I didn't feel like cooking on Friday, so Jenny and I walked up to the top of the hill to get dinner. At 7:30 with no reservations we were prepared to wait a while, but we got lucky at Betty, where we were able to sail right in.We scored two of eight seats situated on one side of a "bar" that looks into the hot part of the kitchen. We were seated directly in front of the expediter, and got to watch plate after beautiful plate being assembled within arm's reach.
This is as close as I've ever been to a working line going full bore - it was the rush, and the cooks were really busting ass. Perhaps the most amazing thing was the consistency of their work. Their grill man in particular is a remarkable craftsman; there was a pork loin on the menu that was served sliced and fanned out. Every one of the dozen I saw was cooked perfectly (except the ones ordered well-done which went out perfectly over-cooked).
Oh yeah... the wine. Rosso di Montalcino is the baby brother of the fabled Brunello di Montalcino. Brunello is a strain of Sangiovese grown near the hill town of Montalcino in southern Tuscany. The Rosso di Montalcino has less stringent requirements on composition and aging, so it's a lot cheaper than Brunello.
This bottle was very floral, I immediately got the scent of lavender that marks the presence of Cabernet Franc (wine people typically name this fragrance "violets"), which I was surprised to learn is sometimes added to Rosso di Montalcino. Beyond that it was very fruity - concentrated, not light. All in all, a perfect accompaniment to a lovely evening.
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