Sunday, December 11, 2005

Executive Dinner

Christmas time is upon us here in Australia. We have been to one Xmas party/dinner after another and quite honestly...I am all partied out! My most memorable evening this year was at a restauant called Lebrina Restaurant in New Town.

Lebrina Rest. is located in a small, old, sandstone house. It resembles a cottage that you might see dotting the French countyside. Inside, there were several small rooms. Each dimly lit room had high ceilings, crown molding, French doors, beautiful polished wood floors, an occasional fireplace with beautiful decorative wood mantles, and white table cloth covered tables. Very private with just a few tables per room.

We were escorted down a long hallway, through the kitchen where the chef greeted us, past the candle-lit courtyard and into a garden room. It was all so quaint.

We were served a lovely champagne and Parmesan biscuit's as we greeted our friends/dinner mates with a traditional Aussie cheek kiss. The 9 couples who we dinned with were lovely company for the evening. We enjoyed great conversation with the warmth of friends.

Dinner started with entree of tender seared abalone on a veggies slaw, with a delicate cream pesto was served with a glass of dry reisling. My main course was a slow roasted lamb served with a glass of elegant, aged shiraz. I have never had lamb/wine this good. Dessert was a creme' boule with orange sorbet and a short bread cookie and a glass of peachy ice wine. Dinner was ended with coffee and yet another after-dinner drink.

The real beauty of the meal was the small, artistic presentation of both food and drink. The richness of the meal left me feeling completely indulged but without feeling overindulged which would have seemed more likely with the range of food and drinks. Each new course was just a couple of tastes worth. Beautiful! It will certainly go down as one of my most memorable dinning experiences.