Preview (Pre-opening) Night Dinner at The Belmont American Steakhouse Naperville
Anticipating the upcoming opening of The Belmont American Steakhouse in Naperville, we dined preview night leading up to their grand opening this coming week. This is the latest creation of Dave Miller of the Elements dining in the Indigo Hotel, Naperville, The George American Tavern, and Empire Grill, and partner and Executive Chef Zac Rogers.
We’ve featured the tony, cozy George in these earlier blogposts -
The Belmont is a classic American steak house reimagined in the former Catch-35 restaurant on Washington Street downtown Naperville. They source prime beef steaks from several sources depending on the cut of meat and prevailing market conditions. They age the beef from 60 to 90 additional days in their own meat cabinet adjacent the main dining room.
There is a fabulous Wine Room dining room for special gatherings.
I refrain from showing interior pictures of the bar and dining room as there is a substantial dramatic bar surround overhang not yet installed.
They also offer several fresh seafood selections based on what was flown in from US and World markets - lobster, Argentine Branzino, Black cod, salmon, crab cake, shrimp and scallops. And, same for the oysters which are fresh, flown in from best available markets - west coast and east coast!
Pork chops, lamb, chicken and short rib and a couple pasta dishes round out the entree selections along with a caviar service of American Ossetra Caviar.
A highlight, the preparation and presentation of the wedge salad, ideal for sharing.
The crab cake with chili pepper remoulade …
A half dozen oysters, east coast Long Island, and California west coast.
The petit filet …
The New York strip with Seared Foie Torchon …
There is a range of salads and sides available for sharing as well as enhancements including lobster tail, seared Foie Torchon, Shaved Truffle and accoutrement finish sauces. Each of the usual suspect sides was creative and artfully prepared - puree de pomme with pimento, wild mushrooms, grilled asparagus, charred carrots, Mac-n-cheese, and an interesting take on creamed corn with ‘corn brulee’, almost akin to a dessert!
A selection of the sides, Puree’de Pomme, Wild mushrooms and the Corn Brulee.
There is a carefully selected wine list of standard labels as well as an extensive Reserve List of ultra-premium selections. Many of our favorite producers are represented: Robert Craig, Plumpjack, Joseph Phelps, Randy Dunn, Kosta Browne, Quintessa, La Jota and a selection of super premium labels such ans Dominus, Hundred Acre and Schafer Hillside Select, and more.
There is also a selection of some of the most highly acclaimed and sought after cult wines such as Colgin, and Screaming Eagle. Aside the cult labels, the wine list read like our wine cellar inventory with many of our favorites!
Having not seen the winelist beforehand, I spent close to an hour trolling our cellar for a special wine accompaniment for our dinner, seeking an ideal label for the grilled beefsteaks, and one not available on their winelist. I was seeking a label in the Goldilocks zone … enough age to having fully integrated and settled, but still within its prime drinking window. I also sought a label we acquired with fellow Pour Boy diner, Dr Dan. In the end, I opted for a vintage label of a favorite producer/label which proved an ideal choice.
Amazingly, when I saw the winelist, vast majority of selections were producer labels I considered bringing BYOB!
Dan and I both brought BYOB bottles tonight that were 98+ point rated selections, from prime vintages, and at twelve and fourteen years, in their prime drinking windows, perfect selections for pairing with our dinner.
Hall 1873 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2014
From one of our favorite producers of highly acclaimed Napa Cabernets, this label commemorates the founding year of their historic Napa Valley vineyard.
Hall has beco
me one of the premiere Napa Valley producers of ultra-premium Cabernets. We’ve visited the magnificent Hall Rutherford estate vineyards and winery several times as featured in these blogposts = Hall produce a broad portfolio of highly acclaimed wines and we acquired this label as part of our wine club allocations back on release.
This label commemorates the founding of the first winery on the historic property back in 1873 when Captain William Peterson came to Napa and established a pioneering winery on their St. Helena property. Throughout the 1930’s and 40’s, the site grew to become Napa’s most important winery, producing nearly 40% of its entire vintage.
The fruit for this Hall “”Eighteen Seventy-Three” hails from the mountain slopes that frame Napa Valley along the northern edge of the Vacca Mountains towards Atlas Peak.
It was rated 98 points by Wilford Wong of Wine.com, and 95 points by Wine Enthusiast.
100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Winemaker Notes - “Brooding and earth-driven, this wine opens with dominant aromas of crushed rocks, ripe blackberries, and wild blueberries. The weighty palate is structured by fine, powerful, tightly-wound tannins and balanced acidity. Integrated French Oak aromatics of toasted coconut, cinnamon and clove carry through the lengthy finish.”
Dark garnet colored, full bodied, round forward concentrated bright expressive vibrant rich ripe blackberry and black raspberry fruits with notes of creme de cassis, anise, sweet tobacco, sweet oak and dark mocha with full tannins on the huge finish.
RM 94 points
Dominus Estate Napa Valley Red Blend 2012
Dan brought from his Dominus vertical collection this 100 point rated 2012 vintage. Protocol suggests one doesn’t take a BYOB label that is available on the winelist. While they had Dominus on the winelist, it was a recent release, not an twelve year aged vintage, from a 100 point rated release!
Dominus Estate is the Napa Valley product from legendary Christian Moueix of Bordeaux Chateau Petrus fame. This is from one of the region’s oldest vineyard sites. Dominus sits on a rocky alluvial fan, a gentle benchland slope nestled into the western hills of Yountville.
It was rated 100 pointss by Vinous, 99 points by Jeb Dunnuck and the Wine Independant, 98 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, Decanter and James Suckling, 95 points and Editor's Choice from Wine Enthusiast, and Wilford Wong, and 94 points from Wine & Spirits and Wine Spectator.
Like many 100 points wines, perfection is discernable not so much by any memorable or highlighted flavor sprites or profile, but rather the lack of any faults, and the straight forward elegance, polish and balance of the blend.
Vinous in their ‘perfect’ rating wrote, “Dominus is very clearly one of the wines of the year. I loved the 2012 from barrel, but found it quite closed after bottling. Now, after all these years, I finally see the realization of the potential suggested in my barrel tastings. Magnificent.”
In his 99 point review Jeb Dunnuck wrote, “The 2012 Dominus is a sensational wine that certainly ranks with the all-time greats of this cuvée and is reminiscent of the 1991”, describing it as “Ripe, flamboyant, and incredibly sexy, it nevertheless shows the classic style of this estate, has nothing out of place and just glides across the palate. It's a tour de force in Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and one of the greats. 99+“
Decanter wrote, “if you have any 2012 in your cellar, try it today and try it again in 5, 10, and 15 years.” Similar to Robert Parker’s note that this is “built to go on for 25-30 years.”
Wilfred Wong of Wine.com said it is one of the winery's best efforts to date.
This Bordeaux varietal blend was 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot, and 2% Cabernet Franc.
Winemaker Notes - “The Dominus 2012 exemplifies the finest qualities of Cabernet Sauvignon from an ideal vintage. The intriguing nose offers a depth of aromas including lavender, Asian spices and cedar. Soft, supple tannins buoy layers of dark earth and cocoa. The wine is racy yet refined with a long elegant finish.”
Dark garnet colored, medium to full-bodied, elegant, silky smooth and polished, pure seamless black raspberry and black currant fruits with notes of rose petal, cassis, graphite, violets, tobacco leaf and anise, hints of mocha and hazelnut with round soft fine tannins on a soft velvety finish.
RM 96 points.
We then had to try the Belmont signature chocolate cake, prepared by legendary local
DeEtta’s Bakery, delicious paired with tawny ports.
Check out The Belmont in Naperville, while you can, before it is discovered and becomes a difficult reservation to obtain!
