Of Gorillas and great food

I actually have one of my clients to thank for showing me this video last night at our tasting. Did I ever mention that as part of my job, I sometimes get to go and eat food? For free? Really delicious food? And sometimes taste wine? That, my friends, is a Certified Perk, if I ever heard of one. Any rate, last night I was here (don't let the name fool you, they do everything) and there was fooood, glorious food. I actually fasted yesterday so that I would be hungry enough to eat from this menu. Check it out (not if you're hungry, though):

Starters:

• Trio of soups served in espresso cups for a warm 'sip' starter (no spoons needed!): Lobster Bisque, Red Bell Pepper and golden tomato basil soup topped with creme fraiche, cream of Butternut Squash with cinnamon and spices. Winner: Red Bell Pepper!
  
• Sourdough bruchetta topped with balsalmic vinagar reduction, goat cheese, fresh fig.
  
• Grilled tequila-lime shrimp served with drawn butter.
  
• Herb-grilled asparagus wrapped with procscuitto, served with a lightly spiced remulade dip.
  
• Cheese/Polenta Bites topped with osso busco in a wine sauce. Deeelicious, and I don't eat lamb. Ever. (My note about bites: Anything that says "Bite" should be A BITE. Served in a spoon or a neat bit size. There is nothing more awkward than doing this number at a party, "Mmmhmmm..thith ith...rwrreally goodth" because the bite is too big. These were the correct size and came in an unfussy spoon.
• Cherry tomato bite, stuffed with cheese, fresh herbs. Yummy!
  

Salad - Spring Green Pear Salad with caramelized walnuts, pears, feta cheese and a balsamic dressing. *I love this salad, but it's better with a Gorgonzola or a crumbled Stilton.

Main Course:

• Mesquite Grilled Tri Tip, horseradish and salsa. For those of you who aren't familiar with tri-tip - click on that link. If I only ate beef.
  
• Barbeque Chicken Quarter
  
• Cedar Planked Salmon with a brown sugar dry rub.
• Cheese Ravioli in a tomato basil cream sauce.
• Potatoes au gratin, Corn souffle* and bourboun baked beans*, garlic bread
  
• Grilled Vegetable Medley - included portabello mushroom, peppers, heirloom tomatoes, and eggplant. Delicious!
  
• *These two are the owners' family recipes and are easily over a hundred years old. People come in and are offered all kinds of more sophisticated sides, and pick these. I could eat the corn souffle alllll day long - it has fresh baby corn as well as sweetly creamy cornmeal all together. Mmmmm!
  

Dessert:

• Fried Brownie (no, you did not mis-read that....fried brownie) bite with raspberry sauce. Seriously good, and majorly rich - one bite is all you need.
  
• Warm white-chocolate macadamia cookie and vanilla ice cream, fresh berries.
• Veuve Clicquot. Hic!

Good thing I took a long, fast-paced walk afterwards, isn't it? This business can be dangerously delicious.