We had so much fun the first few times we dined at French Brasserie, Cafe Centro (especially during French Restaurant Week), that we wanted to indulge one more time in the talents of Executive Chef Christina Towers. Which is why we were really excited to hear about the Monday Mariage Wine Series at Cafe Centro. In French, "mariage" means a "blend of two things", so every Monday night this summer Executive Chef Christina Towers is featuring a menu of perfectly crafted food and beverage pairings.
The Monday Mariage Wine Series at Cafe Centro begun on July 9th with an Oysters and Sancerre pairing and will end on August 13th with what we're sure will be an amazing pairing of Rosés and Duck and Chicken Rillettes. We had the pleasure of experiencing the July 16th pairing of a trio of Rosés and Crudos (pictured above). All wonderfully priced at $30.00 per person. From right to left you will find the Domain de Cala Classic Rosé paired with Scallops with grapes, verjus and lavender; the Domaine de Cala Prestige Rosé paired with Tuna with watermelon, citrus vinaigrette, and black radish; and last but not least the Bouchard Aine & Fils Rosé paired with Branzino and bell pepper, basil, and rosemary. Here are the bottles featured below:
We were quite pleased with the results and our favorite pairing was a tie between the Domaine de Cala Prestige Rosé with Tuna and the Bouchard Aine & Fils Rosé with the Branzino. Not that we didn't like the Domain de Cala Classic Rosé paired with Scallops, we very much loved it as well. Prices for the Monday Mariage Wine Series at Cafe Centro range from $25.00-$30.00 unless otherwise specified on their menu. Please note that this menu is offered in addition to their a la carte menu, but is one-night-only for that Monday evening. Because of this, we enjoyed the wine pairing as our appetizers and ordered the Roulade de Saumon (a perfectly grilled Salmon with a lovely char, with watercress, roasted fingerlings, set in the most delicious Riesling sauce), and the Poulet Basquaise (a hearty braised chicken with piperade and pureed potatoes).
Chef Towers also surprised us with side orders of Macaroni Gratin with Boursin cheese and tomato (this was swiftly devoured), Hand-Cut Pomme Frites with truffle and parsley, and succulent Green Asparagus with garlic and lemon. Sadly there was no room for dessert.
Upcoming Monday Mariage Wine Series pairings at Cafe Centro include:
JULY 30 | LANSON CHAMPAGNE PAIRING | $25.00
back by popular demand! all 3 pairings are included in the price
BLACK LABEL BRUT NV + COMPOSED CRAB SALAD
granny smith apple, hearts of palm, avocado
ROSÉ LABEL BRUT NV + CROQUE MADAME
quail egg, Parisian ham, gruyère
WHITE LABEL SEC + PORTOBELLO-STUFFED MUSHROOM
short rib, fourme d' ambert
AUGUST 6 | RIESLING + SLIDERS | $25.00
1 glass of Riesling + 3 Sliders
FOIE GRAS SLIDERS
truffle honey, Asian pear
AUGUST 13 | ROSÉS + RILLETTES | $25.00
2 glasses of Rosé + Duo of Rillettes
DOMAINE DE CALA PRESTIGE + DUCK RILLETTE
cornichons, whole grain mustard, baguette
DOMAINE DE CALA CLASSIC + CHICKEN RILLETTE
cornichons, whole grain mustard, baguette
We highly recommend experiencing this wonderful wine pairing series. We promise it will make your Mondays anything but mundane. As always, it's always a pleasure to speak directly with the Chef. We loved having the opportunity to praise Executive Chef Christina Towers (pictured above) on the success of the Monday Mariage Wine Series pairings at Cafe Centro.
Please be sure to check back for updates as Cafe Centro announces new menus.
