I love date nights.
Especially around the holidays. Everything feels a little bit more festive! Last night, we arranged a car and headed into Salt Lake to one of our favorite old neighborhood haunts: The Wild Grape.
One thing we’ve missed since moving up the hill is a good place to eat, right in the ‘hood. We used to belly up at The Wild Grape bar once a week, chatting with the bartenders who turned into good friends, watching the game and enjoying a yummy burger or pasta. So when we learned that the Grape was hosting a wine dinner featuring Orin Swift wines, we knew we wanted in!
We sipped on a mulled wine cocktail (delish) and read over the menu for the evening. Halibut cheeks, duck, elk bourguignon, charcuterie, chocolate mousse…all paired with some of our favorite wines. This was going to be a GOOD DATE.
From start to finish, everything was delectable. I even loved the frisee salad, munching up the weed-like greens that I’d normally pick around. The duck was served with incredible pesto/mint mashed potatoes. But the winner of the evening had to be the elk stew over handmade pasta- out of this world!
A special treat was a glass of Orin Swift’s Mercury Head, a big red blend. The Wild Grape offered a limited pour and proceeds went to the Utah Food Bank. So tasty.
We ate a lot. We drank too much. By the time we scraped the last scrumptious spoonful of chocolate mousse off of the plate, we were ready to wave goodbye to our friends and head back up the hill.
Rich food and big wines made for a sluggish Monday, but it was worth it. We have a busy week full of holiday cheer, and our fun night at the Grape was the perfect way to kick it off!
And I really do love date nights.
the usual bliss 
Sounds like my kind of night! Everything looks absolutely delicious. I’m just about to head out for my own – much more casual but still oh so necessary – date night 🙂 PS…have I mentioned how amazing those bangs look on you?!
I hope you had a fabulous date night! And thank you for the compliment!
Hard to lick the plate in public, right – love the last photo – ha! Thanks for sharing – Happy Tuesday:)
I wanted to lick that plate! I almost did!
ah, date night–I barely remember
I take pictures so that someday when I barely remember, I can be reminded… 🙂
good idea
I LOVE Orin Swift wines!!! The Prisoner is my absolute favorite. How was Palermo??
So good! They all were good. There was a huge blend called the D66 that you should pick up, too! Miss you!
I’ve had D66! I bought it for myself when I moved into my awful basement apartment last year as a pick-me-up. Delish!!! Miss you too, lady!!
Guest room in PC whenever football season is over- 🙂
Sounds AMAZING!!! I can’t wait for our next date night.
I have a feeling I’ll appreciate them even more when I have a couple of little sweet rug rats!
Ha. I have a feeling that you will, too. “Sweet” rug rats have a funny way of making wine taste even BETTER!
I enjoy how you added “quotes” around “sweet.”