A Generous Pour Awaits You at Capital Grille
Capital Grille has crafted a special summer list of nine world-class wines that you can try with dinner for only $25. Paired with superb service in the Capital Grille’s luxurious, private club-like setting, it’s a fabulous deal. Savor a generous pour of a $180-a-bottle Freemark Abbey Cabernet Sauvignon 2003, the exclusive Spanish red Tarima Hills Monastrell and still have seven other wines to enjoy!
Proprietor Peter Lopez has put together a fun and education experience as you sample top quality red wines with your Kona dry-aged sirloin. Compare the way cedar-planked salmon plays with a white and a red. It’s fun to compare and contrast the wines as you try them with appetizer, entrée and dessert.
Start with the French Marquis de la Tour sparkling white. Contrast the buttery oaked Chateau St. Jean Chardonnay with the refreshing acidity of the non-oaked La Cana Albarino. Then balance Byron Pinot Noir with a Chalk Hill Cabernet Sauvignon. Through September 4. 254-0640, 9005 Mercato Drive., Naples.thecapitalgrille.com
Inca’s Kitchen—Gourmet Cuisine at Wallet-Friendly Prices
Diners, beat a path to Chef Rafael Rottiers’s Inca’s Kitchen. A unique mix of Asian, French, Spanish and other styles, this Peruvian cuisine features special peppers, seafood and vegetables flown in for authentic taste. Seafood lovers flip for the rich purple Peruvian Moro crab bouillabaisse, rich and sassy with bold Peruvian yellow, red and purple peppers and spices.
Mussels and scallops a la chalaca is a ceviche delight, with finely diced seafood and peppers served on porcelain spoons. Swordfish anticuchos’ skewered grilled fish gets two unique dipping sauces, each in a lovely goblet.
Tiradito Nikkei is a Japanese fusion dish, with wahoo “cooked” in soy sauce with mirin, garlic and sesame oil. Peruvian steak is unique, served with a spicing that has you coming back for more. Even in the summer, reservations are a must. 352-3200, 11985 Collier Blvd. Suite 9 Naples. incaskitchen.com
Cooking Classes- Close and Personal At Roy’s
Roy’s Downtown Naples at 10:30 am on the second Tuesday of each month is the place to be for Executive Chef John O’Leary’s cooking class. For $39, savor the fruits of his creative talents with red and white wines. Take home Roy’s top recipes to wow your friends and family with the rich taste of your cooking. I enjoyed my “stone fruit” class with six other students, seeing how easy it is to make peach bread pudding, plum soup, flatbreads, chutneys, French toast, caramelized fruits, and a knockout roasted pork tenderloin. Upcoming classes: August 11, BBQ 101; Sept. 13, The World of Mushrooms Uncovered; Oct. 13, Oktoberfest, Cooking with Beer; and Nov. 8, Thanksgiving.
Is a weekend dinner class better? On Sunday, a $55 six-course cooking dinner offers little neck clams chorizo, grilled Szechuan spiced pork ribs, roasted macadamia nut crusted Mahi Mahi, and tamari and garlic grilled flat iron steak.
Call for reservations. 261-1416, 475 Bayfront Place, Naples. roysrestaurant.com
Let’s broaden our choices of great Southwest Florida restaurants together. Post your hints and experiences below or e-mail me at Diningscene@live.com