July 14 (or Quatorze juillet) is Bastille Day, the day the French celebrate their liberation from the tyranny of decadent aristocrats, and the reason for American Francophiles to celebrate with restaurant specials. On this July 14, two restaurants will have special dinners, one specifically for the celebration, and the other coincidentally so.
On Tuesday, July 14, the French will celebrate with fireworks in Paris and about six hours or so later, Brasserie Provence, 150 N. Hurstbourne Pkwy. in the Forum Shopping Center, will celebrate the day with a “Let Them Eat Steak” dinner for the cute historical pricing of $17.89, and an “Off With the Price” special on a bottle of Château Mourgues du Grès Rosé for $14.
Coincidentally, also on Tuesday, Varanese, 2106 Frankfort Ave., will host a wine dinner featuring the wines of Sean Minor Wines, a family owned and operated winery in the Sonoma Valley. The evening’s special guest will be Sean Minor Wines’ Larry Soble, who will talk about the wine pairings during the dinner.
The Tuesday dinner has sold out, prompting a last-minute scheduling of a second dinner on Wednesday, July 15, at 6:30 p.m. The dinner will start will chilled grilled shrimp and cucumber gazpacho, followed by a salad of baked Brie and grilled pineapple over Bibb lettuce with a mango-jalapeno vinaigrette. Other dishes will include a grilled flat bread topped with Tuscan white bean spread, dried cherry BBQ glazed salmon, smoked bison strip steak and beignet filled with mascarpone mousse and candied strawberries.
Dinner and wine pairings will be $64 Call (502) 899-9904 or email letsdine@varanese.com.
