The Crowd: Coppola wines, Golden Road beers highlight dinner at Mutt Lynch’s
Wine dinners have become extravagant and costly, attracting large crowds at hotels, restaurants and clubs. Such dining events can run from around $100 per person to far greater extremes.
Recently, in Newport Beach, at one of the iconic beach-area hangouts knows to locals as Mutt Lynch’s beer bar and restaurant, the world-renowned Francis Ford Coppola Winery provided an exceptional array of its fine vintage for a remarkable dinner planned and produced by the talented and devoted Kristina Verzi working with Mutt’s owners Gail and Dan Lynch, general manager Michael Vayner and head chef Juan Martinez.
The cost of the multicourse extravaganza, including wine parings — $35.
Wine expert Gloria Yeager, Coppola Winery’s Southern California district manager, joined Richard Boldt of Golden Road Brewing to welcome the large crowd that converged at Mutt’s for a Friday night celebration over wine and beer.
The joint is a rough-and-tumble beer bar with worn wooden tables — carved with years of patrons’ initials and personal messages — open beam ceilings exposing electric wiring and plumbing, and the continuous blast of mostly ‘60s rock fighting broadcast sports events on big screens around the two-level bar that faces the beach and oceanfront near the Newport Pier.
Verzi, considered by Mutt’s regulars as the waitress with the “heart of gold,” is Newport’s very own version Diane Chambers from “Cheers.” Shew transformed the beer bar into a more trendy venue with tablecloths, flowers, candles and the appropriate silverware and wine glasses to complement the menu by Chef Martinez, the Coppola wines and Golden Road brews. Verzi even laid out a red carpet for the crowd entering Mutt’s off the beach.
Some 70 guests signed up for the event, which began with passed hors d’oeuvres and small plates of roasted figs, Gouda, grapes and ricotta. The crowd raved over the white truffle mac and cheese, spicy Saku tuna tartare and pork pot stickers with ponzu.
Spotted in the crowd were Dave and Leslie Appel, Mike and Phyllis Bailey, Dave and Sue Bostwick, Brennan Cassidy, Steve and Betsy Coleman, Kay Eadie, aka “Gram,” David and Holly Frost, and John and Karen Hawker.
Guests sat down to dinner that began with a salad of spring greens mixed with artichoke, Mandarin orange and bleu cheese.
Paired with the courses were 10 varieties of Coppola wines, including the Sofia blanc de blancs, the Director’s Cut chardonnay, the Virginia Dare pinot noir and Diamond claret. Guests also enjoyed the very popular Golden Road selection of brews like the 2020 IPA, Heal the Bay IPA and 329 lager, among others.
Table-hopping and dining on Harris Ranch boneless beef short ribs, baked dover sole and mini chicken pot pies with black truffles were dinner guests Dr. Barbara Keesling, Jim and Dawn Koschene, Jeff and Karen Liederman, Ryan Lynch, Bill and Sue Patterson, Kyle and Sarah Rooke, Ken and Valerie Whitehead and Justin Wiggins.
“The idea for this event began a few years ago to invite the community and Mutt Lynch’s customers to a fun and casually fancy wine-tasting event that wasn’t formal or stuffy — that’s not our style,” offered Verzi, continuing, “We wanted to feature really great wines and beers that pair with delicious food, with guests able to dine at their own pace, not in some structural fashion.”
As the crowd sampled special desserts created for the experience, including a Yuzu lemon tart, cheesecake brownies, mini tiramisu cakes and raspberry “fun” buns, Verzi toasted the staff that made the wine dinner “fun, fabulous, and affordable.” Kudos to Sandra Burton, Ken Davis, Robert Garcia, Sarah Mutt, Kelli Jeanne Ogle, Juan Vazquez, Israel Vazquez, Chelsea Warn, Matt Zamiska, Julie Gaffney, Nicole Avila and Lucy Avila.
It was living proof that one can still have a wonderful wine dinner experience for $35 in a million-dollar town.
THE CROWD runs Fridays. B.W. Cook is editor of the Bay Window, the official publication of the Balboa Bay Club in Newport Beach.
