Recently I attended a Bon Vivant dinner featuring the work of my friends and comrades-in-arms. Honestly, I was very impressed with the number of people who donated their time making this meal unforgettable. Chef Richards was in the kitchen, along with two of Ethan's best friends. David Dubou from Vintner's Select expertly paired wines with a menu that defied what we think we know about flavor. Service, by BVS, was friendly and professional, yet kept to the speakeasy informality. The space, by FB3, was open and airy, with photographic art on the walls that invoked a sense of poetic tension. Oh yea, and little-old me on introductory cocktail. The play by play...
Appertif: Carbonated Cocktail of vodka, strawberry pastry glaze, lemon and basil. The champagne flute was wrapped in a rhubarb helix and rimmed with a combination of sumac, Murray River Salt and sugar (1:1:4) Tasty, if not a tad sweet...
Salad: A chocolate brioche crouton was topped with a delicious baby golden beet salad. A kalmata olive powder, placed slightly to the side encouraged the guest to treat it like a condiment. The crouton explored the savory complexities of chocolate, really making the beets sing.
2007 Handley Pinot Gris- The rounder edges of this wine played well with the salad, yet didn't compete with the brioche.
Bass: A bed of diced potato (nice knifework!) and charred leek were topped with black bass, crispy skin on. Crispy chicken skin about the plate told the story of one of the inspirations behind the dish. A carrot gel, accented with cinnamon (and maybe nutmeg) brought nice color to the plate. A foam with a light vanilla flavor really pulled the disparate elements together. Oh, and the foam was very stable. I rank foams according to how long it takes for them to return to liquid form and I wouldn't be surprised if he couldn't get 15 - 20 mins out of this one.
Verget Macon-Village- A white burgundy, unoaked, both complimented and contrasted the various elements. You could feed me tree bark from this region and I would like it!
Candied Apple: An apple, the size of a cherry was encased in a gel of celery, rosemary-apple cider. Lime-infused baking soda was then poured over it, just prior to serving. My favorite thing of the night! All of the acid and coolness one needs in a palate cleanser, with the baking soda growing in the mouth. It provided a tactile and sonic amusement that made me laugh out loud...
Pork Belly: Mustard butterscotch glazed and cooked till the fat melted in your mouth. A twist on baked beans with white beans and duck confit rounded out the other element of this pork and beans interpretation. The mustard greens really spoke of the ingredient, in large part to juxtaposition with the other elements. The maraschino cherry puree had great texture. I actually would have preferred it over my pastry glaze in the cocktail...
2006 Hop Kiln blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignane, Zin, Malbec, Cinsault- Cut through the fat beautifully and had a nice smokey note that complimented the flavors beautifully.
Blue Cheese: A cheesecake made with blue cheese. Great balance of flavor, neither too powerful, nor too flimsy. A very nice fruit salad and black walnut nougatine were both great accompaniments for this cheese course- meets dessert offering.
Kopke Port: A tasty tawny that paired brilliantly with every element in this dish. I hadn't thought of nut and tawny pairings before. A definite source of inspiration!
After Dinner M(e)nt: Essentially, an ice cream sandwich for adults. The plate was a menagerie for chocolate accented with the bold flavors of menthol, wasabi and sesame.
Domaine Poudroux Maury: A nice, grenache based, fortified dessert wine that is a natural with chocolate.
Great work all on a terrific evening! As you can tell, I had a great time and can't wait to do this again!
I think I'll go and rest my hands now, tee-hee!