If there could ever be a wine bar run on charm alone, Villa is the place. This past Thursday was no different, as part of their monthly winemaker dinners, Villa was a packed house playing host to Eric Jensen owner/winemaker of Booker a Paso Robles winery.
Villa (and Vino Divino) owners Sean and Gabi Larkins were also on hand as pourers, servers, runners to the kitchen and all around hosts for the evening. It was a surprise they had any time to chat to the 30-odd guests whilst dashing from table to table, with the ever steady stream of wine flowing.
For the grub, caterer Alexandra Mascuzzio was on hand as a guest chef. Her four-course menu consisted of bacon wrapped farmers market dates with salted almonds for starters, paprika roasted chickpea salad with blackened red onion and a honey mustard vinaigrette as a second course, braised short rips atop fried herb polenta cake for the main, and an ancho chilli pepper dark chocolate truffle for the finale.