Hi guys! Last Thursday we went to the La Boca X Prancing Pony Brewery Matched Beers Dinner held at La Boca Bar & Grill in the city and had a fabulous time! As soon as I saw the six course menu I knew I had to buy tickets to this special dinner, as each course sounded delicious! This was also a great chance to try some craft beers, which I don't normally order. We were so happy to see upon arrival that we were seated on our own instead of on long shared tables, like a recent matched wines dinner we attended. As introverts, we are much more comfortable sitting by ourselves than having to make small talk with a bunch of strangers we'll never see again lol.
Let's have a look at the menu!
Course 1
Signature Beef Empanadas
Traditional Argentinean beef empanadas, loaded with a mixture of ground beef, capsicum, olives and onions. (The only course that concerned me because I dislike olives, but I didn't taste them and this was a delightful start to the night!).
Paired with Blaze Of Haze
Easy-going and refreshing. Moderate to high hop aroma. Sweet fruits, predominantly strawberries, followed by gooseberry and blackberry, with a very slight note of citrus. Creamy mouthfeel and smooth bitterness, with a hint of toasty oat from the malt. (Loved this beer, the paler the better for me).
Course 2
Choripan With Criolla Salsa
Chorizo sausage, crusty bread accompanied by relish composed of onion, capsicum, tomato and vinegar. (I definitely tasted the vinegar here! This is a smaller version of a very similar dish from their express lunch menu which I've had before, with a different bread, but I liked this version more.)
Paired with Sunshine Ale
A refreshing Summer Ale with a smooth and delicate hop flavour. Beautifully balanced with moderate bitterness and a citrus kick. Pineapple, lychee and honeydew melon shining through from the hop, with a delicate biscuit malty finish. (I really enjoyed this beer too, couldn't discern the flavours though lol.)
Course 3
Honey Mustard Glazed Pork Ribs
24 hours slow cooked pork ribs, finished on a wood fire grill and glazed with honey mustard. (These ribs were so tasty! More would have been good but they have to do small portions when there's six courses!).
Paired with Hopwork Orange
A refreshing Pale Ale with hop aromas of orange, tangerines and pine, alongside balanced caramel malt flavours. (I love the play on A Clockwork Orange here, very clever! Love these flavours and it was nice to try it in a craft beer).
Course 4
Asado Pork Belly Bondiola
Authentic Argentinian sandwich with thick slice of pork belly asado, chimichurri and rocket leaf. (This was delicious! I'm a huge fan of pork belly, so really enjoyed this tender juicy meat with the crispy crackling in the bread pocket).
Paired with India Red Ale
Mango, passionfruit, blackcurrant, apricot and pineapple hop aroma making the beer super fruity combined with strong caramel malt character. Supreme Champion Beer at the International Beer Challenge in London, 2016. (Another yummy beer and an award winner, no less! Loved the fruity flavours).
Course 5
Mini Wagyu Burger
Wood fire grilled homemade juicy Wagyu burger patty, provolone cheese and mini brioche bun. (They don't mention that it comes with fries and they were so good! I think drinking this much beer elevates all the flavours haha. I couldn't finish my burger though, so it went to hubby).
Paired with Amber Ale
The Amber Ale is a full-bodied American style ale, delicately floral and slightly spicy hops. The hint of caramel malt makes this beer super toasty and cosy, but also surprisingly refreshing. (Try as I might, I couldn't make out the spicy taste. Probably a little too strong for me).
Course 6
Churros With Dulce De Leche
Deep fried churros coated with cinnamon sugar and served with traditional caramel sauce. (Delicious and a great way to finish the night. However a spoon would have been nice so we didn't have to use our fingers to reach the remaining caramel sauce at the bottom of the jar, lol).
Paired with Pinkers Brut IPA
Eden Pink has brewed for Prancing Pony Brewery for a fifth of her life now. This IPA Brut style celebrates that. It is super dry with a low IBU and an ABV of 7.2%. The flavour profile is tropical, with hints of lychee. Eden used a combination of tropical hops including Eldorado, Sabro, Amarillo and Citra. (Six beers in and you're expecting a flavour profile breakdown? I don't know my own name at this point! Not gonna lie, I skulled this and we were on our way lol).
Overall, this was a fantastic experience and I'm so glad we went! You don't have to make any choices on the night as all food and drinks are set, so you just sit back, relax and enjoy each course as it's served. I'm definitely keen to do more alcohol-matched dinners in the future, as they are so much fun.
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