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| l-r: Cheryl, Barb and Eve |
On March 1, Don and I attended our 3rd and last class for the winter quarter of Dining with the Chefs. On that occasion, Eve Bushman, your intrepid food and wine writer/blogger, was the special guest of the course instructor, Barbara Okronick. The March meeting took place at Tandoori Grill in Valencia.
Tandoori Grill, the interior of which is attractive and comfortable, is a storefront establishment located in a mini-mall at the corner of Valencia Blvd. and Cinema Dr. Ricky, the owner of Tandoori Grill and four other Indian restaurants in the L.A. area, explained that the Valencia site has been in operation for 18 years.
The tasting menu for the evening, served family style, consisted of two appetizers, a soup, and six main dishes, along with a rice pilaf, two types of bread, a variety of condiments, and a “dumpling” for dessert. The restaurant offers traditional Indian cuisine, with an emphasis on chicken, lamb, seafood, vegetarian, and curry dishes. My favorite menu item was the tasty Tandoori Chicken, marinated in yogurt and roasted to a crisp tenderness in a special clay oven. And the freshly-baked nan bread was superb.
Tandoori Grill sells wine and beer, but their corkage fee is only $7. So, Don and I brought Victor Hugo Viognier. Dave and Judie (our good friends and regular dining companions) brought Mano Tinta, a red blend from San Luis Obispo County that was produced by Talley Vineyards as a fundraiser to benefit the Vineyard and Farm Workers of the region. Eve brought Eberle Zinfandel, acquired during her recent trip to Paso. We shared the three wines and agreed that each paired well with the spicy Indian flavors.
Between courses, Eve “worked the room” in her affable, friendly manner to elicit feedback from class participants, both new and veteran, on their Dining with the Chefs experience. Assuredly, she discovered an enthusiastic and loyal bunch of foodies always eager to encounter new dining opportunities in the SCV.
Dining with the Chefs instructor/coordinator Barbara Okronick has announced the following schedule for the spring quarter:
April – Sushiya Bar & Grill
May – Athena’s
June – Thelma’s Cafe
The class meets on select Tuesday evenings at 6:15 p.m. The fee for the three dinners (includes tax and tip) is $80/person. Anyone interested in registering for the class is urged to contact Barbara Okronick at DiningWithBarb@gmail.com
