Sometimes I just don’t know where the time goes. It was over a month ago we went to the Fullsteam Beer Dinner at Piedmont in Durham. I meant to write this blog post soon after, but some how I didn’t get around to it. So you know as they say, better late than never.

This was our first time at Piedmont. We always meant to go, but just never got around to it. It is a little pricey, so it’s not a “hey, let’s go get dinner” type of place (at least not for us). So when we saw the Fullsteam Beer dinner was being held there, we jumped on it. And we’re glad we did.

The setup was similar to the Yum Yum Supper Club where there were several long tables to sit family style and each course was paired with a Fullsteam beer. Greg and I like this setup since it is usually the two of us eating, and it’s nice to have a bigger group to chat with. We were lucky enough to sit at the table with Sean Wilson from Fullsteam as well his wife and Fullsteam’s office manager and another couple. As you probably know, we are big fans of Fullsteam, so it was fun to talk to Sean and find out more about him and his family.

Back to the important part: the food.

First Course:
Deviled egg, deviled ham, fried sage, romesco
Served with El Toro Cream Ale

Not being one for most pork and particularly ham, I can’t give my opinion, but the other Cranky Diner assured me it was good. The deviled egg was a nice clean way to start the evening. The trend of frying greens (spinach, kale, sage, etc) is a little lost on me. It’s almost like the world has ran out of things to fry. I am not usually a fan because like most friend things, once it cools down, it becomes a greasy mess, but because this was more of a garnish, it gave the dish a slight crunch to contrast the softness of the egg.

Second Course:
Cucumber-basil gazpacho, basil tomato salad
Served with Summer Basil Farmhouse Ale

Now if you told when we sat down the cucumber gazpacho was going to be not only the highlight of the evening, but also one of the best things I have ever put into my mouth, I wouldn’t have believed you.

Words can’t describe how delicious this dish was. It was perfectly balanced with just enough acidity, sweetness and savoryness. It was the ideal summer dish, cool and refreshing, with bold, but not overpowering flavors. And combined with the best batch of Summer Basil Farmhouse Ale we’ve had all summer, it was the one of the best food and drink pairings I have ever had. I hope Piedmont considers adding this dish to their menu next summer. That’s one way to get us back there.

Third Course:
Maryland style crab cake, wilted arugula, pickled pepper remoulade
Served with Traction Engine Virginia Rye

I have to admit after the gazpacho I was eager to for the rest of the meal, unfortunately nothing could top the gazpacho, or even come close. The mediocre bland crab cake seemed even more underwhelming after the gazpacho (which I will be still talking about when I am 90). The crab cake itself did not have much flavor, it was dry and didn’t hold together when you started to eat it. It didn’t seem to have enough of a binding mixture to give it moisture or hold it together. The greens on the side were slimy and greasy. If the gazpacho was the highlight, this was definitely the lowest point of the meal.

Fourth Course:
Italian sausage, fried pork terrine, skillet roasted green beans, potatoes
Served with Rocket Science IPA

The sausage was really good. I don’t usually care for sausage, but this has a good flavor and was cooked well. Unfortunately, the terrine was not as good and I wish I could have just gotten extra sausage. The terrine was really salty with a chewy texture; it tasted like an overcooked pork chop.

Final Course:
Sweet potato beignets, cinnamon crème anglaise, brown sugar caramel
Served with Carver Sweet Potato Lager

You can’t beat being served a hot beignet regardless of what’s served with it, but adding caramel sauce and crème anglaise, just made all the more better. The beignets were a nice way to finish off the meal. The cinnamon and caramel sauces gave it an autumn vibe. It was like the beignets were not only ending the meal, but were also a metaphor for the end of summer.

Overall, we were very pleased with our experience at the Piedmont. We were very impressed with the service and temperature of the food when considering they were basically catering a 40-person dinner party. Although not all the dishes hit the mark, enough did that we would try Piedmont’s regular menu.

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