Seasons 52

Seasons 52 just rolled out their Spring Menu, so I was excited to get an invite to try some of the items before it launched on March 22. When we arrived we were led into one of their private rooms in the back. It was a cocktail hour of sorts, where we were treated to some of their specialty cocktails and wines. 

We were also given the opportunity to try 2 of their new flatbreads, Crispy Prosciutto & Asparagus and the Lobster & Fresh Mozzarella. They both were delicious but I would have to say my favorite was the Lobster & Fresh Mozzarella. This flatbread screamed spring to me. The ingredient that really took it over the edge for me was the lemon zest. That really made the flavors pop. The Crispy Prosciutto & Asparagus was my husband’s favorite. He loved the prosciutto and the cheese.

  

After the flatbreads we got a little bit of info about Seasons 52, and had the chance to speak with the Chef. I knew that they were focused on fresh ingredients, but I had no idea some of the things they do to ensure the best quality of their menu items. For instance, the restaurant manager was telling us about how they use a very small fishery in Nantucket for their scallops (on a different menu during the year). They have very strict rules in this town regarding how and when they can fish, so sometimes the restaurant is not able to obtain their order from the fishery and have to remove that dish from the menu for that particular day. I was blown away by this. That is something that I would expect from a mom and pop, but I never dreamed that a large restaurant chain would use the same type of methods.

We were then led into the dining room and seated at our own private table to enjoy a 6 course Chef’s dinner and wine pairing. We started the dinner with Chef’s Spring Amuse Bouche paired with Aveleda Vinho Verde, Portugal ‘14. This was a nice starter and it was packed with flavor.

Next up was the Spinach Salad paired with Tilia Torrontes, Salta ‘14/’15. I loved the 15-year aged balsamic dressing and the Gorgonzola crumbled throughout. The strawberries were a nice touch and really tied in the spring element.

Our next course was the Caramelized Grilled Sea Scallops with Lemon Risotto paired with Mer Soleil, Central Coast ‘13/’14. I loved these scallops and they were cooked beautifully. The risotto was packed with peas and peppers, and tasted great. The wine was one of my favorites of the night. It was a perfect accompaniment to the dish.

We were then brought out one of my favorite dishes of the night, the Meyer Lemon Ricotta Ravioli paired with Sinskey, Carneros ‘12. These ravioli were some of the best I have ever had, hands down. The brown butter sauce was fabulous! I was secretly hoping my husband was getting full so I could snag some of his.

On our next course we were given an option of Asian-Glazed Chilean Sea Bass or Wood-Grilled Rack of Lamb. We decided to get one of each so we could try both. The lamb was very tender and was seasoned very nicely. It was a good sized portion and we were impressed by it. The Sea Bass was paired with Selbach-Oster, Mosel ’14 and the Lamb was paired with De Toren Fusion V, Stellenbosch ‘12/’13. 

The Asian-Glazed Chilean Sea Bass was also one of my favorite dishes of the night. I loved the glaze and I tried to scoop it up with every bite. The fish was nice and flaky and was also a nice sized portion. The black rice was also a standout for me. It had such a unique flavor and was perfect for the sea bass.

When our last course arrived, we were a little worried since we were all stuffed from the previous 5 courses. We were assuming that we would get one dessert each, so when they brought out a 7 dessert sampler, our eyes bugged out. I am a self-proclaimed dessertaholic, so I immediately perked up. I was full before, but I gladly accepted this challenge and I’m happy to say, I won. Each dessert was better than the last, we were in foodie Heaven. Some of my favorites were the Belgian Chocolate S'more and the Key Lime Pie. Our wine pairing for the dessert was Selbach-Oster Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Auslese, Mosel ‘10/’13. I loved this dessert wine so much! It was sweet and paired perfectly with our desserts.

Verdict: LOVED IT!

We have been to Seasons 52 a few times previously, but this was our first time trying the Spring Menu and I have to say, we were highly impressed. I can honestly say that we did not taste anything that we didn’t like and the desserts really knocked it out of the park for us. The service was impeccable and the servers were very knowledgeable about the menu as well as the wines.  We will definitely be back soon to try some of the other items on the new menu!