Anyone who likes all three is invited to take part in a unique wine pairing dinner at Lobster Bar Sea Grille on Wednesday, August 26, when master sommeliers Andrew McNamara and John Blazon will compete in a battle of the bottles to accompany a six-course pairing meal at the downtown Fort Lauderdale restaurant.
The dinner will feature a dozen wine pairings that will allow guests a rare opportunity to cast their vote for their favorite pairings, all while sampling some of the world's most prestigious wines, says Lobster Sea Grille general manager George Mollas.
Dinner attendees will have no prior knowledge on the food and wine pairings, and no one will know exactly which sommelier chose each wine. Scoring will be based on how well each selection pairs with the food it will be served with. Votes will be tallied at the end of the meal when the throw down winner will be announced.
According to Mollas, the idea to host a sommelier throw down was part of a brainstorming experiment to develop more exciting and engaging events for restaurant guests.
"We really feel this will be a one-of-a-kind dinner experience," Mollas said. "We've all seen chef throw downs, but not with wine. This is going to be a really fun, educational, and an incredibly special evening for all those involved."
Both master sommeliers work with the restaurant's parent company, Buckhead Life Restaurant Group, which operates several establishments in Atlanta, as well as Chops Lobster Bar and City Fish Market in Boca Raton. Blazon represents The Spire Collection and Jackson Family Wine portfolio from Sonoma, Calif., while McNamara works with Miramar-based Premier Beverage Co.'s Charmer-Sunbelt Group.
Even if you're not in it for the glass-versus-glass showdown, wine and seafood lovers take note: The dinner will begin with an impressive seafood reception including oysters, clams, steamed mussels, salmon pastrami, and swordfish belly lardo. The first course will feature salmon roe and steak tartare; the second, lobster and sweetbreads; the third course, monkfish and oxtail; and the fourth course will be broiled ribeye and Alaskan king crab.
Dinner begins at 6:30 p.m. Tickets for the six-course meal are $200 each, and can be purchased by calling the restaurant.
Lobster Bar Sea Grille is located at 450 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale. Call 954-772-2675, or visit lobsterseagrille.com.
Nicole Danna is a food writer covering Broward and Palm Beach counties. To get the latest in food and drink news in South Florida, follow her @SoFloNicole or find her latest food pics on the BPB New Times Food & Drink Instagram.
