Dobbs Ferry's Indian Restaurant Orissa Celebrates its Second Anniversary with Wine-Paired, Prix-Fixe Tapas Dinner on Thursday

A wine-paired, prix-fixe tapas diner will accompany live jazz and the music of Brazil on March 8 at Orissa Modern Indian Restaurant in Dobbs Ferry. The wines to be served will be provided by Good Earth Winery, a winery located in India’s Nashik Valley.

Good Earth Winery purchases grapes from many growers in India and blends them for harmony with different dishes. These wines represent vibrant combinations of flavors that the winery says are especially suited for coupling with Indian and Asian food.

Dr. Rajesh Rasal, the winery's master winemaker, was the first student in Indian history to earn a Doctor of Philosophy degree in oenology (the science of making wine). He bases his winery's selection of grapes and suppliers on many factors in addition to taste such as harvesting methods.

To accompany the food being served at Orissa's tapas dinner on March 8, Good Earth Winery has selected Aarohi Sauvignon Blanc (2010), Brio Shiraz (2009) and Basso Cabernet Sauvignon (2008).

Aarohi Sauvignon Blanc is a dry white wine (actually it is light yellow in color) gifted with many taste contributors ranging from green pepper to passion fruit, guava and banana. It is served chilled and recommended for drinking with salad, prawns and fish.

Brio Shiraz is a fruity, medium-body wine, purplish red in color, and enhanced with a chocolate sweetness that helps it pair well with medium spicy dishes. It exhibits a complex spiciness of its own, predominantly infused by black pepper, but this is tempered by the sweetening influence of blackberry and plum. This wine is well suited for drinking with white meats and pizza or pasta dishes.

Basso Cabernet Sauvignon is a medium-bodied wine, ruby red in color; it matures for a year in an oak barrel and when consumed, one may detect a slight influence of black currants and pepper. It also provides a distinguishing whiff of burnt toast and a taste of plum and blackberry. Good Earth Winery recommends this wine if eating Tandoori dishes, roast lamb, grilled meats or soft cheese made from cow's milk.

At the dinner, guest sommelier Girish Mhatre will describe the history and characteristics of these wines and will serve wine to the guests.

Reservations can be made for the tapas dinner starting at 6 p.m. The menu, planned by Orissa consulting chef Hari Nayak and owners Cynthia Caracta and Niall Cain, follows:

• Shrimp bruschetta (tender minced shrimp served on pani poori)
• Garlic naan with green chili chutneys
• Choice of carrot mango salad with mint mustard dressing or butternut squash soup infused with madras curry and coconut
• Orissa paella or chicken curry
• Fennel infused lamb chops seared in the tandoor oven
• Dessert shooter duo: Jasmin panna cotta with fresh rasberry puree and traditional Indian kheer with pastachio

"The paella is a take on the traditional Spanish dish, made with fresh seafood and tender chunks of chicken in lightly spiced basmati rice, " Caracta said. "The chicken curry is made with tender chunks of chicken in a rich tradional tomato curry sauce."

Nayak is the co-author of "Modern Indian Cooking," with Vikas Khanna and Daniel Boulud (2007); he also wrote "Spice: Flavors and Recipes from Around the World" (2008).

The cost of the tapas dinner including a wine flight is $40 per person not including tax and tip.

The options available for attendees are:

• Tapas dinner with wine flight, $40
• Tapas dinner without wine flight, $35
• Wine flight only, $15
• Wine by bottle, $30
• Wine by glass, $10

The entertainment begins at 7 p.m. Morganelli, will play the flugelhorn (his favorte instrument) and act as percussionist. He will be accompanied by guitarist Paul Meyers. Jazz great Jon Hendricks describes Meyers as “the closest thing we've got to Joao Gilberto."

Good Earth Winery wine by the glass will be available to dinner guests who come to listen to the music but order dinner from the regular menu instead of the tapas menu.

Physician/scientist Cynthia Caracta and her husband Niall Cain, the owner of NcC Studio Architecture in Dobbs Ferry, opened Orissa on February 9, 2010. Caracta is manager/host and events coordinator. Cain designed the restaurant's colorful contemporary interior.

Orissa Modern Indian Restaurant is open for dinner every day except Monday. It is open for lunch every day except Saturday and Monday. The restaurant is located at 14 Cedar Street, Dobbs Ferry, NY, 914-231-7800. www.orissany.com