Game On: A ‘Wild’ Night at Sky Armory’s Pop Up Dining
It’s no surprise that we love checking out different restaurants in the area, but it’s the variety of food events that really gets us excited. These events are usually a low stress and entertaining way to try new cuisine and experience a restaurant or event space in a more intimate way. I’ve written before about my love of wine and desire to learn more about it, so I was thrilled when Chris and I were invited to the January Pop Up Dinner at SKY Armory featuring Orin Swift wines. I will admit that I was slightly apprehensive when Chris forwarded me the menu and I saw that the theme was Wild Game, but I remembered the incredible eleven course culinary experience we had at the Chef Challenge at SKY Armory back in July and felt confident that Chef de Cuisine Jae Longo and his team would make it palatable.
We arrived at the SKY Armory on a Thursday evening and were immediately greeted at the door and made to feel welcome. We admired the open and airy space that manages to maintain a downtown chic vibe without feeling pretentious. The bar was open and there was plenty of space to enjoy a cocktail and chat before dinner. It had been a long week and Chris and I hadn’t spent much time alone together, so we relished the time sans kids to have a conversation that didn’t involve the never ending juggling act of after school activities and play dates that we usually talk about. There was an eclectic group of people of various ages and we noticed lots of groups that were clearly regulars. The long tables were set for a five course meal and the sparkling wine glasses held the promise of a fun evening.
We found two available seats at one of the tables and struck up a conversation with the people around us. When we first started going to events like this, I would always worry about finding a seat and whether it would be awkward sitting next to people we didn’t know. Thankfully, food bonds people together and the anticipation of each course provided lots of conversation starters. We had a wonderful time chatting and comparing the dishes with our table mates. One thing that makes SKY Armory events stand out from some of the other events we have attended is their attention to detail and exceptional service. We were never without clean silverware and our water glasses magically refilled without ever having to ask for more. This is especially important when you are tasting wine and have to work in the morning!
Each course was introduced with a brief discussion of the wine and Chef Jae describing the inspiration for the dish. The wines were from winemaker Dave Phinney’s Travelers series for Orin Swift and I loved tasting and comparing the different blends without having to commit to a bottle. Here are all of the delicious courses we enjoyed during our dinner:
The duck breast and bison rib were particular favorites of mine. Yes, I tried bison rib and enjoyed it immensely! Thank you to Jae Longo and his culinary team for pushing me out of my comfort zone and introducing me to some new flavors. We thoroughly enjoyed our pop up dining experience and highly recommend trying one of these events. February features a two week dining experience that has three courses for $30.00. The pop up dining events usually take place on the third Thursday of the month and have a wine, beer, or cocktail pairing with a small plate tasting menu.