of the sauce. When eating rich courses like this, having that perfect crisp white is necessary for good balance. It will help you finish your plate and not waste any wine.
Fourth Course: Chocolate & sour cherry scone with a blood orange reduction, crème anglaise, & pistachio topping paired with Elizabeth Spencer Grenache, Mendocino.
Everyone loves dessert, but this one wasn't for me. I love chocolate and I love blood orange reduction, but the scone was a little too much like a cookie to me. It had a nice flavor, but it was not the soft pillowy crisp scone I know by definition. I really enjoyed the chocolate and orange flavor combo, and the Grenache was my favorite wine of the pairing menu. It was a delicious medium-body red that coated my palate with velvety happiness, solidifying a buzz that lasted all day long.
Stella's wine-pairing brunch was an excellent value. This was priced at $50 for 4 amazing courses paired with 4 wines. I could spend that much on brunch and two cocktails on myself, depending on where I am brunching. If you are looking for a great place to dip your toes into the wonderful world of wine pairing meals, I highly recommend getting on Stella's email list and making a reservation at their next event. Chef Josh Partain did a wonderful job, and I have never had a bad meal from Stella. Also check out Stella's regular brunch on Saturday and Sunday. They have a mouthwatering menu and numbing mimosas that will make your forget your last work week.
Have you been to Stella Modern Italian Cuisine? What is your favorite thing to eat? Have you been to one of their wine pairing meals? Let me know!
Until next time, Keep Life Zesty!!
Danna