Double (or Hextuple) or Nothing – Chef Frank Magana and Picazo7Seventeen

by on Jul 17, 2010

The Lower Yakima Valley has its fair share of  fast food restaurants, mom and pop style cafes and burger and pizza joints, and even a few ethnic restaurants, Mexican, Chinese, Sushi, and Italian.  But, without a doubt ,the restaurant that has made the biggest splash over the past year or so, and whose chef has become the Iron Chef champion of the Lower Yak, is Picazo7Seventeen in Prosser and Chef Frank Magana.

 

Barb and I eat out fairly infrequently but we do attend quite a few wine events in and around Prosser (in case you hadn’t noticed from reading this blog) and with the WBC’10 pre and post events found ourselves again last weekend on Red Mountain and in Prossers Vintner’s Village (new website!).

When you run into the same caterer and chef two times it’s a coincidence; three or four times is a trend. When you run into the same chef SIX times within a three week period, only once in his actual restaurant, you’re either a stalker or you know that guy is the one people want to hire, and the one whose food brings in the crowds. Before this slug of events, most of our encounters with Frank and his food have been by chance and even when we knew he was catering, his presence didn’t necessarily influence our decision to attend. We’d even been to Picazo7Seventeen (hard name to type BTW, but for some reason my spellchecker likes it) a few times, and while the food has always been good, I wasn’t quite catching on to what all the raves I’d been reading were about.

Well, my opinion has changed, and I’m now a true believer in the culinary talents of Frank Magana. For one thing, his menus as a caterer are always varied. You may see a few of his specialties more than once, his chorizo stuffed shrimp is worth the drive from anywhere, but generally the freshest ingredients are used to make a fusion of appetizers that compliment each other well, and always compliment the wines being served. Since we go to these events to taste the wine, while the food is important, the wine is normally our main focus.

Our first recent encounter was at Milbrandt‘s 2nd Anniversary Party, Frank made a nuts, cheeses, and olive platter, shrimp ceviche, quinoa salad, and grilled fresh asparagus. A dessert was there too but I was too busy snarfing shrimp to sample dessert that day. My dad is a very religious man, and since my first trip to Calabash, NC as a small child, he always told me it is a sin to leave shrimp on a platter. My father, I have not sinned.

Encounter number two was by chance. Barb and I went to Col Solare for their Saturday Sole to get a pre-WBC look at the Shining Hill winery on Red Mountain. There, the appetizers served were again prepared from a menu Chef Frank had prepared, and this time a light salad with grilled veggies, and a plate of thinly sliced buffalo meat served with grilled bread that literally melted in our mouth. These appetizers and the wine tastings at Col Solare were very spendy and the funkiest part of the trip was that we weren’t allowed to tip the servers who did a fabulous job making us feel welcome.

The next couple of meals from Frank we knew about ahead of time and were associated with the Pre- and Post- WBC’10 tours to Yakima Valley and Red Mountain. Frank and his crew were on-site at Milbrandt again for the pre-WBC Buster bus tour. His menu that night included the chorizo stuffed shrimp, calamari, chorizo stuffed shrimp, mini-crab cakes, chorizo stuffed shrimp, BBQ short ribs, chorizo stuffed shrimp, and chorizo stuffed shrimp. I apologize now to anyone else there who may not have gotten to try one of the appetizers, but I was just trying to do what my father told me.

The post-WBC meal at Terra Blanca on Red Mountain was quite Frank(sic)ly off the charts. We, along with the other 40 or so attendees, had been wined and dined for three or four straight days, some even longer, with delicious wines, rich foods, and amazing company.  I saw Frank working the grill during the pre-meal wine tasting and re-introduced myself and told him I was looking forward to dinner. He was grilling skewers of veggies and chunks of steak, so I knew that was on the menu. After being seated, the platters started coming, salad course, then the grilled veggies, then a huge platter of sausages; then the grilled “steak”. Almost full! Then a huge platter of scrumptious BBQ ribs. WOW, I’ll even say it backwards, WOW.

We’d paid a fee for the WBC post-conference tour on Red Mountain but we covered our cost and then some with just this meal. The dessert was another treat with fresh cherries and blueberries incorporated somehow. I’m still in a slight stupor from that whole night. I do remember Frank letting us know (after the meal was eaten) that the sausages had been made with wild boar, the “steak” was actually ostriche meat, and the ribs, while boring pig, were covered with a Chukar Cherry BBQ glaze, found at fine stores everywhere, along with their Factory Outlet Store in Prosser.

With this behind us, and Barb and my wine palates scorched beyond recognition, we meekly entered Picazo7Seventeen this past Wednesday. We didn’t see Frank, but our waitress Ashley was very helpful. We ordered the chorizo stuffed shrimp (can you tell I like this shrimp dish?), a small salad to split, and Dungeness crab cakes (again we split).  To ease back onto the wine horse, we ordered the house sangria. On Wednesday Picazo waives the corkage fee since it’s “industry” night and we even had some wine in our car, but we needed something light to ease back in. The white sangria did the trick. Filled with pineapple, peaches, and fresh blueberries, this cocktail was very refreshing. What’s in it besides the fruit? After checking, Ashley reported Pacific Rim Late Harvest Riesling, some prosecco, and a splash of Cointreau.

The sangria disappeared as fast as the shrimp, so I tested my legs on the house red with the crab cakes. Vino Roja, a special blend was listed as being from Horse Heaven Hills. After tasting, and loving, the first few sips, I offered some to Barb and made her a bet. If I could guess the grapes in the glass and the winemaker, she would pay for dinner; otherwise I paid. She bit.

Definitely Cabernet Sauvignon base with some Syrah pepper at the back end, and likely Merlot. I suspected an Alexandria Nicole connection (no other glass pours on the summer menu were AN) and pegged Jarrod Boyle as the winemaker. Ashley confirmed the Alexandria Nicole but thought it was Quarry Butte. No, both Barb and I tasted Syrah, and we knew QB was Syrah-free. After checking, she came back with the good news, it was/is a Cab/Merlot/Syrah blend with some Petit Verdot and Malbec for good measure. Barb pulled our her pocketbook.

Feeling my oats, I teased “Double or nothing for the vintage”. I was truly full of it on this, but guessed 2006; Barb plays along with my games most of the time and guessed 2007. This time, after checking, Ashley came back with the sad news… 2007. D’oooh! But I paid and tipped the waitress anyway.

Barb tried to change the rules and say I now owed her TWO meals at Picazo, but since our money is OUR money, it doesn’t really matter anyway. Next time I’ll gladly pay again (even if I’m using Barb’s credit card). Frank popped out to the bar as we were getting ready to leave, so I went over and said hi. I told him we were tired of his food, but did he have any more shrimp?

Finally, on Friday, after a hectic morning of work, I took a breather and went into Desert Wind in Prosser. Their tasting room has a nice grill named Mojave inside and I needed lunch. Low and behold, there was Frank again (that’s where I finally took his picture at the top). Frank is now the executive chef for Mojave at lunch time, his own place at night, and the every other tasting room in the Yak wants him to cater the rest of the time. I asked if he had cloned himself; no all Frank, all one guy. My burger and potato salad lunch was again yummy and the blue cheese twist made the potato salad unlike any I’d ever tried before.

Six meals in three weeks, all fabulous food, but the one thing I love about Frank Magana and his Picazo7Seventeen Restaurant the most… his corkage policy.

The wine menu at Picazo is loaded with Prosser and the Yakima Valley’s finest wines; even still, patrons are invited to bring their own wine. When we’ve stopped previously after being on the wine trail, we’ve taken advantage of this to try a new wine.

For those bringing in wines, the corkage fee is $15 per bottle for Washington wines.

California wine…$25.

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WBC’10 and a Half – The Even More Part

by on Jul 17, 2010

Finally the fog of the last two days of WBC’10 has lifted and I can see straight again.  Wow, that was a wild ride, tremendous amounts of knowledge thrown at our brains, food thrown at our stomaches, and even more wine sipped, splashed, slurped, and sometimes even chugged, past our palates.  It kind of reminded me of my entire last semester of college when I no longer cared and could see the diploma already…hazy.  Except in this case Barb and I did care and hopefully I’ll eventually remember most of the details from underneath the haze. 

 This “action” shot of Barb and me was captured by Andy Perdue of Wine Press NW during one of the intense study sessions.  This one on Wine Blogging 101 led by Catie, the Walla Walla Wine Woman, Joe of Another Wine Blog, and Colby of Wine Peeps was worth the price of admission alone.

 We had more fun meeting bloggers from all over, had a round table late night tasting with some of Washington’s finest bloggers in the Marcus Whitman lobby, and spent the last afternoon and evening seeing Red Mountain for the first time.  In reality, we’ve been on Red Mountain maybe thirty times, but this past Sunday opened my eyes to many things I either never knew nor fully appreciated about La Mont Rouge.

 A few of my highlights from the end days of WBC’10:

 The speed tastings were high pressure sip and spit events with a lot of work for the winemakers and others serving. Those of us on the tasting end got to taste twelve wines in an hour and give first impressions. My twitter tasting notes from the Red Wine Speed Dating Tasting (verbatim):

  •  

     #wbc10 Lot 1. Napa martini cab. Way too hot. Way to expensive

     

  • 5:09 PM Jun 26th via Twitter for BlackBerry®
  •  
  • #wbc10 isenhour bachelor nice cab bright fruit smooth beatiful
  • 5:15 PM Jun 26th via Twitter for BlackBerry®
  • #wbc10 the crusher petit sirah 12 dollars. Worth it maybe
  • 5:19 PM Jun 26th via Twitter for BlackBerry®
  •  
  • #wbc10 Desert wind ruah. Prosser represent. A little weak. Amber is sweet
  • 5:24 PM Jun 26th via Twitter for BlackBerry®
  • #wbc10 duck pond red blend great daily drinker. Pizza wine
  • 5:28 PM Jun 26th via Twitter for BlackBerry®
  •  
  • #wbc10 molly dooker. Velvet glove shiraz. HUGE WINE very hot. But the name fits. 120 dollars maybe worth it
  • 5:34 PM Jun 26th via Twitter for BlackBerry®
  • #wbc10 Trio riot. Great wine. Funky blend. Dick Boushey. Den Hoed. Great YAK vines
  • 5:40 PM Jun 26th via Twitter for BlackBerry®
  • #wbc10 ponzi pinot noir 08. Very nice!Great QPR Great vintage for Williamette
  • 5:46 PM Jun 26th via Twitter for BlackBerry®
  • #wbc10 stoller 07 JV light elegant. Pinot Noir. Another QPR winner at 25 dollars
  • 5:50 PM Jun 26th via Twitter for BlackBerry®
  • #wbc10 stepping stone. Cab franc Napa 08. Very nice. A little weak
  • 5:55 PM Jun 26th via Twitter for BlackBerry®
  • #wbc10 long shadows sequal 07 WOW syrah from boushey walulla
  • 6:02 PM Jun 26th via Twitter for BlackBerry®
  •  
  • #wbc10 @solenaestate. Very nice pinot. 50 dollars. SmooOoooooooth
  • 6:05 PM Jun 26th via Twitter for BlackBerry®

As you can see, with my laser palate I was able to detect the Prosser wines and Yakima Valley grapes immediately.  It also helped that I had tasted Trio Riot, Desert Wind Ruah, and Duck Pond Red previously.  We had also tasted Ponzi wine before and our experience in Willamette this past January told us 2008 will be a special year for that region. The tasting notes that were handed out and speed talking by the winemakers were the final clues.   Of these twelve, my winners were the last two, perhaps explained by the fact I didn’t spit after about #5.

 Other highlights of the weekend included crossing paths again with Dana Dibble of RivenHaven and meeting Robert Smasne, a rockstar winemaker in my book, who makes wine for about 24 different labels; many that I didn’t know about, some that I did.  All good stuff, and his Alma Terra Syrahs made me temporarily consider giving Jon Martinez up for adoption.  There will be more blogging later about Robert.  Either that or a Police report where we’ve been caught inside his production facility in Grandview at 2:00 A.M.

Jon Martinez from Maison Bleue resecured his spot as my adopted son by pouring his Liberte Boushey Syrah at one of the forty or so tasting receptions.  We heard a funny story about Jon from an anonymous source.  Apparently Jon hasn’t really given up his dental tools because this anonymous source had recently shared a bottle of Sine Qua Non Syrah with him that Jon had acquired from a dental patient as barter for payment. 

My re-education on Red Mountain will have to wait for another set of posts.  A particular wine from a new favorite there that we sampled on Sunday evening will be featured very soon.

But first, I’ll let you in on a secret… 

I was selected, along with some other bloggers, to do a pre-release review of Paul Gregutt’s 2nd Edition of Washington Wines and Wineries, The Essential Guide.  The nice man from UC-Berkeley Press gave me a copy after I promised to let go of his briefcase.

Just what I wanted for Christmas.

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Christmas in June

by on Jul 17, 2010

This is Day Two (or Three depending on how you count) of the WBC’10.  Day Zero was the Yakima Valley tour and Yesterday was Day One in Walla Walla.

 My brain is on sensory overload (so this blog may be a little disjointed) and I have been described by Barb as a (really big) kid on Christmas morning.  The presents keep coming for two more days though so there will lots more to absorb. 

So far, my highlights have been meeting some great bloggers and industry folks from all over the U.S. and the world, Argentina, Spain, Australia, South Africa, and Georgia (actually I think they were from the state, not the country).  Barb and I even met a very nice young lady from Tennessee who now lives in New York and works for Rias Baixas Wines, a Spanish wine distributor.  Chandni seemed quite distressed that she now has to wear shoes.

Also a highlight from Thursday was meeting Dick Boushey, Joe Hattrup, Wade Wolfe, and Hugh Shiels for the first time, all top notch wine growers from the Yak.  Matt Rawn from Copeland (and Two Mountain) was there too, and while he grows great fruit too, he’s more like an old friend to us by now.  I’ll take my time writing about those experiences and the wines these other vineyards and wineries have produced in the near future.   Another neat experience was meeting Becky Yeaman (Wade’s wife) of Thurston Wolfe and finding the inspiration for Sweet Rebecca, which by chance we had just drank the prior night as our dessert.  An adorable name for a wine and the namesake was just as nice.  I need to learn more about Wade and Becky and I’ll seek them out this summer after the hubbub has died down a bit.

I’ve traded away most of my Let’s Make a Deal wine and have gotten some great wines from Canada and California in return, with more pledged to be on the way.  I also brought over about a half case of other wines that I’ll barter with over the next couple of days.  Anybody here who wants some, look me up, Twitter @yakyakwine.  What I have left are Syncline Cuvee Elena from the Gorge, Severino Red Wine from the Yak, White Heron Rousanne from Quincy, and Pangaea Cab Sauv from Horse Heaven Hills.  Other than the Syncline, I’d imagine the other wines aren’t available outside Washington and they’re all nice juice and I’m anxious to trade for juice from anywhere.  Even California.

The Walla Walla highlights have been many but my favorite so far is meeting Dana Dibble of Riverhaven Cellars.  Dana is the vineyard owner and grower of some truly nice Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon.  He also grows some other important fruit and I asked him to sign my bottle as Prune Grower.  He happily obliged and we had a really nice conversation about the difference between plums and prunes, which before yesterday I always thought were the same thing.   Funny though, after drinking Dana’s wines, Barb and I both had to make a beeline for the restroom.

 Cleaned out and ready to go, there will be more later from The Walla.  Nah, that doesn’t have the same ring as The Yak.

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An Evening in Vienna

by on Jul 12, 2010

The Seasons

800-453-1888

theseasonsyakima.com

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C’mon Get Happy

by on Jul 9, 2010

Yakima Avenue Tea at Second Street Grill. Photo by Robin Beckett

By Heather Caro

We love a girl who puts a little consideration into her martini.

That’s why, when reader Angela Wentz asked us for help finding the best outdoor happy hours in Yakima, we couldn’t turn her away. She had a serious list of criteria: great service was a must, an outdoor seating area, and, of course, good happy hour specials.  Said Angela, “Everyone knows that if you can get a discount it makes the fare that much better.”

We had our work cut out for us, but to make it easier, we enlisted Angela to help.  And many happy hours of research later, we developed a list of a few sunny spots we think are worthy of even more investigation.

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