Review of B&O American Brasserie's "Bottle Battle 2011"

Recently I was invited to attend B&O's Bottle Battle as a complimentary guest. I mean, how could I say no to a alcohol themed dinner! This dinner was set in a boxing liked theme staring two contenders in three rounds. Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants' Master Sommelier Emily Wines verses B&O's Master Mixologist Brendan Dorr, each pairing their selected cocktail or wine with each course. Guests were given score cards to judge who's paring was better with each dish, and a winner was decided at the end of the meal.

Our first course was Maryland Rockfish with bacalao, spring onion and tomato jam. The drinks paired were a Etude Pinot Gris Carneros CA 09 and a Cliantro Gin Fizz made with plymouth gin, cilantro syrup, lime, orange flower water, soda and egg white. The rockfish was perfectly cooked and complimented well with the tomato jam. Me being a lover of liquor, found it hard not gravitate towards the gin fizz, which tasted AMAZING. The Pinot was also very complimentary of the rockfish, but I just had to give the win to the gin fizz on this one.

Next dish was a tasting of cured rabbit consisting of taso loin, mustard rillete, liver mousse and spicy head cheese. (Yes I said head cheese!) With this was paired a Route 99 Pinot Noir Willamette Valley, OR 08 and a Agave Apricot consisting of cazadorez reposado, velvet falernum, domaine canton, apricot syrup, lemon juice, and orange bitters.

This was a hard one, hard to decide what to eat first, what to drink first, and than what to drink and eat next. It was all so good! I found that the Agave paired better with the mousse and head cheese but the Pinot Noir paired better with the loin and rillete. It was a hard decision, but in the end I leaned towards the Agave simply due the the complexity of the drink, and how it rivaled a favorite Pino Noir of mine.

Our third dish was Local Rack of Lamb with braised lamb belly, split pea stew, and goat cheese gnocchi. The  drink pairings were a Kunin "Pape Star" Central Coast CA 08 and a Rye Cadizian consiting of ritten house rye, byass solera sherry, lillet, peychauds bitters, and fee bros. orange bitters.

This was my favorite course, the perfectly cooked rack of lamb with LAMB BELLY *angelic voices singing*. Oh the lamb belly stole the show, along with those perfectly cooked crisp peas and the silky goat cheese gnocchi. I could have eaten whole bowl of just soley that gnocchi, it was excellent. 

This drink pairing was the hardest choice for me, the cocktail was so creative and delicious with the lamb, but it was so hard to choose it over the Paper Star. It's just so hard not to want a great red with lamb, so I ended up picking the wine as the winner of this dish.

To end the meal we all enjoyed Red Velveet Doughnuts with cream cheese frosting while the votes were being added up. And the winner was.......................Emily Wines!

This event was awesome, and such a genius idea. I really hope they do this event again and again. I am in love with Brendan Dorr's cocktail creations, and find them above and beyond anything else in Baltimore. If B&O hosts this even again, You.Must.Go.