My wife and I were invited to Brookfield Zoo on Valentines Day by her Father. His wife died 2 years ago and my wife (his daughter) has been going over at least least twice a week since then to clean, cook, bring food, shop, and when the weather is good they often go to the Zoo together as they have been doing this since she was young.
Well the Zoo was having a gourmet Valentines Days dinner and he thoughtfully asked her (and I) to go. We arrived at the Zoo and were taken by Tram to the Africa house for appetizers and drinks with the giraffes were I tried a 1997 Timber Ridge Cabernet North Coast. The appetizers were mushrooms stuffed with artichokes, quesadillas and crustini topped with carpaccio and goat cheese.
We were then taken to the South American exhibit by Tram for a delicious 5 course Lobster and Filet dinner. They served an excellent tomato bisque soup with a pastry shell. The meal was served in one of the Zoos upscale restaurants above the Penguin exhibit and they had dancing after dinner. I tried 3 different wines during dinner. None of them matched the quality of the food but the evening was so enjoyable that the lack of fine wine did not detract from our fun.
Here are my ratings for the wines:
1997 Timber Ridge Cabernet North Coast- 83-85 2000 Mondavi Cabernet Private Selection- 84-86 N/V Tabor Hill Classic Demi Sec Red (Mich.)- 71 N/V Dom Pierre Sparkling Wine- 73
VM
Posts: 10139 | Location: Chicago | Registered: Oct 17, 2001
VM - That sounds like a great time. I love the zoo. We had dinner on Saturday night at the local-legendary "Elephant Walk" in Sandestin and we also had (incredible) lobster. It was a Doolittle kind of weekend all around!!
