At the top of their game
We have been hosting winemaker dinners now for nearly five years, and we hold about one per month. It doesn't seem like that long to us, either. Over that time, we have worked with the best North Idaho has to offer in restaurants and their chefs. All those we have worked with are creative and have put together spectacular meals coupled with exceptional service. We appreciate every one of them, and we look forward to continue working with them all in the future. From time to time over those years, I have written about the restaurants and some of the great meals they have put together. There is one restaurant and their team, though, that is absolutely at the top of their game, and which I never tire of talking about.
We only get to do a few events each year with Fleur de Sel in Post Falls because, as many of us know, the restaurant is justifiably popular, so getting a wine dinner there is a scheduling challenge. When we do though, they are always exceptional evenings. The restaurant is owned by Laurent and Patricia Zirotti; Laurent is the chef and Patricia runs the "front of the house." We have had more fabulous dinners at Fleur de Sel than we can possibly recount for you, including many casual meals sitting at the bar. The regular menu is interlaced with wonderful French creations and Laurent's interpretations of some American classics. It is always creative and perfectly executed, with choices for most every appetite and budget.
The wine list is compact and navigable, with choices from all of the best French appellations and equally good representation from the Northwest and California. While the list covers all the right areas, it also has price points that are accessible for all of us. Their by-the-glass list is innovative, and again, features many well-priced choices that meet most every budget. As a wine professional, I can always find something on the list that I will enjoy, but also can find something that satisfies our guests as well.
The service team Patricia has put together is amazing, anchored by their longest-tenured server, Harry. It is efficient, seamless, friendly and always at the top of the professionalism heap. Every experience we have had at the restaurant has been a wonderful pairing of great food and great service.
If you have not been out for an evening dinner, you should go. If you have not been for some time, you should go back for a visit.
Like it is for so many chefs, winemaker dinners are the most fun for Laurent. It is when they are at their most creative, and when they allow their food and service to really shine. Restaurants are stuck at times with items on their regular menu that are the foundation of their popularity, dishes that bring folks back over and over again. For a special event like a wine dinner, though, they can break free from their most popular items and venture into the arena of their true passion for food and chefing. Not only can chefs create things that taste great, but they can also explore different combinations of ingredients they might not otherwise seek. Presentation also kicks up a notch, with the visual aspect of food taking on more importance and becoming more adventurous.
Our wine dinners at Fleur de Sel almost always sell out in the neighborhood of 50 guests. Patricia's talented and attentive staff really shines at these events. Restaurant service can always be challenging to pull off, but imagine the timing and coordination of getting each of five courses and five wines served to 50 folks all at the same time? Patricia, Harry and their supporting cast not only do it flawlessly, but they make it look effortless.
We are truly fortunate to have many great restaurants in our small North Idaho community. Fleur de Sel is a real bonus, though, for all food and wine consumers in the area. Laurent and Patricia opened at a similar time as we did, and they remain after seven years at the very top of their game; providing extraordinary food and service, delivered as it only can be when the owners are involved every step of the way and guiding the local destination restaurant. For all who really appreciate wine, go for a regular dinner out, but we hope you can join us sometime for a winemaker dinner at Fleur de Sel too.
George Balling is co-owner with his wife Mary Lancaster of the Dinner Party, a wine and table top decor shop in Coeur d'Alene by Costco. George has also worked as a judge in many wine competitions. His articles are published around the country and he is the wine editor for Coeur d'Alene Magazine (www.cdamagazine.com).
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