FLOWER MOUND – This was my third beer-pairing dinner at Local Pint, and again the kitchen and staff proved themselves consistently outstanding. The courses offered this evening did put to rest a nagging suspicion, as the prior two events had largely if not exclusively featured courses only with pork.
Instead, tonight’s meal featured a much more balanced menu, still expertly executed. The housemade pasta stuffed with roasted duck and tagleggio was perfectly toothsome, swimming in a clarified duck broth. The tempura honeynut squash with citrus-poppyseed aioli (my personal fave) was unexpectedly creative, as was the celery sorbet as a palate cleanser. And of course, the cocoa-rubbed short ribs on stone-ground polenta was tender enough to slice with a stern comment.
Tonight’s paired brewery was one of Dallas’ newest, Celestial Beerworks. Owners and brewers Matt and Molly Reynolds were present to host a rather impressive range of beer styles from their freshman brewery, up to and including a custom Berliner weisse mit schuss.
First: House-Made Charcuterie including Chubby Dog lonzino, pork rilettes, salami do modica, pate with fig jam, lardo on fresh sourdough, grilled flatbread. Paired with Newton’s Second Lager.
Second: Tempura honeynut squash, citrus-poppyseed aioli, pepita pesto, petite kale. Paired with Citra Space IPA.
Third: Roasted duck and tagleggio cappelletti, clarified duck brodo, orange-glazed radicchio, petite sorrel and thyme. Paired with Odysseus TIPA.
Intermezzo: Celery sorbet with apple slice.
Fourth: Cocoa-rubbed short rib, polenta integrale, roasted trumpet royale mushrooms, stout-glazed cipollini onions, coffee pan sauce. Paired with Fenrir Stout.
Fifth: Brown butter seared brioche pudding, spiced apple jam, oatmeal and walnut crisp, goat’s milk caramel, vanilla bean gelato. Paired with Berlinerweisse with spiced apple syrup.
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