One thing is for sure: in order to break people of their culinary habits, you gotta go big. With Grits Fullerton chef-owner Cody Storts virtually blasting a 10,000 gigawatt beer signal in the skies, I’d say he wanted to get the word out. “Beer and food is back in Fullerton,” he says with a smug grin.”We wanted to host a beer dinner like no other … an eight course menu paired by Cicerone ‘Dr.’ Bill Sysak, brand ambassador of Stone Brewing … we wanted to send a message that we’re not effing around.”
Grits is the only place that makes me feel like a giddy lumberjack when food is being served. With the addition of ten taps and dinner service Friday and Saturday night, the former brunch-only spot is chopping down a few old trees in downtown Fullerton. I’m not one to play with my food, but eating Grits’ Foie French Toast, I got the sudden urge to make the seared torchon toboggan ride into my mouth. Paired with Bottle Logic’s German Chocolate Cake on nitro, this was easily the most memorable meal I’ve eaten in 2015.
The eight-course beer dinner happening on Friday December 18th looks phenomenal and will surely sell out. “Dr.” Bill Sysak is not only a master at pairing, he makes a fine beer dinner docent, explaining the pairings and thought process behind each arranged beer marriage. He managed to raid the Stone cellar for the event, with several hard-to-get vintages, barrel-aged beers, and everyone’s hoppy favorite, Enjoy By IPA. It’s not inexpensive, however, at $135 plus tax and tip, only serious lumberjacks and lumberjills apply, because this beer dinner is sure to make you yell “timber!!”
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Amuse
Compressed winter apples, maple fig compote, lime
—Paired with Stone ’13 Old Guardian -
2nd
Octopus, preserved lemon, oregano, Spanish chorizo,
—Paired with Cali Belgique Aged in Tequila Barrels IPA -
3rd
Smoked trout rillete, winter apples, country sweet ham, crème fraiche, shaved breakfast radishes, squaw bread, kumquat
—Paired with Matt’s Burning Rosids Imperial Cherry Wood Smoked Saison -
4th
Jerk pork, roasted red pepper coulis tossed Yukon potatoes, cucumber pineapple pico, thyme tulle, citrus mascarpone
—Paired with Stone Enjoy By 12.25.15 IPA -
5th
Shaved scallop, seafood gumbo ravioli, sofrito, julienned candied red fresnos
—Paired with Stone Stochasticity Project Graniac -
6th
Braised rabbit hash, bacon rosemary rice pilaf, whole grain mustard and cranberry duck demi
—Paired with Stone Winter Harvest -
7th
Herb grilled pork cheeks, toasted bourbon golden raisin faro, sautéed seasonal squash and cranberries, blood orange & honey dressed baby arugula, toasted pink pepper corns
—Paired with Stone Barrel-aged Brown Ale with Balaton Sour Cherries -
8th
Fernet infused marshmallow, dark chocolate ganache, graham cracker crumble.
—Paired with Charred Bourbon Barrel aged Stone Xocovesa
Tickets available at gritsfullerton.com.
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