The Bite Club Event at The Grape

I arrived a little early for the Bite Club event at The Grape, Wine Bar and Bistro as I was so excited!  It was put on by a local magazine called The Folio Weekly and hosted by Ashlee from A Year in The Kitchen.

Every day they have various events at The Grape.

There are fun tables out front to relax in the sun.

I promptly headed to the bar to order a glass.

After a glance at the wine list and a few suggestions/taste from the bartender I ordered the La Roche.

A French Chardonnay that had a bit of residual sugar so it wasn't too dry and had a nice fruity crisp taste.  It was refreshing in the warm weather.

6:00 rolled around and the event was starting.

To Start:

Seasonal Cheese Selection 

Dinner:

New Zealand Lamb Nachos

Mini Crab Cakes with Jicama Slaw (paired with a wine)

Dessert:

Raspberry Mousse in a Chocolate Teacup (paired with a wine)

Ashlee, the hostess with the mostess greeted each Bite Club member as they arrived.

I'm so happy to have met another fellow foodie/blogger in the area!

Bite club members finding their seats and waiting for things to start.

My guest was my BFF and fellow foodie, Justine.

The food started to come out.

First, the bread. 

It was a bit dry and rather unimpressive.  I would have preferred an artisan whole grain baguette with some personality.

Next the Hors d'oeuvres

The seasonal cheese.  This was the star of the show for me...the Blueberry Stilton.  WOW.  I could have had it for dessert.  It was creamy with chunks of blueberry; a perfect balance of sweet and mild.  I should have added this to my Bucket List a long time ago so I could cross it off.  Great choice Grape!

Ashley and her hubby JJ pause for a portrait.

The First Wine

Next came out our first wine tasting.

Spy Valley, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc 2009.  Cool, citrusy grapefruit taste.  Divine. (Could I be turning into a white wine drinker?)

Dinner

The Jicama Slaw with a light vinaigrette.  I went back in for seconds.

The Lamb Nachos with Hummus and Goat Cheese. 

Original idea and great presentation but the hummus baked onto the nacho chip was a bit dry.  I would prefer to see fresh, creamy hummus on the crispy nacho chip with the warm lamb and a bit more goat cheese layered on top. 

We had to really hunt for the goat cheese and the taste was lost under the red sauce.

Next were the crab cakes.  They were ok; a bit bready and a bit fishy. 

I probably wouldn't get them again.

The Chicken Quesadilla ordered on the side by some fellow dining mates.  Inside was warm melted cheese and fresh pesto with an exceptionally crispy exterior.  I would definitely order this next time.  I love the pesto inside.

Dessert

The dessert was a light raspberry crème in a dark chocolate cup over chocolate mousse.  This isn't something I would normally order as I eat so much fruit I tend to shy away from it when splurging on dessert but this was to die for.  Some thought the chocolate mousse inside was too much chocolate but I loved it.  (Granted I'm a chocoholic) It didn't seem too overpowering when paired with the fluffy, light raspberry. 

Here is Ashlee double fisting it with the dessert cups. (Don't blame her...you go Ash!)

Final Wine Tasting

This was the lovely, fizzy wine that came out with dessert.  It was slightly sweet without being too heavy and overpowering.  Can someone tell me what this deliciousness was?  By now I was a few drinks in and forgot to get the name.

Overall we had an amazing experience meeting new friends and trying new things.

Thanks to Ashlee, The Bite Club, The Grape and The Folio Weekly for putting on a wonderful event.  I look forward to trying out for the next one!