Dinner at The Ledson’s Hotel

Dinner at The Ledson’s Hotel – Centre Du Vin – April 9, 2012

All of Centre Du Vin’s fine food is paired with Ledson’s even finer wines. Steve and Michelle Ledson broke ground on their hotel in 1999. It is right on the square in Downtown Sonoma. They also have a castle winery on Highway 12 on the way to Santa Rosa. The restaurant is elegant with beautiful architecture, and lovely furnishings. Not too gaudy or ornate, just the right amount of everything, and is very tastefully done.
Here’s what I had:
Prawns with tomatoes and olives, in a white wine garlic sauce. Paired with Zina Hyde, Sauvignon Blanc ’10, Russian River Valley, CA. Nice large prawns with enough garlic for any garlic lover. The olives and the tomatoes gel fantastically with the garlic and the prawns. The wine is grassy, fruity, gives this dish an extra zing.
French Onion Soup, topped with French bread and gruyere cheese then crisped in the oven. Paired with Zina Hyde, Sauvignon Blanc ‘10, Russian River Valley. They boil veal bones to make this deep broth, and caramelize their onions for 4 slow cooked hours. It has just the right amount of everything, and paired very nicely with the wine.
Frisee Aux lardoons with frisee, Applewood smoked bacon, poached eggs, croutons & vinaigrette. Paired with Ledson, Carneros ‘Tres Frais’, Chardonnay ’09, Sonoma, CA. The lardoons make this salad a great menu item. The soft egg yolk spreads onto the lettuce and gives all of it such a creamy texture.
Steak Au Poive, Pink Peppercorn Encrusted 8 oz. New York Strip Steak, with roasted potatoes and seasonal vegetables with cognac and a cream pan sauce. Paired with Zina Hyde, Condeal ’08, North Coast. The steak has a killer crust and is medium rare. The sauce is what really excited me; the cognac is the best way to make this sauce come to life. Sweet, but savory and the cream brings it all together. The pink peppercorns are a great addition as well. The wine is bold and full-bodied and pairs so wonderful with the steak.
Desert:
Chocolate Moose, very velvety smooth, with lots of great chocolate taste.
Paired with Ledson Madera ‘Zinfandel’ Port, Sweet Ida May, Sonoma, CA. This Madera is spectacular with the moose.
The service here was impeccable, and the staff makes you feel very much at home. I really enjoyed the customers as well, the night I was there they had a very large party from New Jersey, and they looked like they were having a ball. The location could not be better, so close to the only movie theater in town, The Sebastiani Theater. I highly recommend this restaurant, and would gladly make this part of my Sonoma travel.
Centre Du Vin
480 First Street East
Sonoma, CA 95476
Phone: (707) 996-9779
Fax: (707) 996-9776
http://www.ledsonhotel.com

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