Paul Hobbs Wine Dinner
There are nights where everything just clicks. The room, the energy, the way the food and wine speak to each other. This Paul Hobbs dinner was one of those nights.
When we build these experiences, it never starts with just a dish. It starts with the pairing. What’s in the glass tells me where I can go on the plate. From there, it’s about creating something that doesn’t just sit next to the wine, it elevates it.
COURSE 1:
Chicken Fried Chicken Wing PAIRED w/2021 HILLICK & HOBBS DRY RIESLING
That first pairing set the tone.
The apricot hot honey and the Riesling together were already doing something special. Bright, slightly sweet, a little heat. But I’m not going to hand someone a bowl of honey and call it a course. It needed a vessel, and not just any vessel… the right one.
So we built the best chicken wing we could. I crisped chicken skins, turned them into the breading, and gave that wing a texture that could stand up to the honey. Crunch, heat, sweetness… that one hit exactly how I wanted it to.
Honestly, for me, that was the highlight of the night.
COURSE 2: WHITE ASPARAGUS &
CRAB SALAD w/2022 YACOUBIAN-HOBBS DRY WHITE WINE
This dish had been sitting in my head for a while.
White asparagus isn’t easy to source, and I’d been trying to get it on a menu for a few dinners now. When it finally came in, I knew exactly where it was going. The wine had this subtle, versatile profile, so I kept the dish clean and intentional.
Sweet crab, light tarragon foam, white asparagus for texture, and a honeydew drizzle to pull out those softer notes in the wine. It was delicate, balanced, and a little different from what people expect.
That’s part of the fun, introducing people to something they may not be familiar with.
COURSE 3: BBQ TRIO PAIRED w/2023 RUSSIAN RIVER PINOT NOIR
This one was about contrast and comfort.
We built a trio:
Braised tenderloin chain, pulled and rich
Shredded pork in a bao bun with Asian slaw
Wagyu on a brioche slider
That tenderloin chain is usually tough, full of fat and sinew, but if you treat it right, braise it down, it turns into something completely different. Soft, flavorful, and perfect for this kind of dish.
It’s about taking something people don’t expect and making it shine.
COURSE 4: APPLE-JACKED
IBÉRICO PORK CHOP PAIRED w/2022 RUSSIAN RIVER CABERNET SAUVIGNON
I tasted the wine and immediately thought of Apple Jacks. Not milk and cereal, but the aromatics. Cinnamon, cardamom, that warm sweetness.
So we leaned into it.
We made a brine using 5 pounds of Apple Jacks cereal, let that Iberico pork sit for 24 hours, then built it out with a smooth pomme purée and apple chutney. It was a play on pork chops and applesauce, but elevated, layered, and a little unexpected.
COURSE 5: SHORT RIB TACO PAIRED w/2022 FELINO MALBEC
I’ll be honest, making a taco look refined isn’t easy.
But the flavors made sense. Wagyu short rib, blue corn masa, poblano pico, green pepper crema. The fat from the short rib worked perfectly with the Malbec. Enough richness to balance the wine, but still clean enough to keep everything moving.
Sometimes it’s not about overcomplicating. It’s about getting the balance right.
DESSERT: BIG DEBRA’S GIANT COOKIES
Dessert wasn’t planned the way it landed… and sometimes that’s the best part.
Our pastry chef Rachel made a brown butter thyme balsamic cookie. Somewhere along the way, they blew up in the oven. Giant cookies. Completely unexpected.
So we went with it!
We tore them up, went rustic, served it along with vanilla gelato, and let the room shift a bit. People got up, moved around, talked, shared. It turned into something more interactive, more relaxed.
Those moments matter just as much as the plated courses.
We had a lot of familiar faces in the room, and a lot of new ones too; That’s how you know something’s working. People come, they talk about it, and they bring others back with them. The wine community is tight. Word travels.
For me, these dinners are where we get to have the most fun. It’s where we take what we do in the restaurant and break it apart, then put it back together in a way you wouldn’t normally see. If you haven’t been to one yet, this is where you should start.
Our next event isn’t wine… it’s bourbon. And this Old Forester single barrel we just got in… it’s something special!
Five dishes. different direction. Same mindset.
We build it with purpose. We pour with intention. And we make sure it’s something you remember.
Can’t wait to see you,
-Chef Dallas