Friday, November 16, 2007

Nouveau Night 2007

After a meeting to finalize the LaZoom performances next week, I went to the Asheville Downtown Association's annual fundraiser "Nouveau Night" last night at the ballroom at the Haywood Park hotel. I had not been to one before, I've heard some good and some bad, but my bastard gut reminded me all through last night that I definitely ate and drank my money's worth.

There were six Beaujolais wines on offer, most of which were good, one was excellent, but I forgot to bring a notepad to get the names. Hopefully the labels will jog the memory if I get them again. It was an impressive set up with a circle of alternating food/wine tables. Most of the food was delicious, and a few of the restaurants I haven't been to really impressed me.

Sugo (warning, annoying flash loading page) had antipasto skewers of decent-sized chunks of mozzarella, chorizo, olives, prosciutto and roasted peppers, as well as a sweet potato gnocchi. The sauce with the gnocchi was mushroomy goodness.

Vincenzo's had a yummy stuffed chicken dish.

The Lobster Trap had a nice thick lobster bisque

Ed Boudreaux had two types of pate, which was an interesting selection from them. I'm not usually much for pate, but it is nice with red wine.

On the desserty side, I can't remember who had the 3 billion calorie truffles, but thank you for them.

Ultimate Ice Cream had a cinnamon gelato. I love gelato, and to make it even better, conveniently close was World Coffee Cafe with some sufficiently caffeinated dark roasty goodness.

Very well organized, and there was not much of a wait for anything. I'll be back next year for sure.

1 comment:

Gourmet Grrl said...

Sounds like it was a nice evening. I'd love to know the name of that one "excellent" wine, if you can conjur it up. Also, I fear sweet potato gnocchi. I think the only thing that could get me to try it would be a buffet style event like that one. How was it? Also, check out shewhoeats. You've been sufficiently referenced.

Thanks for the post!