Tonight a really good friend of mine and I met for dinner. We decided to go to Delmonico’s Steak and Lobster House in Encino, California. Delmonico’s ambience is elegant and the food is fresh and delicious.  There are many great things on the menu, however, one of the best is the  lobster bisque which is absolutely phenomenal. Another favorite is the spicy ahi tuna tartare with crispy wontons. Having dined there on many occasions, I really haven’t found any food on the menu that I didn’t like.

I wish I could say that about the wines. Delmonico’s wine list is very limited and the choices of wines you can choose by the glass really leave a lot to be desired. Tonight I was in the mood for a red wine. A syrah or zinfandel would have been nice but they didn’t offer either by the glass. They did have a couple of merlots, cabernet sauvignons and pinot noirs. I initially asked the server to bring me a sample of the  Hogue Genesis Merlot. The first taste was bitter and dry so I opted not to purchase a full glass. I am not adding it to the craps list (see Craps Page) because I only tasted a sip and I can’t say I fully experienced it. After perusing the wine list again my friend and I finally chose to go with the  Haymen & Hill Pinot Noir. When our glasses came and we took the first sip we were quite befuddled. This pinot wasn’t like most. It was strong and full-flavored. The texture was not silky like a typical pinot noir. It also did not have a smooth finish. We both found this wine t0 be quite unappealing.

We finished our dinner and made it through our respective glasses of wine, needless to say without ordering another. It really surprises me that a restaurant of Delmonico’s quality would have such a skimpy wine list and that those wines on the list would be of poor quality. Although the wine wasn’t good, it didn’t take away from the dining experience. Our food was good and the fellowship was great. Next time we go to Delmonico’s we will just bring our own wine.

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