Peachy Dines Al Fresco at The Morrell Wine Bar and Cafe, a Peachy's Pick Our Coverage Sponsored by Fresh Origins
Roberta Morrell, CEO of the Morrell Wine Group
The sublime Lemon Pepper Crusted Scottish Salmon
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It's not who you know, it's Whom You Know and we couldn't be more pleased to know Roberta Morrell!
Whom You Know is thrilled to kick off our very first 2015 Peachy Dines Al Fresco review with The Morrell Wine Bar and Cafe, a Peachy's Pick and highly recommended! Located in the beautiful Rockefeller center, Morrell Wine Bar and Cafe cannot be missed with its signature red umbrellas:
The Morrell Wine Bar and Cafe was featured earlier this year in Terrific Takeout:
and it earned a spot in Peachy's Picks in 2012:
You can bet that the frequency with which a venue is mentioned is testament to its excellence.
Rockefeller Center is the fourth location of this prestigious wine brand, which began in 1947 by Roberta Morrell's father, a definite pioneer in establishing the business of wine. Roberta joined the family business in 1976; we think she was probably born then too.
As the temperature rises this spring, eating outside is one of Manhattan's finest pleasures. The moment we arrived at The Morrell Wine Bar and Cafe, our friend Roberta Morrell graciously greeted us with a phenomenal selection by Champagne Louis Roederer: Louis Roederer Brut Nature Philippe Stark 2006:
Each month, The Morrell Wine Bar and Cafe will showcase one Champagne house and pour a selection of its prestige cuvees by the glass. This was April:
When Whom You Know began, we named our alcohol column Champagne Wishes for a reason! This fragrant glass of bubbly proved to be welcomingly delightful as well as versatile, and we are confident that the selection for May and months to come will be just as well chosen. The Louis Roederer Brut Nature Philoppe Stark was robust and had clear cut pizzazz on the palate-as to be expected! Peachy tasted notes of peach and pear and this selection had a crisp, clean finish. Of course, it was better to sip with Roberta, who chose a martini. We love how committed The Morrell Wine Bar and Cafe is to classic martini glasses as well as their signature wine glasses (with stems! We prefer stems as opposed to the trendy stemless) with their classic M.
What on earth are you eating, Manhattan, if you are not dining on the Shaved Brussels Sprouts with superlative Applewood Smoked Bacon generously interspersed with the perfect touch of Roasted Garlic? This is one of the best edibles we've eaten, and Peachy's favorite at Roberta's. It's beautifully arranged in glorious pink and green and is highly addictive. If you cannot eat the entire portion, we highly recommend it for breakfast the following morning. The Brussels Sprouts are so creatively sheared and the flavor of the bacon and the garlic are divine complements to the vegetable.
If you are a enthusiast of Chardonnay, you will rejoice in the glory of this one: Chanin Bien Nacido Vineyard Santa Maria, California 2012. It is one of the best Chardonnays in our memory and it has more depth of flavor than most Chardonnays we've tried. It did have buttery notes but also boasted a hint of smokiness and we tasted green apple.
Though we must admit Peachy Deegan's favorite pasta remains the Wild Mushroom Pappardelle at The Morrell Wine Bar and Cafe, it is always fun to try something new and the Spaghetti Carbonara held its own creatively boasting a slow poached organic egg, surryano ham and herb pesto butter, all of which paired nicely with the chardonnay.
Other than champagne, Peachy Deegan loves a strong, robust red and so was thoroughly impressed with a signature Morrell Wine Group choice: Hospices de Beaune Cuvee Gauvin Volnay 1er Cru Santenots 2012. We absolutely adored the dark fruit notes layered throughout and personally tasted raspberry, blackberry and perhaps a bit of lavender. This wine in particular is one of the best we've had in 2015.
The vivid colors of this gorgeous entree presentation are harbingers of the amazing flavors to come! Do meet the Lemon Pepper Crusted Scottish Salmon joined by fingerling potatoes, fresh corn and sweet pepper salsa. This is a prime example of a dish being creative without being experimentally flawed; we like to be interested and entertained in flavors, however, lesser venues can sometimes go overboard. Less is always more. This salmon and its accompaniments achieved a quintessential balance that was just right for Goldilocks Peachy. She liked it so much, the three bears would not have a chance at a bite.
As you dine, the sun goes down and Rockefeller lights up! It's an experience of a lifetime to someone visiting Manhattan, but it could be a regular occurrence if you have the fine taste to frequent this venue during the short summer months of Manhattan! They thoughtfully pair each dessert appropriately, and we were impressed with another strong red: Vineyard 29 "Cru" Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley, California 2011.
And the Sticky Toffee Pudding? It remains another of our favorites! Topped off with a Jack Daniels brown butter glaze and whipped cream, this lovely dessert inspired by the mother country is the perfect finish.
Our esteemed panelist adds:
Located in fantastic Rockefeller Center, you can’t miss Morrell Wine Bar & Café… with its bright red umbrellas, you can’t miss seeing it, and with its expansive wine list and delicious food, it’s not to be missed!
I absolutely CANNOT pass up a tuna tartar, so Morrell’s Duo of Tartars jumped right out at me from their appetizer menu. The “duo” consists of sushi grade tuna with soy emulsion and Scottish salmon with black truffle emulsion and was simply amazing. It’s often hard to do the simple things well, and bring out the fresh, natural flavor of amazing ingredients by highlighting them just the right amount. Both types of fish were incredibly fresh and flavorful, with the emulsions as the perfect complement!
With my duo of tartars, I enjoyed a glass of Champagne Louis Roederer Brut Nature Philoppe Stark 2006. This delicious champagne was a superb start to the evening as well as an excellent accompaniment to the fish tartar. It was dry and light, but flavorful!
I enjoyed the wild mushroom pappardelle, with truffle essence and Parmesan cheese for my pasta course. The pasta was fresh and cooked just right, and the sauce was creamy and light mushroom flavor. The mushrooms on top were tender and delicious.
I got to enjoy a glass of delicious chardonnay from Chanin’s Bien Nacido Vineyard in Santa Maria, California. This wine was definitely a Chardonnay, as could be identified by the oakiness, but it was a light flavor of oak, not overpowering oak as you get in some chardonnays. It was light, with a little bit of fruitiness on top of the oak, and a clean finish.
Chicken isn’t typically something I’m drawn to while eating out; it tends to sound so… ordinary. Morrell’s herb roasted baby chicken is anything but ordinary! It is served on a bed of wilted spinach an accompanied by sweet baby carrots. The chicken itself was moist and zesty… not over-seasoned, but just enough to highlight the delicious flavor of the chicken and give it a fabulous kick!
With my dinner, I had a glass of Hospices de Beaune Cuvee Gauvain Volnay 1er Cru Santenots 2012. I’m an absolute sucker for a nice red and this did not disappoint. This was fruity and light, but with a well-rounded, smooth flavor. It paired deliciously with my chicken!
For dessert, I got to sample their chocolate truffles. These aren’t just any chocolate truffles; they’re infused with Grand Marnier and Frangelico! The truffles were dense and rich, and absolutely amazing! They had a touch of spice to them – it might have been cinnamon – that gave them an extra touch of flavor to finish off. I can’t wait to have more!
With my dessert, I enjoyed the Casa Martelletti Brachetto d’Acqui, a sparkling rose dessert wine. It might be the perfect dessert wine. It was the perfect balance of sweetness and effervescence, tasting amazing with my dense chocolate truffles, and was a fantastic ending to my meal! As a bonus, at only 6.5% alcohol, you can enjoy several glasses as you finish off your meal and savor your evening!
Peachy Deegan and Roberta Morrell
The Morrell Wine Bar and Cafe is one of the Best Places in Manhattan to Dine Al Fresco!
This is their first Peachy Dines Al Fresco review.
