Purveyor in the East Village will offer Spanish seafood and chicken thigh paella during Winter Wine and Dine Week.
Writer: Karla Walsh
Be it due to budgetary resolutions, diet challenges or hiding out from the cold, the six-week span between the new year and Valentine’s Day is a notoriously quiet one for restaurants. Natasha Sayles, executive director of Winefest, and 11 restaurateurs are on a mission to inspire you to step out and dig in. As part of Winter Wine & Dine Week Jan. 22-28, chefs from the East Village, Ingersoll Avenue, Ankeny, Sherman Hill and beyond are offering creative, seasonal prix-fixe menus to draw us in. Each restaurant will offer optional—but highly recommended—wine pairings for each of their three or four courses.
“All of the participating restaurants have been an integral part of Winefest in 2022. We love uplifting our partners that support us all year in so many ways,” Sayles says, explaining the inspiration for this first-time event.
Of course, diners win too. “I hope people book a table at a restaurant that they haven’t tried before, or experience something different at a familiar favorite,” Sayles says. “The restaurants have done an outstanding job of creating unique dishes, and the wine pairings will be a delightful complement.”
I’ve already reserved my spot to dine at Mulberry Street Tavern; the tikka sauce-topped salmon with Grenache Blanc-based Central Coast white wine blend sounds too stellar to skip. Peruse all the menus and learn more on the Winefest website. Then check out more combos that caught my eye:
503 Cocktail Lab and Tasting Room: In an entree duo that would make Julia Child proud, this new-in-2022 East Village gem is offering Beaujolais with Beef Bourguignon. The meat is braised in red wine and served with roasted vegetables, mashed Yukon potatoes, plus pickled onions and herbs to balance the richness.
Bubba: At this downtown Southern restaurant, cozy up to a bowl of cornmeal gnocchi with smoked ham shank and black-eyed pea ragu alongside a barrel-aged California red blend.
Purveyor: Pretend like you’re dining in the Mediterranean at this East Village provisions shop and wine bar. After sharing charcuterie and before a spread of creations from Nik Pugmire of Doré Bakery, split a platter of Spanish seafood and chicken thigh paella, which is becoming a signature special at Purveyor. Enjoy it all with your choice of their house red, white or rosé.
