My partner Rumsey and I began our dinner with a crisp Steele Pinot Blanc from California, a light wine with good fruit and a great finish. It was a wonderful pairing for our first course, Creamy White Corn Chowder, topped with shaved Maine lobster tail and garnished with fried leeks and chive oil. This soup was truly a delight. Delicate and creamy on the palate, it had quite a bit of lobster, and the leeks and chive oil lent a subtle onion flavor.

Our next course, Salmon Three Ways, is a favorite of mine. The salmon platter consists of smoked salmon, gravlax, and smoked salmon dip, served with sourdough toast, fried capers, and remoulade sauce. It is a great appetizer to be shared, bursting with flavors of the West Coast. The wine choice, Pacific Rim Dry Riesling from California, is lush and dry, and just perfect with fish. I could eat this dish every day, since I love salmon served these three ways!

One of our main courses was the Chef’s Plate, which has been a remarkable surprise each time I’ve dined here. This particular night it was Herb Broiled Flounder with White Wine Risotto, served with golden tomato sauce and tomato compote, drizzled with balsamic syrup and garnished with fried basil. The complexity of this wonderful dish was breathtaking, and it was creatively plated as well. The flounder was perfectly cooked, of course, tender and moist, and the risotto creamy beyond belief. But what really stood out on my palate was the tomato flavor. I suspected heirloom tomatoes in the compote and discovered that was true, because it was like eating a tomato fresh from a backyard garden. The golden tomato sauce added another layer of fresh tomato flavor, and the balsamic drizzle complemented it all. Our wine selection was Clos du Bois from Calcaire Vineyards, a rich, smooth chardonnay with a peppery finish.

Our second main course was Grilled Filet with Buttery Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes, served with portabella peppercorn sauce and garnished with shallot rings. The beef was beautifully cooked, and fork-tender. I especially enjoyed the peppercorn sauce, which was rich and earthy. This entrée was paired with Semler Cabernet from Mailbu, a stylish varietal with an excellent finish.

Since blueberries are my very favorite fruit, I was delighted to share a slice of PLAE’s Blueberry Cheesecake, served with a lemon crème Anglaise and finished with a blueberry coulis. The cheesecake was bursting with fresh blueberry flavor, an unbelievable dessert, especially when paired with a glass of Taylor Fladgate ten-year Tawny. After such a fine meal, Rumsey and I both agreed that PLAE is definitely one of our favorite restaurants, and although we usually visit the restaurant on special occasions, we decided that any night of the week is worth celebrating the fabulous flavors of PLAE.