Walker S.'s Profile

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• 
  1/18/2009 ROTD 7/16/2009

  Our best friends, Jan and Steve, are down from Montana for the winter.  To celebrate we took them to Terra for Restaurant Week.  I did a quick  My Open Table reservation (http://www.openta... ) and emailed our friends a copy.  
  
  The ladies were on a shopping trip so Steve picked me up and we arrived a few minutes early, just in time for a glass of wine.  We had a few sips of the New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc (Nobilo '08) when the ladies arrived.  Mathew, our waiter, brought two more glasses.  
  http://www.klwine...
  
  New on the wine list at Terra is this fine wine, Chateau St. Jean Fume Blanc, Lyon Vineyard, Alexander Valley.  We tried it and loved it.  Highly recommended.  http://www.chatea...
  
  First Course:  everyone ordered something different:
  Salty peppery Calamari with garlic, green onion and chili flakes:  Steve loved it, Jan and I had a taste, we did too.
  Coconut dusted Crab Cakes, hot mustard:  Jan said they were the best she has ever had; I like my taste too.
  Pumpkin Raviolis, roasted corn cream, toasted hazelnuts:  Dona enjoyed but said the edges were a little tough.
  House arugula, radicchio, gorgonzola cheese, candied pecans, honey walnut:  I loved it, may go again just for this.
  
  Second Course:  Mathew recommended the pork chop for our second course or his favorite the flat iron steak.
  Bone-in Pork Chop caramelized sweet potato, apple-golden raisin chutney:  Excellent and amazing, three of us had it and loved every forkful.  The wedge of sweet potato was fantastic.  Steve substituted the roasted garlic potato mash which he said was delicious.
  
  Chef Jeff Rossman stopped by our table.  We enjoyed talking about shows on the Food Network and if what happened in his kitchen came anywhere near to the TV shows.  Chef Jeff said sometimes it was exactly like TV, everything was in rapid motion to meet the full dining room and their catering orders.  Check out the picture of Chef Jeff I uploaded to Terra.
  
  For Dessert our orders split two and two.  We had two of the Samoa Cheesecake with Dulce de Leche cookie crust cinnamon caramel and two of the Caramelized Apple Bread Pudding with butternut squash ice cream.  Both were excellent.
  
  Restaurant week has been extended but hurry if you want to try these great offerings.

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• 
  6/16/2008

  We avoided the crowds and enjoyed a wonderfully relaxed Sunday brunch for Father's Day.  Terra offers convenient parking, quick seating and first class service.  Mathew, our server, made the occasion very special with that personable prompt attention that every customer so much appreciates.  To start, we shared a half bottle of Frogs Leap 2006 Zinfandel which was released just two months ago.  The blend (87% zin, 10% petit sirah and 3% carignane) offered a light fruity taste of cherries with a lovely color and nose.  We all recommend this terrific Frogs Leap offering.  I enjoyed the special salmon benedict, quintessential brunch food, that was highly recommended by Mathew.  My daughter loved her chicken fruit salad (grilled chicken, organic field greens, dried cranberries, sliced apple, golden raisins, feta cheese, sliced red onion and spiced walnuts served with red wine vinaigrette).  My wife loved the pancakes and applewood smoked bacon but did not like the scrambled eggs (dry and tasteless).  We finished with coffee.  
  
  Terra has some great choices for the $30 per person offerings during the June 22-27 San Diego Restaurant Week.  I'm looking forward to a first course choice of crab cakes, then crispy skin African black perch and, for dessert, the white and dark chocolate mousse cake with strawberry sauce and fresh berries.  
  
  Terra is one of those places you can depend on and return often.

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