Archive for September, 2011
Basque Dinner — Tuesday, September 27, 2011
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There are few corners of the globe that Secco hearts harder than the Basque Country bordering France and Spain. First for their food and drink: which serves as a beautiful articulation of the region’s dual citizenship, while simultaneously charting a course all its own. But also for the spirit they bring to their eating and drinking, which is jovial, laid-back and, for lack of a more culturally sensitive word, kinda wacky.
Bottles of cider and Txakoli (the region’s effervescent, signature white wine) are traditionally poured from above one’s head, splashing down into the glass below. Streams of reds and rosé are arched directly into one’s mouth from a porron — a kind of wine-bong that you hold in an outstretched arm. That’s the Basque for you: part Spanish and part French; part mountains and part coast…with a little bit of Gallagher and the Harlem Globetrotters thrown in to keep things interesting.
On Tuesday, September 27th, Secco Wine Bar will host a special dinner celebrating our love for all things Basque. Chef Tim is busy prepping four courses of authentic fare, Julia has compiled wines to pair with it, and our friend Jeff Latchum from Williams Corner Wine will be on hand to assist with some of pouring pyrotechnics. Menu and reservation info below…
Course One (Pintxos)
Guindilla pepper, olive and anchovy gilda
Ham and Idiazabal croquette
Hard boiled egg, shrimp and saffron mayo
Isastegi Sagardo Naturala (dry sparkling cider)
Course Two
Cod cheeks in garlic sauce
Uriondo Txakoli Bizkaiko (Spanish Basque white)
Course Three
Rabbit Terrine wrapped in ham and stuffed with soaked prunes
Ameztia Irouleguey (French Basque Rose)
Course Four (Cheese Plate)
Abbaye de Bel’loc (semi soft, slightly sweet-salty sheeps milk made by Benedictine monks)
Vallee d’Aspe (creamy, supple raw goats milk with hints of cured meats)
Bleu des Basques (rich, mushroomy, fruity, smoky, bacony, ridiculously compelling sheeps milk blue)
Gorrondona Txakolina Tinto (200 year old vine red)
coffee or tea
Tickets are $50 per person including pairings (plus tax & gratuity). 6:30 reception, 7:00 dinner. Reservations must be guaranteed with a credit card (you will not be charged unless cancelled less than 24 hours before event). Vegetarian option available upon request (veggie menu available 9/14) at time of reservation. Off street parking available off Sheppard behind Luxor Vintage. Please email with questions or to reserve info@seccowinebar.com. See you there!
We look pretty good, even when you’re not drinking.
Posted by: | CommentsSecco may be your go-to spot for wining and dining, but what about for a 45-minute lunch break?
Truth be told, LUNCH at SECCO just may be one of the best kept secrets in Richmond, and undoubtedly one of its best values. For little more than the cost of a gas station hoagie, you can score an amazing sandwich made with REAL artisanal ingredients (like Billy Bread, naturally raised meats, local veggies and farmstead cheeses) all served with fried chickpeas and a mixed field greens salad.
Wanna see something hilarious???
This is a six-inch sub from a “restaurant” which I will not name, as it probably possess enough legal muscle to wipe any record of my existence clean off the face of the Earth. It features compressed meat-like products hailing from an unknown origin (trust me, you don’t want to know), “White American” cheese (reverse racism?) and wilted, industrially produced veggies. It comes with a bag of chips and a soda and costs you $6.75.
This is Secco’s pork panino. It features braised Duroc pork shoulder (naturally and humanely raised, no antibiotics, etc.), fresh goat cheese and a local spicy plum chutney that, when the sandwich is pressed to order, partially oozes through the bread, creating a sweet, caramelized crust. It is served with our signature fried chickpeas and a local field greens salad dressed with a homemade lemon-thyme vinaigrette and costs you …$7.00.
ONE MEASLY QUARTER marks the difference between sad, processed, anonymous food stuffs that harm the environment and pump your body full of preservatives AND a truly satisfying meal made with real ingredients that were raised and prepared by real people who really give a damn. Really!
In addition to sandwiches, Secco’s daytime menu also offers a wide selection of cheese and charcuterie, soups, salads, antipasti, natural sodas, French press coffee, etc. And, of course, should you choose to indulge in a glass of beer or wine with your lunch (you know, like Nick Cage in Leaving Las Vegas…or like EVERY EUROPEAN IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD!!!), we still have plenty of that too.
- Matt
Secco’s stellar lunch menu is available every day, from noon to 4PM.