DEC. 16, 2016
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T he C oast News - I nland E dition
Food &Wine
The Wine & Food of San Luis Obispo taste of wine frank mangio
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The Curry Noodles at Birdseye Kitchen are now on Lick the Plate columnist David Boylan’s go-to winter comfort food list. Photo by David
Licking the Plate Boylan
at Birdseye Kitchen
piece would be mine. If you are not familiar with Mary and her illustrious career and her art you should definitely check her out. OK, now that I’ve established that it’s a great place to hang out, let’s move on to
the food. Owner and chef Vasama Morris features recipes on that come from her family’s vast repertoire of dishes. It should be noted that they do have a heat scale of one to 10 for most of their dishes. I’ve never ventured over six but I am kind of lame that way among my
heat-seeking friends. On the starter side of things, I could eat the Spring Rolls with veggies, tofu, cilantro, mint and your choice of peanut or plum sauce every day and they are how I start my meal every time I go to Birdseye. I have tried the crispy shrimp and the chicken wings but keep coming back to the light, fresh, perfect prelude to a main course that the Spring Rolls provide. If you are a fan of chopped salads, The Larb Gai, or minced chicken salad will be right up your alley. It contains Mary’s freerange chicken (as do all the chicken dishes) lime, chili,
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irst off, Birdseye Kitchen is a beauty of a restaurant. It’s simple, clean and elegant and located in the heart of Lecuadia on Coast Highway 101. I happen to love that whip trains by on a regular basis and that there is an old-school building supply company across the tracks. The front windows roll up when weather permits, wait, did I just say that? Let’s just say they are open most of the time. The aesthetic of the restaurant fits in nicely with the changing face of Leucadia and let’s face it, that funky vibe is slowing fading yet I would be hard-pressed to find someone who would not agree that Birdseye is a fine looking restaurant. On top of that, they feature local artists and on my last trip in one of my favorites, Mary Fleener was featured. If I had space on my walls, her “Surfin Bird�
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ike no other appellation in this country, the bond with wine and ocean is seamless and collaborative in the San Luis Obispo Wine Country. In my last column I underlined the morning and afternoon fog that sweeps in from many of the pristine beaches that define the central coast. Wineries in the know have chosen Chardonnay and Pinot Noir as their signature varietals. The weather conditions romance these two “Play Misty For Me� grapes. All the wineries in this intimate wine country are no more than five miles from this marine cooling; some are less than one mile. If you are coming up from Southern California to visit, go by Amtrak. It hugs the coast and you will see breathtaking coastal sights that only a train can show you. It drops you off in the middle of San Luis Obispo. Request an Enterprise rental car in advance, since they will pick you up at the station and drop you off when you’re ready to leave. You will need a car to get around to the wineries, restaurants and a resort style hotel overlooking one of the beaches. The Inn at the Cove is a gem overlooking Pismo Beach with private beach access and 180-degree views of the ocean. At least one of the nights in your stay will have to be at the Suite Edna, a converted 1908 farmhouse in the middle of historic Old Edna, an adventurous town site. You’ll also find a gypsy wagon, a sippin’ cellar, bluebelly barn, a bordello and three lovely goats. Pat-
Dave Hickey, winemaker at Laetitia Vineyard and Winery, and Franco Lastreto, Tasting Room supervisor, display two of their latest Pinot Noir releases. Photos by Frank Mangio
tea Torrence if the “mayor� of Old Edna and will be happy to tell you more, by calling (805) 710-3701 or visit oldedna.com. Be sure to stop by the on-site Sextant Winery next to Old Edna. Established in 2004, it has a wide variety of old world wines. These are all-estate wines like Zinfandel, Petite Syrah, Tannat from Spain and,
of course, my favorite, the lovely Pinot Noir. This release was a 2014 at $25 per bottle and well worth it. Dave Hickey knows every square foot of Laetitia Vineyard and Winery in nearby Arroyo Grande, about 10 miles south of San Luis Obispo. He and his son, Eric Hickey, who is president of Laetitia, make the wines that have a decided Rhone, Burgundy
and Bordeaux French fruit approach. “Four hundred forty of our 625 acres are devoted to Pinot Noir and are highland vineyards,� said Hickey. “We release Pinots with more age than most other wineries, so they have a drink-now quality.� TASTE OF WINE featured the Laetitia Reserve TURN TO TASTE OF WINE ON 21
STARTING NOVEMBER 3, 2016
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W I T H A H O L I DAY G I F T S E T 1 presented in a PANDORA gift box
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