A meal at Downtown 140 is always delicious. It is anniversary celebration night with Us and Bob & Jan. The wine started with a Hartford Pinot Noir, Velvet Sisters from Anderson Valley. The wine is elegant with a rich vein sliding gently thru the alcohol, the finish was long and slow. We toasted to mutual anniversaries and the food ordering began.
The calamari arrived and it was ok. They lightened up the sauce, away from the gooey richness of winter and while good, I strangely prefer winter. The edamame were unique and incredible. A dry dip made up of crushed chilis and salt was irresistable. The Tuna Tacos are my favorite, sitting on a mound of guacamole the small crisp shell is filled with a tuna tartare that begs to be dipped in the avocado. Keeping with tradition I ordered 2 and as always the second was even better than the first. I heard Bob mumbling something about great scallops, but I have fear of scallops and tried not to look too hard at his plate. The small plates were rounded off with a light summer green salad sprinkled with blueberries and sliced strawberries. Needless to say I was feeling the Love.
By this time we were opening up the 2000 Isosceles. A full bodied meritage from Justin Vinyards, this puts their normal Cab to shame. I wished Amy’s perfectly cooked thin sliced rib eye was landing in front of me. I would have settled for some Humboldt Goat Cheese or even some of the cheese and mushroom laced great harvest bread, but as both red meat, dairy and wheat are currently out…the wine had to stand up on on its own legs. Those legs are long and fine with enough muscle to satisfy the palate with a subtle yet firm complexity. Bring on the food!
The Fries are Amy’s, despite her moving them to the center of the table. They are cooked to perfection, with a dipping sauce that is rich and decadent. These fries could single handidly destroy any normal person’s diet. If this is the truth, I can not handle it…o.k I ate only a few and damn it I enjoyed them. Liberally dipping in the sauce, perfectly sized, each bite was a delight to the senses. Mental note, do not eat normal fries on a regular basis…save yourself for the 140.
Finally my main course arrived. At first glance I was dissapointed, the Chilean Sea Bass looked a little dry and possibly over cooked but definitely small. Luckily, I was already full I thought to myself as I tasted the fish. At first bite my worst fears were realized. I quickly inventoried my meal…I could walk away now with room for dessert. Throw in the towel. Call it a meal. As I sipped on my glass of Isoceles, I realized I had not tried my potatoes, light and smooth yet strangely flavorful. Awe hell, where was the mango promised in the sauce. Aggressively, I dipped a chunk of fish into the sauce, coating it thru and thru. I ate the piece expecting gooey mango sweetness that did not appear. The sauce was light and smooth with an essecence of mango that complimented the fish perfectly.
I looked down to take another bite and realized my plate was completely empty. Yes. You know what I am talking about. The beast took over and before I knew what had happened my plate was clean. This is the perfect summer dish and you must try it. I apologize for my initial bias, beauty is in the flavor and summer screams Mango.
Dessert was typical chocolate mouse torte covered with a dark thin crust of deliciousness. I got in a spoonful or 2 before Amy inhaled it. I split a French Press of Bolivian with Bob as Jan downed 4 cupd of decaf (huh?). Now if only Amy had invented that snap power, Hudson is just to far away when the food is this good. Can we do this again?
