Monday, November 10, 2014

Sunday Dinner

I have friends who cook dinner every Sunday. It is usually something that requires a bit of preparation and the cooking starts in the afternoon. I admit that my Sunday's are a little too lazy to embark on something so epic but I do love being a guest at Sunday dinner!
Last week I went to dinner hosted by the Sunday Dinner Club (SDC). I was intrigued by their menu which was Indian food, done with an SDC twist, and paired with Stone Brewing Co. beer. 
The Sunday Dinner Club is hosted by chefs Josh Culp and Christine Cikowski. The SDC happens above their restaurant Honey Butter Fried Chicken but the space feels like a home. I was traveling solo and was seated at a table with three couples who all knew each other, but they were kind enough to welcome me into their group. We broke the ice quickly with a common love of good food and drink. 
It takes a gifted chef to pair food with beer and in this instance SDC delivered, not just really good food, but a delightful experience. The menu did have quite a few meat based dishes and they created vegetarian dishes that were definitely not an aside, but given as much consideration as the non-vegetarian dishes. I actually had a couple of envious glances from some of my meat-eating companions. 
I'll be heading over to my local liquor store asap to pick up some of the Stone Brewing Co. brews. Normally IPA's are not my favorite, but the Stone Go To IPA was perfect for me. I loved that you caught the aroma of the hops (which I adore), but it was not overly hoppy in taste. My other favorite was Matt's Burning Rosids, which is a Imperial-Cherrywood Smoked Saisan. The beer tasted incredible and also had a beautiful story. 
I think what made this evening special were the stories behind the food and the beer. Hearing the inspiration behind the dishes and their pairings, along with the communal eating, made for a really wonderful experience. 
What makes the Sunday Dinner Club even more special is that you have to know someone to get in. I was lucky to see Josh speak at Potluck! a couple of months ago and got on the list.
I will definitely be heading back for another dinner and if you are interested in going as well please drop me a line

Originally published 4/3/14

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