Sunday, August 10, 2008

Swilling at the Sirloin Saloon

Having a New England getaway for a few days, starting with a big family reunion in Manchester, VT. Last night our party of 16 gathered at a hopping restaurant where steak is king--the Sirloin Saloon.
Since I dine so much in New York City, it's always interesting to check out the food scene in other parts of the country. This restaurant is carnivore heaven. My husband ordered a Fred Flintstone size prime rib; the huge rare cut was pooling blood. Yabba Dabba Doo!! I enjoyed rib eye, which was delicious despite being cooked more than the medium rare I ordred.
So, with all this meat, naturally our eyes gravitated to the red section of the wine list. The Cabernet selection was small but serviceable: four Californians. My husband's cousin is a true Californian down to her love of wine, so I asked her which one she would choose. We settled on Sterling Vintner 2005. It was deep red, so full-bodied it was almost heavy, alcohol 13.5%, firm tannins, and maybe a smidgen of sediment. This big wine was great with the juicy steaks.
As the meal progressed and the alcohol flowed, a flurry of limerick writing broke out at the table. Suddenly various in-laws -- father, brother, and sister--were putting pen to napkin in a hilarious bout of literary one-upmanship.
Laughing at the ridiculous rhymes that followed, the family enjoyed the entertainment, although it was certainly not our best work. But there were no critics at the table. No, we were having a raucous good time, enjoying the pleasure of each other's company and the All-American food and wine. The evening ended with more wine quaffed out of plastic cups in the hotel parking lot while our kids lit sparklers. A fine end to a beautiful summer evening.

1 comment:

  1. Sounds delightful. Was there a Wilma Flintstone steak on the menu?

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