Fire celebrates Cinco de Mayo with wine

Fire celebrates Cinco de Mayo with wine

By Deborah Wheeler

debbie_wheeler@link.freedom.com

Restaurant Fire owner Brenda Darr chose Cinco de Mayo for the restaurant's first wine dinner and Robert Hall Winery, a small award-winning winery based in Paso Robles, as the guest winery.

Darr set the mood for the dinner by greeting guests with blood orange margaritas on arrival before being seated around a large table in the bar.

Fire's Executive Chef Carl Schaubhut continued the Mexican theme with a five-course menu of grouper ceviche, smoked scallops, blue corn sopapilla, stuffed quail, beef tip chile relleno, and annatto rubbed pork tenderloin, finished off by a Mexican chocolate ice cream in a cinnamon dusted tortilla.

Schaubhut worked with Transatlantic Wine and Spirits distributor's Michael McIntosh for the perfect pairing of food and drink for each course. The sampling of wines ran the gamut from a 2007 Sauvignon Blanc to start to finish with a 2005 vintage Port.

Robert Hall representative Crystal Ruiz was on hand to describe each wine in detail.

Fire's General Manager, Mario McNally, said the Cinco de Mayo wine dinner is the first for the restaurant since coming to Grayton Beach, but more will follow.

The restaurant moved to South Walton from New Orleans in 2007 after suffering from New Orleans' sagging post-Katrina economy. Darr, who has been in the restaurant business for 30 years, brought nine of her loyal restaurant help with her to South Walton. Schubart and McNally are two of those.

Fire is located at 55 Clayton Lane in Grayton Beach, one block north of County Road 30A, off CR 283.

A la carte brunch is served on Sundays from 10:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. Prices range from $10 - $17.

Lunch is served Monday - Friday from 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., ranging from $6 - $15.

Dinner is served from 5:30 - 10 p.m. Monday - Saturday. Entrees range from $21 - $36.

Wine Down Wednesday wine tastings are weekly from 5:30 - 7 p.m., at a cost of $10. Select cheeses accompany four featured wines and a special tapas menu is available.

For more information visit www.restaurantfire.com.