Sally’s Fish House Wines and Dines

By Michelle Stansbury | March 18, 2019

Sally’s Fish House & Bar set a new bar for wine dinners on March 7th, pairing with DAOU Vineyards for a five-course paired wine dinner. Starting with a sunset toast atop Grand Hyatt San Diego’s private top floor balcony overlooking the San Diego Bay and downtown and concluding in Sally’s Fish House semi-private dining room, the evening offered effortless decadent. DAOU Vineyards Regional Manager, Daniel Brunner, guided us through wine tastings, engaging on dish pairing.

To begin, an Amuse-Bouche of goat cheese mousse, fresh organic strawberries, honey comb, and chelan cherries was served with a cabernet reduction in a martini glass. To compliment the wonderful complex flavors and sunset views was the 2018 DAOU Sauvignon Blanc. The aromatic wine hinted at a Marlborough-style Sauvignon Blanc on the nose with tropical notes, but brought out buttery flavors on the palate.

For the first course, baked Kauai prawns with herb butter sat atop a creamy mascarpone risotto with grilled baby corn, crispy prosciutto, roasted tomato emulsion, and a butternut squash cream sauce. The prawns were paired with the 2017 DAOU Reserve Chardonnay, which is aged 11 months in French new oak barrel.

Next, braised short rib ragu sat atop linguini pasta, served with roasted baby cauliflower, shaved parmigiano reggiano cheese, and microgreens. The hearty dish was paired with the equally robust 2015 DAOU Estate Soul of a Lion, the crowd favorite wine of the evening. In the glass, the wine offers silky tannins along with a complex bouquet of cassis, black currant, licorice, incense, ripe plums, and vanilla.

Next, pork tenderloin prepared sous vide was topped with a sensational blue cheese chive mousse. Accompanying the pork was broccoli puree and a cabernet-infused demi glaze. Paired with this third course was the  2017 DAOU Pessimist Red Blend, named for those that had doubted the winemakers in early days.

For dessert, a sensational chocolate and boysenberry cake was as delicious as it was beautiful. Itakuja chocolate and boysenberry mousse was joined by boysenberry jam, cabernet cassis compote, cocoa dusted French truffle, and salted dark chocolate soil. Dessert was paired with a 2016 DAOU Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon.

The Manchester Grand Hyatt’s next event is the upcoming Over the TOP Sunday on March 31. Capture sparkling Pacific Ocean views from 40 floors up with a glass of bubbly in hand at Top of the Hyatt. The sky-high bar and lounge is hosting their second Over the TOP Sunday with two seatings from 9:30 – 11:30 a.m. and 12 – 2 p.m.

Guests will enjoy endless Chandon and Bloody Marys paired with an unlimited spread of king crab legs, oysters with mignonette, egg benedict with caviar hollandaise, pan seared sea bass with tomato fennel broth and caramelized winter kabocha squash with Swiss shard and shallot, and more. The sweet treats menu features profiteroles, crème brûlée and blueberry tarts for the ultimate brunch finale. Guests can purchase tickets for the 9:30 a.m. slot here and the 12 p.m. slot here.