Mountain Views News          Saturday, January 15, 2011

GOOD FOOD & DRINK

8

 Mountain Views News Saturday, January 15, 2011 

Eat Well! DEREK’S BISTRO


Wine Tasting & 
Cuisine Tasting

Friends of the Library 

41st Annual Wine and Cuisine Tasting Event

Friday, February 18, 2011 

At Alverno's Villa del Sol d'Oro

"Drinking good wine with good food in good company is one of life's most civilized pleasures."—
Michael Broadbent

Now, picture your civilized self strolling around a pure Italian Renaissance Villa tantalizing 
your educated palette with fine wine and cuisine from your favorite restaurants. Impress 
your friends with statements such as "I can get red wine stains out of that." Add to that, live 
music, magicians and artwork of local artists, and its an evening not to be missed.

You may have guessed, were describing the 41st Annual Wine and Cuisine tasting event 
hosted by the Sierra Madre Friends of the Library. The always-popular evening will take 
place at the Alverno High School Villa, 200 N Michillinda Avenue, on Friday February 18 
7:00p—9:30p. General entry tickets at a cost of $60 will allow entry at 7:00, but Premier admission 
will allow 100 folk an early entry at 6:00 and include many new surprises.

Tickets can be purchased at Arnolds Hardware, The Bottle Shop, Iris Intrigue, and Savor the 
Flavor. You can also pick up tickets at the Sierra Madre Library, or click here to purchase 
main event tickets, on-line. As you can imagine, this event sells out, so purchase early and 
often.

In addition to attending one of the social highlights of the year, and "educate" your palette, 
youll enable the Friends to support your library services and programs. This past year The 
Friends of the Sierra Madre Library provided over $58,000 for equipment upgrades and 
improvements.

Additional information can also be obtained from the Sierra Madre Library

440 West Sierra Madre Blvd, Sierra Madre, CA 91024.

Just this past week I visited an old friend, Derek’s Bistro. It’s hidden in a small shopping 
strip on the corner of Marengo and Glenarm and you have probably driven by hundreds of 
times. Derek’s Bistro is named after the former owner and now is in the hands of a former 
patron, Mr. Tony Auer, I had the opportunity to discuss past and present Derek’s and enjoy 
Chefs Paul Ragan’s menu. Paul was a personal Chef for years and was trained at the French 
Institute of New York City.

Tony explained to me that Derek had been hinting for years that he might retire and that 
he was looking for the perfect person to take over, that special person that has knowledge 
of not only wine but food and the importance of customer service. It seemed like Tony had 
his hand up the whole time that Derek was pondering the transfer of his beloved namesake, 
Tony finally asked the question, how about me? and The rest they say is history. 

What you will find now at the New Derek’s is a very user friendly menu, Chef Paul’s menu 
offers some of the old favorites like the Filet Wellington ($39) with Haricots verts and sauce 
Bordelaise. I found it to be an excellent entrée and was quite pleased with my choice. Are 
you a fish fan? Coming out of the holidays fresh fish is getting scarce, however there are 
many choices at Derek’s, and Chef Paul tells me that many of the fish are line caught from 
Hawaii. In fact Paul is on the phone every morning talking to the Honolulu Fish company 
on what the freshest catch is, and once decided it is overnighted to the kitchen. Now that 
is fresh!!! Upon seating I was greeted with 
kitchen made fresh bread, then I started the 
evening off with a truffle egg, made with 
white truffle oil and American Sturgeon Caviar, I was an inch away from ordering the pan 
seared crab cakes, but Chef Paul steered me to the Driver Sea Scallops, two scallops on 
sweet pea and mint risotto, I wasn’t a big scallop fan until now. Foie Gras? Well of course, 
try the Torchon Foie Gras, it is a two day secret process and the end result is a fantastic cut 
medallion with caramelized mangos, As Chef Paul excels in the kitchen, and Tony know his 
wines, and there is no need to bring your own, Derek’s features over 25 wines by the glass, 
and the list changes as he sees fit. I had a wonderful Sol Rouge Zin , Tony tells me that they 
produce only 4000 cases a year. You 
must save room for dessert, the Carmel 
bread pudding is sinful.

Valentine’s Day is fast approaching , 
getting In a romantic mood? I have a 
great suggestion call in advance and get 
the table in front of the fireplace. When 
asked how best to describe the New 
Derek’s, Tony put it this way, If you liked 
Derek’s before , you’ll absolutely love it 
today. 

Derek’s is divided into four rooms with 
seating available for parties and small 
gatherings.

Derek’s Bistro 

183 E. Glenarm Pasadena 

(626) 799-5252. 

Hours are from 5:30 PM till close Tuesday 
through Saturday 

check out their website www.dereks.com 
for additional information.

Please join me every Sunday afternoon at 
4 PMon KABC Talk Radio, plus for you 
ATT Cable subscribers check out Channel 
99. My email address is thechefknows@
yahoo.com

TABLE FOR TWO by Peter Dills


Win Two Tickets to the Friends 
of the Library 41st Annual Wine 
and Cuisine Tasting Event

February 18th at the Alverno Villa

Look for this Wine-Tasting Artwork in Mt. Views 
Publications now until January 31st. Answer the 
wine trivia question, complete the entry form and 
drop off at the Sierra Madre Library. 

Drawing Rules – Limited to one entry per 
person, per Mt Views publication. Winner need 
not be present to win General Admission tickets. 
Completed entry from must be delivered to the 
Sierra Madre Library during hours of operation, same week of publication. Drawing 
tickets have no cash value and cannot be refunded. Eligible entry form does not 
require a correct answer to the trivia question.


$7 Chamber membersThursday,January 27th, 5:30 to 7pm$
$15 non-membersy,Jy,pNetworking, Door Prizes, Great FoodSample Fine California Wines120WSierraMadreBlvd120W.SierraMadreBlvd.
Also, plan to join us Feb. 10th, 5:30 to 
7pm, for a Joint Chamber Mixer as we 7pm, for a Joint Chamber Mixer as we 
welcome the Arcadia Chamber for our 
February mixer hosted by Ed Clare, 
Electrical Contractor, and Corfu
Do you have to many books at home? Wondering 
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trade them in for a book you have not read.
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204 S. First AveArcadiawebsite: bookrackarcadia.comPhone 626-446-2525