I'm writing this first-ever blog, simply because I was manipulated into doing so. You see, my friend, Eddie, who will more than likely be less than enthusiastic but inwardly overjoyed at my mention of him, bribed me into it by saying that he would start taking more pictures of the things in his life if I started writing blogs about the happenings in mine. Does this seem fair? I think not. I have no flair when writing, yet he is a self-professed "good photographer". Therefore, I start this treacherous task with a disclaimer: if any of my blogs are in any way boring, blame Eddie. :) He specifically asked for a descriptive tale of last night's events, so that will be my first blog topic:
Last night, I had the incredible experience of dining with Iron Chef Hiroyuki Sakai, and enticing my senses with the spectacular feast he had prepared. Let me start off by saying that, not only is this man an amazingly talented chef, but he is also one of the most gracious men around. He made a point to go to each and every person, shake hands, pose for countless pictures, and still thank THEM for coming to eat his food. He truly has a passion for what he does, evidenced by the fact that he is self-taught and obviously puts his heart into each dish he creates.
Once seated at the elegantly arranged tables, I noticed that I had in front of me 4 forks, 4 knives, 3 spoons, and 3 wine glasses...all of varying size and shape. A little daunting, to say the least. But, after remembering the advice from my etiquette-friendly grandmother, "Start from the outside and work your way in," I felt ready to delve into the taste extravaganza.
The first course was translated as "crab from crab." :) It consisted of a creamy crab-based gelatin in the center, topped with a unique kind of red caviar, all of which were surrounded by sizable chunks of crab and lobster, as well as broccoli, radishes, and pea pods. It was a very unusual combination of flavours and textures, but it all worked together to form a fabulous appetizer…and my personal favourite in terms of presentation.
The second course was a savory beignet filled with foie gras (duck liver), smothered in a decadent black truffle and marsala sauce. I have to admit, I was slightly hesitant to try this one simply because of the well-known popular distaste of liver. But one bite was enough to change the mind of even the strongest protestor.
The third course, my favourite dish of the night, consisted of lobster risotto, topped with woven zucchini (yes, long exceptionally thin strips truly woven together like the sides of a basket) formed to resemble ebi (shrimp) sushi. This was surrounded by a very rich and creamy lobster sauce. Having the chance to taste this dish is an honour indeed, because he typically only makes it for high government officials or celebrities. I'm definitely glad that he made an exception in this case. :)
The fourth course was minestrone soup. But to call it that almost seems like a slap in the face, for it was much more than what one would consider as common minestrone. It kept true to the norm by having shelled pasta, onions, and other veggies. However, the broth was much less tomato flavoured, had a stronger seasoning base, and had fresh green bean chunks. The green beans provided a very nice texture variance, adding crunchy with the typical softness of soup.
The fifth, and main, course of the evening was a beef tenderloin filet that had been roasted inside of banana leaves and an extremely thick layer of Okinawan sea salt (
The sixth, and final, course was the dessert. It was a circular layered dish. On the bottom, there was a tasty apple concoction that was mostly baked apple but had just enough batter to make the texture seem like a cake. Next was a fluffy meringue layer…just the right thickness for added texture. The next layer was a milky apple sorbet that was absolutely fabulous, with the perfect amount of sweetness to compliment but not overpower. At the very top were a thin circular piece of caramelized sugar and a drizzling of caramel.
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