Toasted in Tampa

Seven glasses of wine, full stomachs, and almost three hours after arrival, Frank and I departed Toasted Pheasant Bistro on (far) North Dale Mabry. The special wine dinner was one of the restaurant's monthly events and the first we have attended. The chef prepared a five course meal with a different wine selected for each course. We arrived a little early, so we had our first glass of wine at the bar; not included in the fixed price menu. The first "official" glass was on the outside patio followed by the dinner and wine inside. The menu is included, just click on the menu to enlarge. The meal was proceeded by an overview of the menu by the chef and a discussion of the wines by the wine merchant.

My favorites: 

White: Remy Pannier Vouvray - light refreshing with just a hint of sweetness - it was a nice aperitif.

Red: Stormhoek Pinotage from South Africa - a medium bodied fruity wine which paired nicely with the Petite Osso Buco.

Food: All good, but the Petite Osso Buco was my favorite. It was fall-off-the-bone tender, served in a nice light broth over a small bed of mashed potatoes and carrots. The chef, during his introduction of the menu, encouraged us to toss our manners away and pick up the osso buco and eat it with our fingers. 

This was a lovely evening, with good food, good wine and good service. I will return to Toasted Pheasant Bistro. 

... and we both made it back safely to our respective residences.