R bistro's Unibroue Beer DinnerOctober 9, 2006
R bistro Chef Regina Mehallick has proven herself worthy of holding a beer dinner. Her recent pairing of Belgian-style beers with upscale, fresh, and meticulously prepared dishes was a success. The former medical office manager come chef brings more than just customer service to the kitchen. Her vivacious personality is contagious. She has a passion for local ingredients, the unusual, the best. That's why the menu at R bistro changes monthly. Which means to say... stop in to see what's on the menu. You see, it all depends on what's fresh. Regina's menu is her whim... it's who she runs into at the market. It reflects leads she gets from her butcher. Perhaps a chance encounter with a road-side stand carrying fresh local apples. One can picture her screeching to a stop, getting out of her car, then pointing and saying "I'll take your apples... all of them" and then making a bee line back to her kitchen where she invents a new menu item for the upcoming month. All of which explains why R bistro's menu is constantly in flux and consistently delicious. It's what's good... today, baby! After nearly a year of cajoling, suggesting, and hinting at a possible beer dinner, Jim Schembre of World Class Beverages finally persuaded Regina to take it on. The negotiations ensued and it was mutually agreed that Quebec-based Onibroue beers would be the ones matched with the eclectic offerings of R bistro. The strong Belgian-style ales that dominate the backbone of Unibroue's repertoire were no match for Chef Regina. But they were also a perfect match....
R-Bistro anchors the northeast end of vibrant and upcoming Mass Ave in downtown Indianapolis. It's intimate, with seating for 30 or perhaps 35 in a rectangular space bordering the kitchen. A well stocked bar provides seating as well. Regina used the entire space for her beer dinner with the bar being the beer staging area and the dining area her pulpit. She thoroughly expounded on each dish explaining it's preparation and the origin of the ingredients. Matt Clapesattle followed with the background and complexity of each beer.
The fir The sweetness of the fingerling potatoes matched well with the white ale, and the local greens were tangy and tasty. Without a doubt the oysters were the star attraction of this dish. Blanche de Chambly, Unibroue's first beer named after the adjacent river in Quebec, is a white wheat ale refermented in the bottle. The wheat malt is provincial and 5 spices make the beer "white." Its moderate alcohol of 5 % ABV along with a very light hop taste makes it a good choice for any first course. Its mildly spicy taste is not overpowering, and the citrus aroma matched well with the salad. Unibroue suggests its shelf life is 2 years, but improvement with age with any moderately strong beer is questionable.
Choucroute- "An Alsatian dish of sauerkraut with wine, sausages, pork, and juniper berries." Only substitute wine with beer. Yep! The choucroute was delicous. Regina was really pumped up about this dish as the pork was a local find- from Archers Meats in Greenwood. She paired this course with a stronger beer, a Triple Wheat Ale, refermented in the bottle. Alcohol 9 %/vol.
The m Those are carrots gracing the top of the short ribs, which barely held themselves together on top of the most tender "fall apart at the touch of a fork" short ribs imaginable (from Kincaids in Indy). A fresh biscuit stood ready to sop up those delicious juices. The ingredients of the braise can only be guessed at. Tomatoes for sure. a little vinegar? sugar? Worcestershire? Pure speculation. This was our table's favorite dish. The Maudite is a Strong Red Ale at 8% ABV. It was't as effervescent as the previous beers, but was bold and carmelly and held its own next to the dynamite ribs. Refermented in the bottle, this is a perfect beer to serve with red meat dishes and other dishes that are spicy and flavorful. Maudite (the damned one), was the first strong beer to be distributed in Quebec grocery stores. It is said that it improves with age up to 5 years on the shelf. According to Unibroue, "when served young, it is very smooth, but when served after several years of storage, its flavor is reminiscent of port." Really? May the five year experiment begin! The beer and food kept coming. Next up was the c La Fin du Monde is a triple fermented (notice a pattern?) Golden Ale, 9 % alc./vol. Even after so many beers and courses, this beer was big enough to match, or even win over, the cheese. The homemade 7-grain crackers were crumbly and capable of irritating an already cracking tooth so I shied away. The jelly though was delightful... conjured up from the apples Regina picked up earlier in the week. La Fin du Monde means "the end of the world." Unlike Unibroue's other big beers, the yeast is strained to lessen the "bite." It paired well with the cheese which itself was very mild. Dessert was the next course, an apple/quince Beggar's Purse seved with Black Currant-Ephemere. Like creamy apple pie scrunched up in a very delicate crust, the textures were perfect. The treasure within were black currants. Finding them meant it was time to try the Ephemere, itself delicious and sweet. The "ending" was for the sweets lovers - Trois Pistoles with The Best Chocolate in Town's English Toffee. A Strong Dark Ale at 9 % alc./vol. it was the darkest and most complex of the beers so far. With a shelf Life 8 years or more this is a beer worthy fo cellaring and then tasting on cold evenings. Roasted malt gives it a rich, smooth texture and deeply dark color. Thank you, R bistro, for a great beer dinner!
Erin Kem, Regina Mehallick, and Micah Frank of R bistro |
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st course featured Blanche de Chambly with a salad of local greens, oysters poached in Blanche de Chambly, and fingerling potatoes.
Next up was Don-de-Dieu with Choucroute Garnie, pheasant sausage & smoked pork.
ain course and its accompanying beer came to us appearing rich and bold - Maudite with braised short ribs of beef and a Gruyere & green onion biscuit.
heese course - La Fin du Monde with Pont Couvert (Quebec), 7-grain biscuits & apple-rosemary jelly.