Melibea in the West Village is a wonderful spot offering contemporary Mediterranean cuisine. Recently, Melibea hosted a wine dinner with Miguel Torres Maczassek of Torres Wines, in which guests were able to try a four course food and wine pairing, along with a meet and greet and wine explanation with Miguel himself!
The night started off with salmon and scallop carpaccio with almond ice cream and tapenade. Served alongside the carpaccio was a deliciously dressed greek sallad; the perfect touch for the first course. Paired with the first course were wines from Pendes, Spain. The 2012 Verdeo, 2011 Gran Vina Sol, and 2011 Vina Esmeralda were the selections guests were served. These wines were gorgeous and very fruit forward. The Verdeo and Esmeralda playfully paired with the salmon and scallops, while the almond ice cream and feta cheese in the salad was striking with the Gran Vina.
The second course was incredible and paired so lovely with the wines. Guests were served risotto with duck confit and pear, as well as ravioloni stuffed with Ricotta, bacon, basil, and egg yolk on top of spinach and brussel sprouts with an almond sauce. Served with this course were red wines from Rioja and consisted of another three wine taste and pairing. The 2010 Ibericos, 2010 Mas Borras, and the 2010 Celeste were fantastic! These wines were bright and luscious, showing their beauty when paired with the duck and ravioloni.
Served as the third course was a lamb tajine over couscous, garbanzo beans, dried plums, yogurt, and barissa sauce. The barissa sauce was slightly spicy but the lamb was so juicy and tender that combined with this sauce and the dried plum sauce, it was heaven on a plate! Paired with this dish were wines from Priorat, Pendes, and Conca de Barbera and they all really complimented this course. These wines did have some heat to them…meaning they were pretty high in alcohol content. The 2010 Salmos, 2006 Grans Muralles, and the 2009 Mas La Plana truly made the flavors in this dish pop with excitement and the full body and high alcohol was the perfect choice.
Last, but not least, the chef served the best, sweet course for dessert! Guests were served citrus panna cotta with candied, fresh clementine, shortbread crumble, and strawberry lime sauce. The pairing with this dish was very interesting because guests were served a Moscatel and Brandy. The Moscatel was sweet and lovely and complimented the sauce and creaminess in the panna cotta. The brandy was a little overbearing for the dessert, but was a fantastic brandy and beautiful on its own.
If you’re in the West Village on Bank Street, certainly stop in to Melibea for dinner. The food, flavors, and atmosphere will have you hooked!
