To call Al's dessert simply a chocolate mousse would be to do it a huge disservice. This masterpiece arrived atop a wooden box, sitting on a bed of green white chocolate with dry ice smoke.
We walked out to the Solera area, perhaps the only one of its kind in California. Wine ages in barrels kissed by the sun, becoming sweet and silky smooth over a period of many years.
The cobbler was topped with a delectably sweet brown sugar streusel and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The panna cotta was feather-light, topped with bits of candied orange and port-poached pears.
A brilliant blue, my first thought was that it was going to be too sweet. The sweet and sour however gave it the just needed balance. It was a great partner to their house made hummus and pita chips with Kalamata olives with an olive oil drizzle.
The kitchen, with its long rustic table, beautifully set with fresh flower centerpieces, invites guests to breakfasts crafted by its talented chefs. Fresh fruit, coffee and freshly squeezed orange juice is followed by a main breakfast entrée. Our Huevos Rancheros, “Ranchers Eggs”, was made with eggs from the vineyard chickens, accompanied by homemade salsa, fresh guacamole and beans.
Wines come from numerous U.S. and international wine regions, representing several varietals. Wines are selected for their quality, using small boutique wineries as much as possible while keep the wines unique, yet affordable for customers.
I was fortunate enough to meet Alex Villicana several years ago on one of my first visits to Paso Robles. What struck me then was that I thoroughly enjoyed every wine on his tasting list. I've returned several times and have loved every wine of his I've tasted.
This man exudes passion. He's "been around the world two or three times" first with the military and then on a culinary adventure. Military food was "horrendous", so he'd often go AWOL with his buddies for good food. He loved to cook pancakes and barbeque for the barracks.