Dayton937

Things to do in Dayton | Restaurants, Theatre, Music and More

Lisa Grigsby

Volunteers Still Needed for CityFolk

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I’ll be volunteering all weekend as a Beverage Supervisor and last night we meet and found out we are short about 20 beer pourers, especially for the 7-11pm shifts.  So, why not sign up, hear some great music and meet some fun people!

Here’s the official volunteer info from CityFolk:

Volunteers are the heart of the CITYFOLK Festival. Here’s your chance to pitch in and help make the state’s finest multi-cultural festival a success while having fun and meeting new friends!  Volunteer NOW!

The Cityfolk Festival will run Friday, Saturday and Sunday July 1st, 2nd and 3rd. There are a number of volunteer opportunities being offered.  Please select the date you would like to volunteer and complete the registration form.

Note: You can volunteer for more than one job by clicking the checkbox next to each of your desired jobs/shifts. To volunteer for more than one day, go back to the day selection screen after submitting your entry.   You may also register family and friends by following the same steps. Please use your email as the contact for those registrations. Volunteers must be 21 years and over to serve beer. Other volunteers must be at least 18 or can be age 15 to 17 when they are accompanied by an adult working at the same location.

Kettering’s Newest Restaurant Opens Thursday!

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In a location that has gotten the better of several previous tenants (Barbie’s Bistro was there from June 2008- May 2010, followed shortly by Millie’ Philly Cheesesteaks)  Kent Kumbroch feels confident that Amicis Place will be successful.  “We’ve put together a fun place, done significant upgrades and have a menu that is right for the location.  We want people to eat local and eat fresh,” shared Kumbroch.  He stressed that just about everything that can be made in house is and he sources many of his ingredients locally.

Your chance to check it out begins on Thurs, June 23rd, when the restaurant opens for breakfast  at 7am.  Morning meals will run $6-8.  Lunches, which will feature sandwiches on bread from Belmont Bakery, run about $6.50 and salads for about $8.  Chef Josie describes the menu as casually elegant. Brick oven pizza’s will play a big part on the menu and run $7 -$13 for classics, while specialty pies, with your choice of  traditional white  or multigrain crusts will be in the $9-$18range.

The restaurant has a liquor license and the house specialty is a homemade Limoncello, which can be served frozen or on the rocks.  Sounds like the perfect patio drink, and since the patio is about 1/2 the seating at this quaint place, let’s hope for some good weather for their opening weekend.  And in what sounds kind of weird, the restaurant will not be serving beer or wine, since their liquor license doesn’t include them, at this time.

Kent mentioned that he’s been working since mid-April remodeling the building and feels like he’s created “a nice relaxed place to hang out.”  Once he gets things running smoothly, he has future plans to host a weekend farmers market in the parking lot.

We wish him luck and we’ll check it out soon. If you go, let us know by commenting on the bottom of this post!

1122 E. Dorothy Lane in Kettering.

Hours:

Mon – Thurs: 7:00 am – 11:00 pm
Fri – Sat: 7:00 am – 1:00 am
Sun: 7:00 am – 11:00 pm

Anyone For Some Blue Ball Porter?

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For years Dayton has been known as  a town with an abundance of wine tastings each week and now with the rise in popularity of craft beers, those of us who really enjoy our ales and lagers are starting to have lots of choices, too!  Rumbleseat Wine just sent us an email  telling us they’l be hosting a weekly beer tasting on Wednesday nights from 6-8pm.   According to their newsletter, the event will give you a chance to learn more about beer and pairing it with food.  The sessions will be lead by someone they are calling Beer Guru Charles.  Now I don’t know who this Charles is and I’m not sure what the training is to become a guru, but I look forward to  sharing a brew with him and finding out!

Tonight’s beers include: Goose Islands Sofie–  a Belgian Style farmhouse ale, Goose Island’s Pere Jacques– a fruity malty ale, and two beers from  the Intercourse Brewing Company, which was named after the rural Pennsylvania Amish community of Intercourse, ironically a dry town.  Go ahead giggle here, you know you want to.   You can taste  Blue Ball Porter – a smokey porter with a hint of blueberry and Bareville Pilsner– an American style pilsner.  You can try all four for just $6, and you’ll be able to purchase those you like to take home.
The tastings start tonight, and I’ve got a previous engagement, so will some of my beer buddies check it out and report back  to us all in the comments below, if you go! You’ll find Rumbleseat at 5853 Far Hills Avenue, about a block north of Dorothy Lane Market in Kettering.

Dine Out With Dad and Give Back

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It’s always a treat when El Meson opens up on Sunday for their award winning brunch.  Not only will they be celebrating Father’s Day on June 19th, but diners will have a chance to designate a portion of the cost of their meal to one of 3 local non-profits. “We’ve  always wanted to give back to the community and to the services that make Dayton special and unique. As an independent restaurant, we feel that by supporting the local non-profit treasures we will all benefit says manager Bill Castro.” This will be the 3rd annual Sunday of Giving and this year the Castro family has chosen The Human Race Theatre Company, For Love of Children (FLOC) , & Circles a progam aimed at “ending poverty one family a time” to participate in this Sunday’s Day of Caring.

The buffet will include:

Steak Encebollado – Beef Tenderloin Medallions smothered with tomatoes & Onions
Surtido del Mar – Fish, Shrimp, Scallops, & Crab sautéed with tomato, onion, peppers, &cilantro
Pollo de los Andes- Boneless Chicken with artichoke hearts, sun dried tomatoes, & cheese Fusilli Pasta with Pesto Sauce, Asparagus, Pinenuts, & Parmesan Cheese
Egg & Cheese Omelet       /          Chorizo & Cheese Omelet
Spanish Rice     /  Mahon Cheese Potatoes    /   Torta de Elote (corn cake)
Jamaican Jerk Cabbage Salad   / Salad with Mango Vinaigrette  / Tropical Fruit Salad
Assorted  Banana & Orange Bread / Cranberry Bread w/ butter

Dessert:  Dulce de Leche con Moras-      –  Homemade caramel and blackberries   

Their will also be a special  kids buffet that includes a Burrito Bar: Seasoned Beef , Shredded Chicken, Rice, Beans, Cheese, Salsa, & Tortillas

The buffet will be served from 11am – 2pm and costs $28 per adult. Children 12 and under  are $12, 6 and under  are free.  Of every adult meal purchased $10 will be donated to the non-profit of the customer’s choice. Reservations are suggested and can be made by calling  937-859-8229.

Olive An Urban Dive Sets Opening!

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If you’ve been following the saga of Olive, An Urban Dive,  which owner Kimberly Collett has bloggesd about honestly and openly on facebook,  has finally set an opening date.  And while that date is about 6 months later than predicted, Collett has used that time to create a legion of fans  (close to 1100 at last look) and supporters that have never even tasted their food.  Pretty amazing use of facebook, huh?  And credit Collett with another brilliant business move- she put tickets on sale for a week of preview dinners a couple of months ago and sold out every ticket for a then undetermined date.

local over import, labor over convenience and service over everything else.

And now after building and rebuilding, fighting one zoning issue after another, Dive into Olive week has been set for the last week of June for those who hold those sold out tickets.  The general public will get their first chance to dine at the new eatery for lunch the week of July 5th. The former Wympee diner will seat 30 or so inside and has added a patio in the back for another 15.  Menu’s will include vegan and gluten-free items and their facebook has promised Olive will have nary a can in the kitchen.  They’ve spent the spring sourcing local foods and and making friends, and now we wish them the best of luck as they start feeding all the friends they’ve cultivated!

Tapas Tuesday At Hawthorn Grill

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It’s hard to believe it’s been a year already since Chef/owner Candace Rinke opened the doors of the  Hawthorn Grill on  Stroop Road in Kettering.  Being a restaurateur has been her dream since she won a blue ribbon on the county fair for “Best Drcorated Cake.” She’s come a long way since then, but her flair for decoration is still evident in her plate presentations at the eatery.  During this first year, she’s been trying and adjusting the menu and hours to be responsive to what her guests want.  They currently serve dinner Tues- Thurs from 5-9pm and Fr & Sat from 5-10pm.  On  Friday you can enjoy lunch from 11:30am – 2pm.

This Tuesday will be the debut of Tapas Tuesday at the Grill.   Here’s a sneak peak at the menu:

Traditional Garlic Shrimp
Sautéed Shrimp (3) with Garlic, Parsley and Sherry, 6

Pork Lollipops
Homemade Sausage Kebobs (3) Glazed with Apricot Rosemary Mustard Sauce, 5

Baked Chicken & Comté
Homemade Chicken Confit & Imported Comté Cheese Baked to Golden Brown, Served with Toast Points, 6

Crispy Artichoke Hearts
Hand-Battered Artichoke Hearts (4) served with Skordalia, 5

Marinated Olives
Kalamata and Green Olives Marinated in Garlic, Rosemary & Fennel, Pepperoncini Peppers, 5

And to wash it all down try some homemade Raspberry-Peach Sangria-Red Wine with Hints of Citrus, Peach Slices and Raspberries, Served Over Ice with a Splash of Soda.

If Tapas isn’t your thing, you may want to visit Hawthorn Grill on Thursday, which is all-you-can-eat rib night, served with baked beans and slaw for $16.99

Lion King’s The Ticket To A $20.11 3 Course Meal

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Coco’s Bistro is tempting theater goers to visit  their restaurant for a fantastic pre-show 3 course meal deal.  From June 14 to July 10 they will be offering a Lion King 3 course meal for $20.11.

Start with a house or Caesar salad, then choose from one of their Entree specials:

Beef Filet Skewers
Char-grilled beef filet skewers with BBQ spice, melted bleu cheese, drizzled with a Worcestershire syrup and cabernet reduction and tobacco onions, served with a chived potato cake

Creole Chicken
Cajun grilled chicken breast topped with andouille sausage, sautéed onions, diced tomatoes and melted Monterrey Jack on a bed of roasted tomatillo Spanish rice and finished with a scallion crème fraiche

Crab Crowned Tilapia
Oven-baked Tilapia topped with lump blue crab stuffing, served with sour cream and chive mashed and finished with our zesty scampi butter

Vegan Stir Fry
Variety of stir fried seasonal vegetables and roasted cashews tossed in a spicy orange glaze, served over ginger scallion rice and drizzled with a soy lime syrup. Choice of protein optional.

Finish with a selection of Mousse of the day.

Special wine pairings will be available for $5 a glass.

Just show your ticket or stub for that evenings show to be eligible for these specials.  We highly recommend making reservations early to take advantage of this dining deal.  Call 228-2626 and tell them DaytonDining sent you!

You Drink, They Eat!

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“Hope is the belief that, in spite of present conditions, happiness and good things are soon to come.”

The Wine Loft at the Greene has figured out how to serve up wine and hope at the same time.  As part of a unique new program that donates a percentage of sales with their monthly wine features, the more folks that sample the featured monthly flight of wine, the more money will be donated to The Hope Foundation of Greater Dayton.  The organization helps people with the pitfalls of life. By addressing these problems, they are helping to support the idea that tomorrow can be better than today, which is the essence of hope.

The biggest program the foundation runs is their mobile food pantry. Every week, their truck is packed with food packages for 700 families in need. They then travel to various host sites in Montgomery and Greene counties to deliver directly to  clients.  They provide two bags of groceries and a few lbs. of meat (9 meals) to those in need. They distribute more than FIFTEEN TONS of food EVERY MONTH.

Try a flight of the Lofts featured wines for June  for $16 and $1/flight with be donated  to  The Hope Foundation.  Here are this months features:

Bricco del Sole Moscato d’Asti

100% Moscato. The 6,000 case production is divided into 5 or 6 bottling periods to preserve natural freshness. Slow natural fermentation for 1 month in temperature controlled stainless steel.

Bishop’s Peak Pinot Noir

The 2009 Bishop’s Peak Pinot Noir offers aromas of strawberry, raspberry and hints of anise. Red fruit flavors are predominant with cherry notes and a long silky finish.

Domaine la Guintrandy Cotes du Rhone

70% Grenache, 20% olds Carignan and 10% Syrah

Joel Gott Cabernet

The 2008 Joel Gott 815 California Cabernet Sauvignon is ripe with blueberry, cherry soda, and dark cherry. The aromas burst with violet, vanilla, cedar, chocolate and cinnamon. Soft ripe tannins result in a balanced and long velvety finish.

Melville Chardonnay

This rich, creamy Chardonnay has fine acidity, while a touch of neutral oak adds a background of buttered toast. But the fruit stars, brimming with papayas, mangos, Meyer lemons, limes and pineapples. The finish is filled with honey, and yet is brisk and dry.

You can also visit The Wine Loft for lunch Friday- Sunday and 10% of your food bill will also be donated to The Hope Foundation.  Check out the lunch menu here.

Bring Your own Bucket Special at Bullwinkle’s

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I found this on Bullwinkle’s facebook page and wanted to share it with you all:

Many years ago, Bullwinkle’s used to have Beer-in-a-Bucket. But due to the unwillingness of those patrons of many moons ago, the buckets would “mysteriously” disappear from Bullwinkle’s until there were no more buckets for beer. One evening, a group of employees from the old Mound plant came down to enjoy a few buckets of beer. Sadly, no buckets were left. But these great drinkers had a brilliant mind with them and he said, “Well I want a bucket of beer. Point me to the nearest hardware store and I’ll get a bucket for myself and you can fill it up!” Given directions, our great man trudged off and returned victoriously with bucket in hand! “Ha-zah!” he was saluted by his co-workers. From that night on, this same man brought his bucket back to Bullwinkle’s so we could fill up that bucket with beer. Sadly, this great thinking man recently passed away, and his story was told to the Moose one night, during a break in trivia, about his ingenuity in bringing his own bucket. Thus, a new drink special and was launched and now is your chance to have some fun with us!

Bullwinkle’s is introducing BRING YOUR OWN BUCKET specials at Bullwinkle’s Top Hat Bistro! This isn’t just one night a week, it’s EVERY NIGHT! Yes, it’s your chance to have fun and get creative with this little dandy of drinking fun! The drink prices when you bring your own bucket are the following (ice is free of course):

  • Domestic Beers are $10 per bucket (or $2 a bottle)
  • Imports Beers are $15 per bucket (or $3 a bottle)

Fellow lovers of the barley and hops, this is also a chance for you to get creative with this new drink special! Yes, we’re encouraging you to start making this bucket of yours a continuously changing work of art. Customize it with stickers, paint it, if you loved doing macaroni art back in elementary school now’s your chance to do more! Decorate it as you see fit (please keep your bucket tasteful though, we do have families with kids who come here) but have a great time making your bucket your own. Are you an entrepreneurial type person? Create and design buckets for your family and friends!

To encourage creativity and uniqueness, Bullwinkles is  going to be holding  “Beautiful and Best Designed Bucket of the Week” on Thursday nights! Put your bucket up against the best the Dayton area has to offer and if you win, you’ll win a free bucket of beer for the night, on us. They’ll have judges there to decide which bucket is the best and if you win, you’re set for that round, or even a few rounds!

This special starts now, so stop by your local hardware store and pick up a good bucket that’ll easily hold 5 bottles of beer! Have fun and be creative! We’ll see you at Bullwinkle’s!

(just don’t forget your bucket)

Seafood Lovers Wine Tasting

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From the docked boat that greets you at the entrance, to the indoor waterfall surrounded by palm trees  and beach inspired decor, a trip to The Dock in Enon can sure make you feel like you’re at the beach. Join them on Thurs, June 9th as they present a wine tasting featuring 7 wines and an apetizer buffet buffet  and that  seaside feeling will be reinforced by the seafood pairing matched with wines presented by Allied Wines Manager Amy Tierney.  The menu includes:

Reception:  Rodney Strong  Charlottes Home Vineyard, Sauvignon Blanc, Sonoma

Wine:   Garnet Pinot Noir, Sonoma
Paired with:  Individual Beef Wellingtons

Wine:  Beringer Alluvium Blanc, Napa Valley
Paired with:  Chilled Island Shrimp Kabobs

Wine: Layer Cake Chardonnay ,California
Paired with:  Seared Ahi Tuna on Toast Points

Wine:  Simply Naked Pinot Grigio, California
Paired with:  Fried Soft Shelled Blue Crab on Toast

Wine:  Colores Del Sol Malbec, Argentinal
Paired with:  Crab Stuffed Mushrooms with Lobster Sauce

Wine:  Menage A Trois White Blend, Californial

Paired with:  Homemade Cheesecake with Apple-Walnut Chutney

To make reservations to attend the tastings for $37.99 per person, call  The Dock at 937- 864-5011.

That Crêpe Place opens at The Greene

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“Fresh, Authentic, Hand-held
Savory and Sweet Crepes
made Right in Front of Your Eyes!”

Celebrating it’s soft opening today, That Crêpe Place is “an original concept and the first of many, I hope,” laughs owner Rodney Long as I spoke with him by phone this morning.  Long, originally from Philly owned a BBQ restaurant and spent 15 years in marketing for Proctor & Gamble before taking the leap into crepes.

Long describes crepes as the perfect ubiquitous food, similar to a wrap, it’s versatile and can be filled with savory or sweet and perfect for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or dessert.  Their menu leads you through savory choices like the Pesto Shrimp crepe with a pesto aioli and the Mediterranean featuring Chicken Breast, Feta Cheese, Sweet Grilled Piquillo Peppers, Fresh Baby Spinach, with Balsamic Glaze; Sweet Crepes like the  Tahitian – a Vanilla Buttered Crepe sprinkled with Cinnamon and Powdered Sugar, and Sweet & Fruity options  like the Funky Monkey with Bananas, Chocolate Chips, with Creamy Peanut Butter or the Strawberry Cheesecake  made with Fresh Strawberries topped with Homemade Vanilla Cream Sauce.  Also on the menu are a couple of salad options and kids sandwiches.

Long suggested that a grand opening will be planned in a few weeks, once they’ve worked all the kinks out. He  thinks  his crepes are perfect for the casual outdoor shopping environment at The Greene, and thinks guests will enjoy watching a ladle full of batter poured on a crêpe griddle, spun into a circle, flipped and filled with your fresh ingredients will make his concept a big hit.  He says that “crepes are a perfect portable feast and can’t wait for everyone to try them.”  Be sure and check out the reward club, as each purchase will help earn you free food.

That Crêpe Place will share a patio with Cold Stone Creamery and is located at 4474 Glengarry Drive in Beavercreek, diagonally across from the movie theater.

Giuliano – A New Era of Anticoli’s Dining

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The Anticoli family has a long tradition of restaurants in the Dayton region.  Their first restaurant, Rendezvous, opened  downtown on Fifth Street in 1931. In 1951 they moved out to Saleem Avenue with Anticoli’s and in 2000 moved what became Caffé Anticoli  to Main Street in the Clayton area.  Son Michael went north and opened La Piazza in 1992 in Troy.

In 2011 the family moved south, and renovated a space in downtown Miamisburg.  The new restaurant starts a new era for the Anticoli’s, with Giuliano, named after the family’s ancestral hometown located near Rome, Italy.  The restaurant had a soft opening in April and this week has been set to celebrate the official Grand Opening.  A ribbon cutting is set for June 1st at 4pm and guests that visit during this week will receive a VIP card, good for 20% off every Sunday through Thursday until October 1st, 2011.

Giuliano will be open seven days a week, serving dinner Monday through Saturday and opening at noon on Sunday’s, when kids 10 and under will eat free, while mom and dad can enjoy 20% of wines by the glass.  Monday night will feature a pasta buffet, and Wednesday will be 35 cent wing night. Happy hour specials on food and drinks will run 4-6pm.
You may dine in the bar area, dining room or even book a private room for your party.  Entrees range from $12.95 to $22.95, pizza’s are $12.95 to $15.95.

Giuliano’s, An Anticoli Tavern
67 South Main Street
Miamisburg, OH 45342
937.859.3000

This Weeks Beer Tasting Bonanza

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It’s long been known that Dayton offers an array of wine tastings that rival towns twice our size, but in the last few months our local taverns have really been stepping up the craft brews they offer.

Here’s a quick round up so you can taste your way across town- be sure to click on the link for more detailed information on each event.

Tues
5-7pm Abita Beer Tasting at Rue Dumaine

Wed
7pm – Mike Scwartz from Belmont Party Supply hosts the monthly Trolley Tasting
9 beers and munchies just $20- arrive early this sells out!

5pm – Archer’s Tavern taps a new craft beer each Wed night

Thurs
6:30pm  Goose Island Beer Dinner at Dorothy Lane Springboro

7pm  Dogfish Head’s Hellbound On My Ale Tapping at Spinoza’s

7pm La Tappe Isid’or Tapping at Chappy’s

Fri

5-7pm Arrow Wine Centerville‘s Weekly Beer Tasting
There will be more posted as the week goes on, so be sure and check back.  Did you know you can choose the Dayton On Tap header under DatyonDining and you’ll get a weekly listing of beer tastings around town that’s constantly being updated located on the right column!  And if you know of a place that serves up some great beers, add it below in the comments!  Cheers!

Saturday Beer Brunch

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Spinoza’s Pizza & Salads will present “Founder’s Cerise Cherry Fermented Ale” four days before the rest of the world!   In an exclusive agreement with Founder’s Brewing Company (Grand Rapids, MI), Spinoza’s will tap a keg of this unique seasonal brew at 10am this Saturday, May 28th, as part of their bi-monthly beer brunch events featuring hearth-baked breakfast pizzas.  The official release date of Founder’s Cerise is June 1st, so make plans for Spinoza’s Beer Brunch tomorrow morning and be among the first to taste this year’s batch.    Special musical guests Michael Teckenbrock & Brian Cashwell will be playing during this special event, which takes place this Sat, May 28th from 11am – 1pm.  Spinoza’s is located on the 2nd floor of the Mall at Fairfield Commons in the Sear’s wing.

Roadtrip Down To Taste of Cincinnati

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Every Memorial Day weekend in downtown Cincinnati 6 blocks turn into an amazing food feast.   Started in 1979, it is now the nation’s longest running culinary arts festival. Featuring more than 45 restaurants serving up delicious and delectable menu items it’s worth the drive down 75.  Head south and exit at  the Fifth Street exit, and you’ll practically run into the event.  Plenty of parking lots line the streets, just be prepared to pay about $5 to park.

Stroll down 5th street and you’ll be able to taste treats that range from curry chicken to baklava, strudel to strawberry shortcake.  Most tastes run $2-5 and there are plenty of beer, wine, soda and water booths mixed in among the food vendors. Click here for menu.

To accompany all the mouth-watering menu items available on the streets of downtown Cincinnati, this year’s festival will also offer beer and wine taste-ings on Fountain Square. Beer taste-ing will be on Saturday and Sunday from 4 – 5 pm, and wine taste-ing on Saturday and Sunday from 6 – 7 pm. Guests can grab a seat in prime Fountain Square location with a great view of the stage and sip away to wash down the fare they’ve sampled. The cost is $15 per person, or 2 people for $25, which includes a souvenir wine glass or beer pint.

Speaking of stages, there are 6 scattered throughout the taste, featuring various entertainment throughout the festival, including rock, blues, country and even some standup comedy during the evening. Click here for entertainment lineup.

Taste of Cincinnati runs Fri & Sat noon – midnight and Mon noon til 9pm.

Happy “Nouveau Rosé” Day!

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The weather is getting warmer, the days are getting longer, and it’s time for some light, warm-weather wines.  The flavors of rosé wines tends to be more subtle versions of their red wine varietal counterparts. The fruit expectations lean towards strawberry, cherry, and raspberry with some citrus and watermelon presenting on a regular basis.  Rosés are perfect for spring and summer, as they are served chilled and can be a refreshing accompaniment to a variety of warm weather fare. Rosé wines also top the charts for food-friendly versatility. So, if you are opting for “surf ‘n turf” rest assured that a rosé can handle both the seafood and the steak in one fell sip. It’s also a great picnic wine, as it tends to have both a lighter body and more delicate flavors on the palate, presenting a great wine partner for a ham, chicken or roast beef sandwich, along with a fruit, potato or egg salad and can even handle a variety of chips and dips. Rosés are also the perfect guest for a backyard barbecue, tackling hamburgers, hot dogs and even French fries and ketchup with ease.

Arrow Wine (Centerville & Far Hills Location) will be celebrating Noveau Rosé’s all day today (Thurs, May 25th) with tasting at both stores.

Here are a couple of quick tips in searching for a rosé:

  1. Drink a recent vintage – you don’t want an aged rosé.
  2. If you see “NV” on a bottle, it stands for “non-vintage,” meaning that there’s a mix of grapes from different vintage years.
  3. Many great rosé’s are available for $12- $15 a bottle.