Elysian Beer Dinner with Dirty Oscar's Annex

First I must apologize, this is a long overdue review. Shame on me, I just let my days get away from me. Often words cannot do true justice to a dining experience. But I intend on trying my darnedest to implore you to take a leap and journey to Dirty Oscar's Annex.

The place is truly an enigma. By night you may say that it's riddled with PBR loving hipsters, pool, jukebox jams. While by morning the hungry masses, regardless of age, race, background pile in for (what I believe, as many do) the best breakfast in Tacoma.

And all the while the menu, however you percieve the ambiance and crowd, is an adventure in flavors and pairings that are well worth the visit.

Dirty Oscar's is one of the few Tacoma staples that have regular pairing dinners. A little product sampling and knowledge married to a menu concocted for pairing. This time was Elysian Brewery highlighting some of their specialty brews and Chef Aaron Grissoms dishes not seem on the regular menu.

Here's some of my thoughts.

 

 

 

Confit of Baby Beet and Rainbow Carrot, Duck Prosciutto. Goat Cheese Fondue, Bull's Blook Mircrogreens, with Chioggia Beet Chips, Duck Cracklings and a Rainbow Beet Gelee.

This dish had a lovely presentation with it's colorful bits. The goat cheese fondue had a nice grittiness to it. The beet chips were crisp and the carrots sweet. It was a balanced, delightful dish, almost playful. The Beet Bock Pilsner was earthy and light. It may take a true lover of the root vegetable to appreciate it.

Red Snapper Noodle Nest in Pho Demi. Fresno and Black Basil Caviar with Pickled Yellow and Orange Carrot Salad.

Faux Pho! These "noodles" were in fact made from Red Snapper, yes the fish. There was a lovely zesty undertone from the pickled carrot salad. While the red snapper was amazing. I'd hardly recognize it as fish, it reminded me of Pad Thai noodles. Again Chef Grissom nailed the presentation with colorful beauty. Paired with the Maelstrom Blood Orange Ale, this beer screams of ocean view deck seats. Though I thought both were very good apart, together they fought for who reigned all over my tastebuds.

Smoked Jowl, Habanero Carrot Puree and Carolina Style BBQ Sauce with a Compressed Potato Bread Cracker. Braised Trotter, Celeriac Slaw, Candied Elephant Garlic Chip and Sweet Potato Gratin.

No photo can do this dish justice. The balance from the sweet in the bbq and carrot with the heat from the habanero was a perfect matrimony of flavor. The bread cracker in lieu of a bun was ingenious and added texture that made what could have otherwise been a soggy mess just plain great. Paired with Immortal IPA couldn't have been better. The hops complimented the heat and bbq with utter perfection. I could eat this every week easily. More please.



Red Wine Soaked Lamb Loin. Balsamic Macerated Figs, Parsnip, Lotus Root Puree with Pistachio Dust and Carbonated Grape, Topped with Friend Terragon.

This receives trophy for best of the evening. "DROOL" was the first note taken, I kid you not. The medium rare meaty bit was lovely while everything that accompanied it gave it an earthy, rich, sweet kick. Nom, need I say more? I just can't do it. Add to that the pairing of Dragonstooth Stout, a nicely roated, deep brew and that's game over for me. Baby. making. good.

For dessert Chef Grissom paired four rich, delectable bites with four pumpkin ales. With these he was aiming to create a fluidity going from light to dark. Of all the pumpkin ales the one I enjoyed most was probably the Dark o' the Moon Pumpkin Stout, though the Night Owl Pumpkin Ale had that pumpkin spice to it without being overt and over the top.
Round one and two of our sweet treats included a candied almosnd ginger granola crumble over a vanilla bean gelato with spiced pumpkin caramel. AND  a german choclate frangelico cake with pumpkin and dark chocolate ganache with a vanilla creme anglaise and candied orange peel.

The cake had a nice nutty hint to it while the bittersweet of the chocolate made me daydream of some sweet old grannie baking. The granola was a real treat and added a texture to the gelato that took it up a notch.

The men hard at work plating.



Bay leaf scented white chocolate fudge with an allspice cookie crumble. Coffee ice cream quenelle. Vanilla marshmellow dipped chocolate tuile and salted caramel bacon powder.

I'm not going to lie. By this point I had a pretty good buzz and neglected my notes. Sorry, what can I say. The chocolate fudge was pretty much amazing, rich and creamy. And to stick to his adventurous ways, Grissoms salted caramel bacon powder was a nice surprise. The sweet, salty, smoky powder became a chewy solid texture when rehydrated while chewing. Wowza, what a nice little surprise.






That being said I can say without a doubt that I will be booking my next dining venture with Dirty Oscars Annex early to secure my seat in a culinary adventure. Another Bourbon Dinner awaits me on November 13th. As we have proved several times over, bourbon is the nectar of the goddesses. Or at least for this girl.

Until Next Time.