Wine Sellar & Brasserie

I love Restaurant Week. A time when some of the best restaurants in the area become a bit more accessible and good times are had by all (OK...maybe just some). For this night, a group of us decided to dine at the Wine Sellar in Mira Mesa; we were a late reservation, but managed to get into their private room.

There 3 course menu (at $40 per person) was most impressive. To begin, we were treated to an amuse bouche of a small house-made cracker topped with cheese and salmon. It didn't look like much, but the flavor of the salmon really shined through. Next up for me was a beet salad (one of my favorite appetizers when done correctly). Delicious...a bed of baby arugula was a canvas for beets, goat cheese, and toasted hazlenuts. Next up, their beef short rib--rich, decadent, and not too moist. There's nothing worse than a short rib that's been braised to the point where it's lost all of its texture. Beef stew anyone? Not here, though. I do have so say, although better than any other restaurant I've tried, it's not the best I've had at TWS&B.

To finish up this feast was a duo of dessert. A small plate of creme brulee and a morsel of a chocolaty-fudgey thing. While both were delicious, the creme brulee was one of the best I've tried.

A couple things to point out. We brought our own wine (for a nominal corkage fee) and got great service highlighted by full decanting and fresh glasses for each bottle. Also, they actually adjusted their special menu to accommodate my poultry-eating friend's request. That's pretty amazing service in my eyes (particularly after the weak service I had at the downtown Fleming's the night before).

Two more days of restaurant week, but I'd go out of my way to get to TWS&B if you can swing it. I was blown away.

I second Kevin's review. I love this place! I had the comice pear salad and the scallops with lobster ragu for dinner. The scallops are amazingly tender and succulent, and the lobster sauce/ragu is so rich and so decadent I had no room for dessert. I would eat there every night, but then I would be broke and weigh 300 pounds :)

For me, the WineSellar and Brasserie always manages to shine. This tradition continued as my wife and I headed to the Brasserie for a nice dinner together.

If you've ever been to the WineSellar and Brasserie, you'll know that it's in a unique location. Nestled among some industrial-looking buildings, just off of Mira Mesa Boulevard, lies the combined wine shop and french-style Brasserie. The Brasserie, located upstairs from the WineSellar, offers an award-winning wine list and menu.

We ended up there on a Friday -- the day before Valentine's day. Needless to say, the place was packed. I had made the dinner reservation early in the week, so we didn't have to worry. Being regulars at the WSB, we asked to be seated at a friend's table (she said this would be okay to do, so I didn't mind going for it). There was a small wait as we had arrived about 15 minutes early. Never fear -- a fine glass of Nicolas Feuillatte brut champagne was quickly suggested to us as we waited at the bar for our table. Fantastic.

Upon being seated at our table, we asked for a wine recommendation. We were looking for a nice Pinot Noir that would pair well with my duck entree and my wife's scallops. A bottle of 2006 Tantara Pinot was the clear winner. We'd both had a prior vintage before (2005 maybe?), so this was a nice surprise to receive as a recommendation.

The fresh-baked bread is always amazing. I started off with the Organic Celery Soup. One word: wow. I am not typically a celery person, but this soup is awesome. The celery, diced green apple and pistachio oil combine into something wonderful. My main entree, as I mentioned before, was two preparations of Duck Confit of the Leg and Grilled Breast. This gets better every time I have it. Cooked to perfection, the duck breast and leg were more than what I had hoped for. The sweet potato puree and the sauce (balsamic vinegar and orange) have my mouth watering now -- and it's been almost three days!

The incredible (and incredibly rich!) food and wine filled us up so much that we, sadly, had to pass on dessert. We'll most definitely be back again and will try even harder to save some room for a sweet finish.