juicy finish

My brother was in town for less than 24 hours. He is a med student. He was here for a conference at the Moscone Center. He was also recovering from some kind of stomach flu, which he described in great detail.

So we took him to Medicine Eatstation, which specializes in Shojin cuisine (a type of seasonal cuisine created by Zen monks -- or so the restaurant's menu says).

This may be my new favorite vegetarian-friendly restaurant. While Millennium tends to "do up" their food, Medicine pares it down. Way down. Everything is basic, yet unbelievably creative and flavorful.

And fresh. So fresh.

This is what we ordered:

For appetizers, the four of us split Maitake Mushroom Tempura (which the server told us wards off cancer -- I support anything anti-cancer), Daitoku-Ji Fu (hand rolls which the server said "Westerners" typically find "challenging," so we felt like we had to order it) and the Inari & Cabbage Roll (filled with pickled melon and nine-grain rice).

I want to marry the Maitake Mushroom Tempura.

And then divorce it and get married to the Mung Bean Salad, which was my main course.

And then divorce that and marry the Edamame Soup (creamy and topped with toasted seasame and flax seeds!).

"What about the wine?" you ask.

I admit it -- Medicine's list is short. Maybe only five wines at the most. And of those five, only one red. We went with with Albet i Noya Lignum 1999, which was described as having a "juicy finish."

I found the nose similar to a Zin (lots of ripe black fruit, a hint of toffee and some pepper), but the wine itself was incredibly light-bodied (a little bit like a Beaujolais). The flavor was slightly spicy and earthy, with a cherry finish -- almost candy-like. There was good acidity.

But would I say "juicy"? Maybe not. But definitely perfect with the Maitake Mushroom Tempura. Which I may end up remarrying in the end, especially if this wine is involved.