At the River Rock Casino in Richmond, you will find Tramonto Restaurant showcasing classic flavours and dishes of West Coast-inspired cuisine with an innovative, fresh and local approach.
Besides their dining menu, they occasionally host Wine Dinners featuring local wineries and guest speakers. We got a sneak peek of their first wine dinner with Haywire & Narrative Wines by Okanagan Crush Pad.
Interior
Situated on the 3rd floor of the River Rock Casino is Tramonto. They feature a beautiful dining room, which overlooks the Fraser River and the River Rock Marina. As you look out the window, there are gorgeous views where you can relax and enjoy a delicious meal with friends or family. The atmosphere is inviting and intimate.
They also have a private dining room that can seat up to 18 guests, making it the perfect setting for evening for large groups.
Tramonto Wine Dinner
The Tramonto Wine Dinner comes with a five-course meal complete with wine pairings, presented by Guest Speaker Mike West of HQ Wines.
You get the opportunity to learn about the history of Okanagan Crush Pad Winery and the wine pairings, selected with care by Tramonto’s sous chef, Kenneth Konkle. The dinner costs $100 per person plus tax and a 18% gratuity.
You can find the upcoming dinners listed on their website with menus and any extra details. You need to make reservations ahead of time.
Amuse-bouche: Northern Divine Caviar with on a tater tot and creme fraiche paired with a glass of Haywire The Bub
I was surprised (and excited) by the tater tot! Everything worked very well in the pairing of this dish and set the tone for the night.
The caviar and creamy tater tot paired well with the Haywire’s The Bub champagne – a light, crisp, refreshing champagne with the perfect amount of acidity and crisp apple notes to balance out the richness of the abuse-bouche.
Course 1: Foie Gras Ganache with peanut butter topped with apricots paired with a glass of Haywire Switchback
This is a dish that you get to interact and play with. The foie gras and peanut butter are combined to create a ganache that you spread onto the cracker. The apricot helped balance the dish and the flavours and textures worked well together.
I really enjoyed the pinot gris pairing. It was cool, refreshing, dry, and had notes of guava and stone fruit but also had a unique creamy mouthfeel and clean finish. This is something I’d definitely buy to try again.
Course 2: Heirloom Carrot Veloute topped with nori, pea shoots, and sprinkle of red pepper paired with a glass of Haywire Freeform White.
I don’t think I’ve truly tasted carrot until this moment. I couldn’t get enough of this dish! The sweet carrot flavour stood out and blended well with the other flavours and textures.
The wine pairing was a slightly orange-coloured wine that Haywire created with very little intervention, leaving it free to develop naturally. It smelled and tasted of tropical fruits initially and further developed to finish dry with a herbaceousness.
Course 3: Seared Digby Scallop on top of toasted wheat berries, corn, corn shoots, and chamomile cream paired with a glass of Haywire Chardonnay (unoaked).
This scallop dish was perfectly cooked and delicious! The corn and chamomile cream elevated the wheat berries. By this time I was already starting to get full. Again, the pairings worked well for this course.
Course 4: Roast Fraser Valley Duck Breast served with beets, berries, apple mash, and chard paired with a glass of Haywire Gamay Noir.
The duck was perfectly cooked and I could feel how crispy the skin was as I cut through it. The portions were generous and overall, this was another delicious dish. The gamay was lighter bodied, juicy, and had a fresh acidity that paired with the berries, apples, and duck.
Course 5: Miso Mascarpone Cremeux servied with caramelized white chocolate, a port marshmallow and marcona almond paired with a glass of Narrative Fortified
I was initially curious about this combination and wasn’t sure how i’d like it but the miso mascarpone cremeux was another favourite of the night. The miso flavour married with the mascarpone beautifully. It reminded me of a cheesecake but the flavours in it made my taste buds curious and wanting more.
The fortified wine wasn’t overly sweet nor did it overpower the dessert.
Final Thoughts
Overall, the food was delicious and portions are great, so you don’t have to worry about whether you’re going to leave full.
The 5-course meal with pairings is a great value for a special night out. You don’t have to go downtown for a fine dining experience. If you don’t live in downtown, it’s something worth driving down to Richmond for. Alternatively, it’s located right beside the Skytrain Station if you want to take a more environmentally friendly route.
The environment also makes a winery dinner enjoyable because of the intimate setting.
Address:
8811 River Rd, Richmond, BC
Website:
https://riverrock.com/promotion/tramonto-wine-dinner/
