Journey's Restaurant, Longwood, Florida

Monday night (10/22/07), we had dinner at Journey's Restaurant. We have eaten here before and had always enjoyed it in varying degrees. However this Monday night was special because Journey's Restaurant was celebrating its 4th birthday.

Brahm and Geraldine Fowler (the proprietors)are always awesome hosts and this was no exemption. They prepared a feast based on their best entrees of the last 4 years and they paired each course with an appropriate wine to enhance the dining experience. It was excellent.

The evening started with hors d'oeuvres and wine in the patio. They served Escargot stuffed mushroom caps (good); Flank steak on a Pastry shell (great - our favorite); Smoked Salmon with dill cream cheese on toast points (good);and the Ahi Tuna Bruschetta (good) These were served with a delicious Spring Mountain Chardonnay.

During this prefunction gathering, we observed the chef, Jeff, come outside to smoke a couple of quick cigarrets. We felt bad for him because from what we were hearing that was the last thing he needed from all of his coughing and hacking. At least he wasn't smoking inside.

At about 8:00 PM they opened the dining room and all guests were allowed to take their places. This was going to be a 6-course meal that we were sure, we would not soon forget. We were right.

The meal started with a South African Lobster Tail Salad with bib lettuce, mandarin-caviar vinaigrette and a honey and champagne foam. It was wonderful. The best lobster I have ever had; very sweet and delicate; excellent.
This was served with a glass of Rieffel Champagne Brut. Perfect combination.

The second course was the Oven Roasted Quail stuffed with a brunoise* of vegetables and basmati rice, finished with a South African Peri Peri butter sauce. The quail was delicious. The vegetables were great. (*By the way, brunoise is just the way the vegetables were cut. First julienned then turned 90 degrees and diced again, producing tiny cubes of vegetables)
The quail was served with a glass of Chehalem Pinot Gris, from the Willamette Valley. It was excellent wine.

Next came the Roulade of Dover Sole with a tarragon scallop mousse finished with Normandie Creme Sauce, Parisienne of vegetables and black truffle shavings. (which they forgot to put on this dish and were then added to the next course).
The fish was great. Incredible flavors. The sole was served with a glass of the Ramey Chardonnay, Russian River. Another excellent pairing.

The fourth course was the Duck Three Ways. (and yes we thought the same thing)
This included Pan Roasted Moulard Duck Breast, (the best tasting duck of the 4 usual varieties Muscovey, Mallard, Peking and Moulard), Seared Foie Gras and Pulled Duck leg Confit, served with Truffle and chive potato puree, haricots verts (very small green beans) and a poached fig reduction sauce. All three duck preparations were excellent. This was accompanied by a glass of Paul Hobbs Pinot Noir, Russian River. Awesome.

The beef course was the Bison Tenderloin dusted with shitake mushrooms and juniper berries, served with potato au gratin, black and Gooseberry demiglaze and oven roasted beets. Delicious beef. This was served with a glass of Amicus Cabernet Sauvignon. Terrific paring.

Lastly was the desert and cheese course. We had Pecan Pie which was very good, and a combination of cheeses that were delicious. This was served with a glass of Smith Woodhouse 1986 Colheito Tawney. This was a sweet desert wine that was excellent with the pie.

The meal was excellent from A to Z. All of the food and all of the wines were perfectly paired.

The table that we selected to sit ended up being the most fun table for the night. Three of the guys we sat with are in the wine business. One of them works for a winery in California, and another works for Del Frisco's as their executive wine purchasing agent.
They went to their cars and brought in additional wines that we tasted that evening. Two memorable one were the South African Kaaunansgat Chardonnay 2004 and the Moniz Cabernet Sauvignon 2003. Two very delicious wines. I am glad we left early, (it was past 11 PM) because I hear they stayed and had a bottle of brandy and some Cubans after we were gone. (cigars people)lol

The evening was a lot of fun. Good food, good wines and a fun environment.
Ken and Len give Journeys Restaurant's 4th Anniversary Dinner Extravanganza 4.5-Forks