A Pittsburgh Power Event
By Vice Chargé de Presse Ken McCrory
It was June 3rd, the Sunday after Memorial Day, and what better way to celebrate the arrival of the summer season than a Chaine gala. Since wearing white was now socially acceptable, a number of white dinner jackets were in evidence. The big question -- how many would make it through the night without a claret colored stain (more on this later)?
Our venue for the evening was The Carlton. Located in the headquarters building of Mellon Bank, The Carlton is strategically situated one or two blocks from City Hall, the Courthouse, Pittsburgh's tallest skyscraper, the City's major department store and its largest hotel. This confluence of politicians, bankers, lawyers, executives and important visitors combine to make The Carlton Pittsburgh's premier "Power Lunch" restaurant and also one of Pittsburgh's busiest dinner spots. It isn't just location that makes this a dining mecca, however. The Carlton could be located in the boondocks and people would find it. Owner, Maitre de Table, Kevin Joyce's wine pricing policy of cost plus $10, combined with Chef Rotisseur, Executive Chef Steven Saenz' cuisine make this a destination for wine and food lovers.
Managers Colleen Mullen and Todd Rauluk directed us to the reception area where the friendly, professional wait staff greeted members and guests with a glass of Veuve Cliquot and amuse bouches of crab in a tarte shell, duck liver pate and corn cake with creme fraiche and caviar. As we took our places for dinner, many thought Chef Saenz should have worn a top hat instead of a toque, since one look at the menu indicated this would be a magical evening.
The magic started with tartar of spring salmon with an avocado puree, lemon chive oil and Sevruga caviar. This course was accompanied by Veuve Cliquot and I'm sure the widow herself would have been impressed.
Lobster "Brandade" with tomatoes, baby spinach, grilled sweet corn and roast lobster butter with basil was nicely accented by the citrus taste of a Matanzas Creek Sauvignon Blanc. The next course took us back to Europe for muscovy duck "pot stickers", shiitake mushrooms, watercress, ginger and chili oil accompanied by an Alsatian pinot gris from Trimbach.
Our final seafood dish was rare seared ahi with crisp mango, fois gras and ginger curry essence joined by Phillippe Naddef's Marsannay. A Hofstatter Villa Bartenau Pinot Noir had just the right character to accompany our next course of Virginia sweet breads with red pepper sweet corn risotto and fried carrots.
Our final meat course of the evening was almost a world tour, with New Zealand rack of baby lamb, Middle Eastern influenced smoked mushroom couscous and Holland pepper ratatouille accompanied by Guigal's great Hermitage wine from France's Rhone Valley. We closed the evening with dessert of strawberry mascarpone, rhubarb honey and strawberry truffles with a beautiful 1990 Chateau Suduiraut.
Dame de la Chaine Carolyn Byham remembered that The Carlton sat on the location of the former Carlton House Hotel and Chevalier Dick Spine reminded everyone that Nikita Khruschev had stayed at the Carlton House during his visit to Pittsburgh in the 1950s. Even the powerful communist premier would have enjoyed this very capitalist event.
Oh yes -- back to the white dinner jackets. They all made it without a red wine stain -- except mine!
