Dessert
“ an extremely smooth , auburn colored Bavarian lager with a mildly sweet malt finish .” Our Pinot Noir got 91 points from Josh Raynolds of Vinous and is described by the winery as “ Bright red in the glass , with spice-accented aromas of dark berries and cola , a hint of floral vanilla and a black pepper note . Broad and full in the mouth with a blackberry-raspberry and cherry-cola attitude . Long finish with a touch of smoky mocha and velvet tannin .”
Salads and a “ killer good ” Lobster Bisque arrived soon . The salad was a medley of olives , white and black beans , cucumber , tomatoes , iceberg lettuce and mixed greens topped with blue cheese and a choice of dressings . Steve liked that the extras were around the edge , so he could focus on the lettuce and greens . J . Chris and Jennifer agreed that the bisque was “ to die for .”
The main entrees arrived soon thereafter . Steve had the Grilled Pork Chops ( pork with a sweet apple glaze ). Two large chops came on a bed of mashed potatoes . Jennifer and I ordered from the specials menu . She had the Chicken Putenesca ( chicken breast , olives , sun dried tomatoes , capers , marinara ) served with garlic mashed potatoes and fresh vegetables . I got the Petrale Sole ( pan seared sole with a parmesan crust and lemon caper sauce ) served with fingerling potatoes , seasonal vegetables ). J . Chris had the Filet Mignon ( 8oz . aged Angus , center cut , demi-glace ) from the regular menu .
The four meals arrived together , warm and beautifully presented . There was silence at the table for a while as we dug into our entrées . Steve really liked his two large chops and the aromatic sauce . I think he was the only one who cleaned his plate . Jennifer ’ s Putenesca had a very flavorful sauce and a large
piece of chicken . J . Chris ordered her filet medium rare and that it was … cooked to perfection . My Petrale Sole was a huge piece of fish . It was well prepared , flavorful and certainly plentiful .
Portions were large , and we took home three to-go boxes that night . As we were having a very loquacious evening we extended it with dessert . We settled on Vanilla Crème Brulee and Westside Bread Pudding ( warm caramel sauce , salted caramel gelato ). We capped it off with a coffee and a little delicious port .
It was a wonderful night with some great food intertwined with shared stories and adventures . Much to our surprise we were the last diners in the house ! A shout out to the staff at Westside . The food was great , they served us well and the atmosphere was pleasant , as always .
Grilled Pork Chops
Dessert
Vanilla Créme Brulee
Chicken Putenesca
Westside Bread Pudding
GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN APRIL / MAY 2018 gmhtoday . com
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