Yesterday evening ( Thursday February 2, 2017) I attended a Craft Beer Dinner hosted by the Kingswood Pub in Richmond, BC. Thanks to the staff and owners, it was yet another night of memorable culinary delights. Rob Angus from “Beerthirst” (http://www.beerthirst.com/tag/beerthirst/) was on hand to introduce us to and guide us through the tasting of four craft beers from their portfolio. Meanwhile Peter, the Chef at the Kingswood, dazzled us with his edible creations.
Rob Angus of “Beerthirst” hosting the craft beer tasting.
The first pairing of the evening was the “Sixpoint Jammer Gose” served with “Spice-cured Salmon accompanied with a Horseradish/Wasabi spread”. This Gose is a slightly sour “summer beer” brewed in NYC. It is refreshing to the palate and has a distinct saltiness with hints of coriander. This particular beer went very well with the salmon dish.
Generous tasting-pour of the Sixpoint Jammer Gose.
Sixpoint Jammer Gose.
The salmon had a firm texture and was delightfully smoky/salty on the tongue; the sharp bite of the horseradish/wasabi spread served as a nice counterpoint as did the crunchiness of the toasted baguette slices.
Spice-cured Salmon with Horseradish/Wasabi Spread.
The second pairing was of the “Redhook Longhammer IPA” with “Thai-Curried Scallops”. This IPA was moderately “hoppy” with an “44 IBU” and featured an alcohol content of around 6%. It was brewed in Woodinville, WA. It has the classic IPA taste and effectively freshened the palate between mouthfuls of the curry. Peter was, in-the-zone, with this curry. This was a “red curry” and was chock-a-block-full of ingredients; it was loaded with tender scallops (perfectly cooked without any “rubbery” in the chew), red and green peppers which had retained some firmness, rice that still had good texture, and that just-right contrast between the curry-spice and a creamy coconut sweetness.
Thai-Curried Scallops.
The third pairing was of the “Redhook Audible Pale Ale” and a “Smoked Pork Rillettes”. This pale ale was brewed in Seattle, WA. It has a very mild flavour and thus was ideal for pairing with the subtle flavours of the rillettes. The rillettes was made from house-smoked pork and was served with a side of hot olives and pickled onions; the onions were a superb counterpoint to the smokiness of the rillettes. The crusty bread was also nice. However, the real treat here was the “bacon jam”. It was also made in-house and was a fantastic base on which to build your “mini rillettes sandwich”.
Smoked Pork Rillettes with Hot Olives & Pickled Onions plus Bacon Jam.
Smoked Pork Rillettes – made in-house.
Hot Olives & Pickled Onions.
House-made Bacon Jam.
Smoked Pork Rillettes mini sandwich.
The final pairing of the evening was the “Sixpoint 5 Bean Porter” with the “Beef Carpaccio”. This robust porter is to be served at room temperature. It features an unusually high alcohol content of around 10% and is slightly sweet, malty, and viscous on the palate. Due to being made with five types of coffee beans, it brings a very rich expresso/unsweetened dark chocolate hit to your taste buds. It paired perfectly with the beef.
Sixpoint 5Bean Porter.
The carpaccio was made in-house using beef tenderloin rubbed with coffee, salt, and pepper. It was drizzled with a “truffle aioli” and a “balsamic vinegar reduction”. It was dusted with shavings of “Marechal” (an unpasteurized Swiss cheese). And was topped with mixed greens. The beef was literally, melt-in-your-mouth, and had an earthy richness with a distinct coffee taste. The creaminess of the truffle aioli balanced well with the tart sweetness of the vinegar reduction. The cheese gave some nice “tooth” to the very tender beef. And the crisp bitterness of the greens went well with the overall richness of the dish.
Beef Carpaccio.
All in all, this was another exemplary evening of food and drink at the Kingswood Pub. At just $30 for this dinner (including the beers), it was absolutely a great value for the dollars spent. As usual, Keith and his staff were friendly, efficient, and did everything they could to make their guests feel truly welcomed. And once again, KUDOS to Peter. This young man is the real deal – he truly is a Chef worthy of the title. If you are interested in sampling the creations of a, “culinary star of tomorrow”, make your way down to this quiet little neighbourhood pub in south Richmond.
As I write this posting, Keith and Peter are planning the menu for their next event. They are hosting a “Game Meat with Scotch” dinner on Thursday March 30, 2017. Keep an eye open for the official announcement… I know I’ll be.
East to Hedon
East to Hedon 