Deb and I agreed to meet at 6:30 p.m. in front of the restaurant.  Dinner was scheduled for 7:00 p.m.  We entered the restaurant and were promptly served the Riesling as we stood around the registration table in the bar area.  I was wearing my white souvenir polo shirt with the logo "New
Zealand" followed by the Maori name and translation "Aotearoa - Land of the Long White Cloud".  I thought it was appropriate for a New Zealand wine dinner and so did the others.  The winery representative began asking about my New Zealand travels.  I was honest about my limited experience with New Zealand.  I only visited the airport on a layover to and from Sydney/Fiji.
But at least I've been there, didn't do much, but bought the souvenir (not a T) shirt.

Deb and I found a table for four and sat next to the window where we could observe both the inside of the restaurant and the outdoor-patio where several guests were dining al fresco.  We both share a delight in people watching and our view was not a disappointment.

This was Deb's first visit to Yia-Yia's so I pointed out the oak fired oven where they bake pizzas, smoke fish and meat and prepare some wonderfully smoke-flavored sauces on their menu (e.g. smoked crimini mushroom sauce for their signature
double-thick pork chop).  We could also watch the chefs while they prepared menu items because the grill is an open area and apart from the kitchen.

Appetizer: Pan-seared Serrano wrapped Yellowfin Tuna with wild mushroom basmati, wasabi caviar and lemon mustard vinaigrette.  Wine: 2000 Private Bin Riesling

We were both surprised that the Riesling seemed much drier than we anticipated.  The generous portions of tuna were wrapped in thin slices of Spanish Serrano ham that had a subtle hint of smokiness.  Two of these wrapped morsels were plated on top of a rectangular bed of basmati rice laced with wild mushrooms in the center of the plate.  Using compass points for
reference, the northern and southern poles of the plate contained a serving of wasabi (green) tobiko caviar, while the eastern and western edges contained a serving of bright orange tobiko caviar.  Around the "cube' of rice (app. 2.5" wide, 4" long, 1.5" deep) was the lemon mustard vinaigrette. The tuna had been seared to perfection with a thin, outer layer of gray that surrounded the inner red flesh.  We both remarked that the seared fresh
tuna had no fishy taste at all and bore no resemblance whatsoever to the stuff that comes from a can.  We laughed about growing up thinking that seafood was tuna salad, salmon cakes or fish sticks.  Fish in our childhood was either from a frozen package of Mrs. Paul's or it came from a can.  The lemon mustard vinaigrette was obviously prepared with Dijon mustard and too much of it might invoke an unexpected gasp. The caviar had a slightly salty taste and those delicate eggs were tiny.  At the next sip of wine I wondered if someone had surreptitiously switched glasses with me.  The wine had taken on a totally different dimension when consumed with the appetizer.

Our servers were John, Than and Sara.  Their cheerful, smiling faces were always appearing whenever our glasses were nearly empty.  The three of them served the wine dinner guests (app.36) with nimble grace.  The presentation of each course was certainly a feast for the eyes.

Salad:  Garlic shrimp, pea shoots and shiitake mushrooms with a saffron onion ratatouille.  Wine: 2000 Private Bin Chardonnay
This was a surprise.  I wondered what pea shoots were.  Deb and I looked at the salad and we were both puzzled.  The wilted greens in this salad looked like bright green spinach.  Deb picked at her salad because she doesn't like spinach.  The onions took on a characteristic yellow color from the saffron. Joe, the wine rep, came to our table and explained that the Chardonnay was fermented in stainless steel tanks.  Deb thought it had a pleasant burst on the tongue and I detected an earthiness in the bouquet that I had mistaken as oak.  Perhaps they used oak chips in the process?  I should have asked. When Than walked by I asked him if the wilted salad greens were spinach.  He thought it looked like spinach as well.  He went to the kitchen to ask the executive chef.  A short while later he came back to our table with a sample of fresh pea shoots in his hand.  Pea shoots are the choice leaves and tendrils of pea plants.  The most desired shoots include the top pair of small leaves (the tip), delicate tendrils attached to the young stem, and maybe a few larger leaves or even blossoms.  By showing us the fresh shoot before it was steamed or wilted we could tell that it wasn't spinach.  Taste alone should have convinced us that it wasn't but the appearance and texture were deceiving. The salad was also served chilled (further cause of subterfuge), from a circular mold (the size and shape suggested a large tuna can) with a dressing drizzled around it.  The finishing touch was those beautiful, dried red and green leaves (dried parsley and???) that were sprinkled around the plate's rim and over the dressing.  Deb would have liked another glass of the Chardonnay but they started pouring the next wine.

Entree #1: New Zealand poached and chilled green lip mussels, jumbo scallops, tomato concasee, manchego crostini and a garlic parsley butter. Wine: 2000 Cellar Select Sauvignon Blanc
The first taste of the Sauvignon Blanc was pleasing. It didn't seem dry. The entree was another chilled dish and I told Deb that the entire meal, so far, could have been prepared several hours in advance and plated at the last moment.  My remark was to suggest a convenient way to serve many guests but was not intended to cast doubt on the freshness or quality of food we were served.  The green lip mussels may have been a first for me. Separating the flesh from the shell turned out to be a challenge on the first two.  The last one was a breeze.  The tomato concasee was placed in the center of the plate.  The scallops and mussels alternated around their concassee hub with the crostini on either side at the equator.  Neither of us had seafood like that unless we were visiting distant shores.  Kansas lakes and rivers do provide some excellent fresh fish but catfish, walleye and crappie aren't usually served chilled over tomato concasee.  Sara re-filled our glasses and I complimented the food and service we were enjoying.  Deb didn't care much for the crostini - to dry and crunchy for her liking.

Entree #2:  Peppered lamb loin with butternut squash, potato and Portobello mushroom ragout and sun-dried cherry demiglace.  Wine: 1999 Private Bin Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot

The Cab/Merlot blend was very soft and seemed delightfully devoid of tannins.  I do like how the Aussies and NZers (I won't call them Kiwis) blend varietals to produce a synergistic combination.  The lamb was excellent and this was another first for me.  Lamb loin has a different texture than leg of lamb and it resembled the best of beef or pork cuts. What surprised both of us was the butternut squash.  The chef explained that it had been coarsely mashed and mixed with cream and cheese.  I must give this a try at home.  The sun-dried cherry demiglace was not at all sweet, another pleasant surprise.  I think Deb and I would have been content to skip dessert if they would have brought us more wine and butternut squash.

Dessert:  Kiwi, papaya, pear sorbet with oven-dried apples and exotic wildflower fruit compote.  Wine: Warre's Otima Port 10-year Tawny Port was excellent.  Miniature scoops of each fruit sorbet were placed in a stemmed glass and garnished with the dried apple slice and wildflower.  The dried apple slice was not a wedge slice, but a slice through the equator of the apple.  As we were served, John told us that every part of it was edible, including the flower.  This was indeed an evening of dining firsts for me.  I am certain it was the first time I had ever consumed a flower. Hmm. It didn't taste like chicken. <giggle>  Executive chef Michael Czaplewksi joined us and received some much-deserved applause.  We had a pleasant conversation with him at our table.

Deb and I ordered coffee and the freshly-brewed French roast we received was like icing on the cake.  We left the restaurant at 9:45 and went for a walk. I showed her where a recent jazz concert was held, near the fountain and by the lakefront.  The ducks were swimming by the concrete and rock shore under the artificial light.  [Camera fades to black and the director yells, "Cut! That's a wrap, folks!"]