By Chris Grimmig
On an evening furious with fanatical foodies and beer-lovers at Nectar in Berwyn (1091 Lancaster Avenue), the Feury brothers (Patrick of Nectar and Terence of Fork), collaborated on a menu with Bill Covaleski of Victory Brewing to appease all of the senses.
The four-course prix fixe tasting menu featured adventurous dishes from the Feury brothers, complimented each by one of Victory’s finest brews – most notably, the brothers’ own audacious “Fists of Feury” American Pale Ale. The trio delivered punch after punch over the course of an exciting evening.
Round 2: Lobster and pancetta, two of the richest and most decadent flavors one could hope to taste – paired in a single dish? In this case, the sum is even greater than the individual parts. Course number two was a delicious warm citrus poached lobster salad with crispy sun chokes, sun choke veloute, pears, pancetta vinaigrette and baby greens.
As if it couldn’t get any better, the salad was paired with the brothers’ “Fists of Feury.” Called an American Pale Ale, it doesn’t take long to realize this is a beer only chefs could concoct…and I’m glad they did. Brewed with rosemary, this crisp, clean beer possesses a smell that is distinctly herbal and very inviting. The zesty lemon notes in the beer made a wonderful compliment to the lobster in the salad.
Round 3: The third course of the evening featured Victory’s Moonglow Weizenbock, an extremely complex yet very drinkable dark amber wheat beer. The brew was paired with wild striped bass en crepinette and Asian pork belly with crispy shallots and root vegetable glaze. It takes great finesse to pair seafood with meat, and this dish was done artfully. This was the perfect dish for a cool autumn night, with the earthy fall flavors of root vegetable and pears.
Round 4: The finale was beautiful in its simplicity, featuring Yellow Springs Farm’s goat’s milk cheese with a Fists of Feury washed rind that the server eagerly encouraged you to eat. The smooth cheese paired nicely with a tart, refreshing quince and the herbs of a round cracker complimented the subtle rosemary of the washed rind. The final course showcased Victory’s V12 Belgian specialty ale, a perfect beer to conclude the night with…or so I thought.
Instead I had the good pleasure of sharing great beer and better conversation with Patrick, Terence and Bill over a pint of Harvest Pils at Nectar’s bar. Enthralled by the unique herbal flavor of the Fists of Feury, I noted to the group that it was a beer only a chef could have inspired. Yet Terence joked that the night’s menu could only have been created by chefs inspired by beer.
Between the Fists of Feury beer, the Fists of Feury washed goat cheese and of course each unique pairing, this was a meal that truly showcased the brothers’ and brewer’s versatility. At the end of the evening, it was clear that Patrick, Terence and Bill expressed as much joy in orchestrating the night as the patrons did in indulging, and it clearly showed in their offerings.
View more scenes from the Feurious Night by clicking here.
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