EPISODE 2: Elysian Beer Dinner at Il Fornaio –A Five-Course Sonnet Cycle

EPISODE 2

Elysian Beer Dinner at Il Fornaio –A Five-Course Sonnet Cycle

The Il Fornaio restaurant in Seattle’s Pacific Place shopping center is one of my favorite places to have dinner. I’ve eaten there at least once a month for almost nine years. They regularly feature a wine dinner, which I’ve never attended. But when I heard that they would be hosting their first BEER dinner on Wednesday, July 16, 2014, I knew I’d have to be there.

It was a sumptuous feast, with each of the five courses expertly paired by Chef Franz Junga with a different beer. The beers were from Seattle’s own Elysian Brewing, courtesy lead brewer Kevin Watson.

So how was it? Let me tell you:

First Course

An empty goblet rests before me here

Or empty, I should say, is what it was

Before our server filled it up with beer

A pale Elysian ale named “Superfuzz”

A plate of fresh-baked pretzels goes around

From guest to guest, and so we grab a few

Three kinds of mustard – hot, Dijon, stone-ground –

Add spice. (There are fried mushrooms, too!)

While chasing pretzels with the ale I find

There is a perfect resonance between

The tang of Superfuzz blood-orange rind

And stone-ground mustard, with its bite so keen

The first-course pairing is a grand success

I wait in expectation for the rest

Second Course

Elysian calls the “Loser” a Pale Ale

And yet it’s really not one, that’s the joke

No, it’s a hoppy Red, as per the tale

Recounted by the brewer when we spoke

And with it now the second course appears

A slab of ahi tuna, fresh and raw

We try a bite, then toast it with our beers

The fish, so savory, inspires awe.

The tuna rests upon a bed of greens

And fresh cucumber salad, crisp with zest

The bitterness of hops is razor-keen

Providing perfect contrast to the rest

Sing “Soy un perdador” out loud, but look:

This pairing was a winner in MY book.

Third Course

The third beer is Elysian’s “Men’s Room Red,”

A perfect Northwest Amber, cool and clean

It pours dark orange, with an off-white head

Its taste: not hops nor malts, but in-between

The third dish, schiacciatina, really shines

(They’re mini-pizzas, stuffed with gooey cheese)

Each resting on a bed of green pea vines

A presentation guaranteed to please

The pairing’s everything that one could want

The beer/food combination dos not fail

The gorgonzola cheese brings to the front

The pear and apple notes within the ale

Broadcast THIS through the radio, you must:

Men’s Room goes well with cheese and crispy crust

Main Course

The main course comes: we have a choice of two

Fried halibut, paired with an IPA

Or else corned beef, with Oatmeal Stout for brew

They both sound good; I could go either way

I choose the beef. It’s braised with “Dragonstooth”

The very beer that’s poured into my cup

(That nectar sewn upon the ground, forsooth,

By Cadmus, so the Spartoi issued up)

The Stout, velvety-smooth, impacts the meat

And briny beef contrasts with roasted oats

The side dish, fresh red cabbage, sour and sweet,

Brings out the ebon liquid’s chocolate notes

I made the right choice, but I have to say

I really would have liked that IPA!

Dessert

Although we’re full, and feeling slightly numb

Anticipation switches hunger on

Because we know dessert is still to come:

Whipped cream and caramel espresso flan

The final beer is just as much a treat:

Elysian “Split Shot” Milk Espresso Stout

The lactose added keeps it tasting sweet

Exemplifying what this style’s about

Crème caramel and Stout reach harmony

And when both plate and glass at last are clear

My satisfaction is so plain to see

I feel like standing up to shout and cheer!

I do believe they saved the best for last

A perfect end to a superb repast