It’s hard to believe that Manager Billy and Chef Andy Phillips aka Chef Dizzle of Searsucker Del Mar along with Ed Adams aka ‘dirt’ (pictured second picture down with Chef Marian), and a room full of people were part of a wonderful night out tonight! And I must say, it looked effortless ~ the sign of something done well!
Now, you ask yourself… Self?
Who or what is ‘dirt’?
Well, ‘dirt’ is a movie star.
He is.
He has been in more movies than I can mention here…
mostly westerns like Gunsmoke and the like and just to prove what I’m sayin’ is true?
Here’s a shot of ‘dirt’ on horseback! Right out of the old west! Ride ’em cowboy! lol
WE’RE NOT TALKIN’ DIRT HERE CHEF! WE’RE TALKIN’ FOOD!
The food was incredibly good…. Beef tartare paired with Bulleit Bourbon (6-7 years old), straight Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey, Cajun Chicken Poor Boy paired with Dickel Rye, Pan Roasted Ono paired with Bushmills 10, Smoked Port Butt, paired with Lagavulin 16 and for dessert? Crown Black Forest, which is a Chocolate/bourbon steeped cherry with chocolate shavings and chantilly.
These whiskeys we tasted are from Scotland, Ireland, Canada, Kentucky and Tennessee.
I learned a few things tonight:
First, that you keep the whiskey on your tongue for a second for each year aged. The longer aged? The longer you ‘chew’ on it, until you swallow. Interesting. Sort of like fluttering your tongue with Red Wine to aerate it.
But different.
And unlike wine?
You shouldn’t ‘blend’ your leftovers.
Don’t blend one whiskey with another. It doesn’t work, according to the experts.
Did you know this? When a whiskey has rye? It’s going to be drier… spicier.
Barley changes enzymes to natural sugars… all on its’ own.
Do you know that all whiskey, at first was made from corn? Later, someone brilliant, (according to Ed), came up with the concept of using rye? That’s some of the difference in whiskeys because a whiskey with rye is a dryer experience. And what did Canada do? Blend everything in a way to give you the smoothest experience possible.
And?
YES CHEF?
If you want to have a wonderful, crisp, fun drink? Try a BLT.
WHAT CHEF?
A BLT. Bullet Bourbon, Lemon and Tonic. It’s an amazing drink.
Julie Otto, one of the women at my table tonight, provides us some of the wonderful pictures she took (after my camera died) and had this to say about tonights’ dinner: “Fabulous food and whisky tasting by Chef Andy “dizzle” Philips. OMG, the smoked pork butt was to die for and I just found out it’s on the menu. What a fun night out with friends and meeting Chef Marian. Outstanding company will for sure do it again!!!”.
Outstanding. Will for sure, do it again. Well that’s how I feel too. Chef Dizzle is a ROCK STAR! He spent so much time with us explaining how he created each dish. And can you imagine making sure each dish makes sense with whiskey? Taking cherries and steeping them in Bourbon as part of your dessert? Infusing lentils with Bourbon? And the best part? This crazy rockin’ good smoked pork butt? It’s on the menu right now! Amen! It was crazy good… one of the best parts of any meal I have ‘ever’ had.
THAT’S A PRETTY BIG COMPLIMENT, CHEF MARIAN!
Yes. Yes it is. And I guess that’s my recommendation for the next time you’re at Searsucker, Del Mar! But you’d better go soon. Who knows how long that Pork Butt will be on the menu!
I am always amazed at how great the staff and management is at Searsucker Del Mar. Manager Billy spent his time talking to us about the restaurant and Ed Adams talked before each course, explaining the history of Whiskey and teaching you what to expect out of each brand.
Did I mention Amber? Great waitress. We had that fabulous pork butt. And who brought out some ‘jus’ on the side, without asking? That would be Amber. And that’s the experience I have had continuously with the ‘wait’ staff at Searsucker, Del Mar. They go beyond what you expect to give you the best experience possible. And it all starts from the top down. Brian Malarkey and Andy, his ‘star’ Chef!
So bravo! Searsucker! Bravo for hiring Chef Dizzle! Bravo for having great management like Billy! Bravo for waitresses like Kailee and Amber. All Rock Stars in my world!
Ya think that San Diego Foodies on Meetup.com should have an event there? You bet!
Happy Eating,
Chef Marian