The Chef's Table

This will go down as one of the most amazing evenings of my life. Thank you to W for the idea and making it such a special way to celebrate a milestone. The perfect venue with a quintessential crowd.

Photos were allowed, but no one thought to bring a camera. My excuse ... it didn't fit into my ridiculously small clutch ... Mobile camera will do, but the colours don't work on the low resolution. I have included below a photo of one of the courses from the restaurant website.

The evening started at 6.30 pm with Louis Roederer champagne and some amazing canapes, including tuna & mayo which left me speechless. I love when something so simple can taste so amazing. The next step was introduction to the kitchen and sitting down at our table for the evening. Tucked away in a corner, but elevated a few steps to allow the ultimate vantage point. The Executive Chef Jason Atherton right in front of us as he looked over every dish leaving the kitchen.

He did not fail to disappoint displaying an outburst here and there, whenever something did not go to the tight plan. The kitchen seemed to operate like a well oiled machine. Different stations were responsible for the hot/cold starters, fish/meat mains and desserts. Within each section there was an assembly line approach ... and they all made it seem so so easy.

We were left to wonder around the kitchen freely and had a guided tour, complete with each of us donning a blue and white stripped aprons (just like all the chefs!). The birthday boy got to try a hand at our scallop course. He looked like a pro ...

The menu and wines were entirely selected for us. debating the grape and maturity of each bottle just added to already flowing conversation. There were some amazing flavours from beetroot pickled in Cab Sav vinegar with Italian goats cheese, to fois gras teamed up with a Hungarian dessert wine

We finished the evening at 12.30 am satisfied and breathess.

The menu is below, but there are some bits missing ... like the unbelievable Tyrrell's Hunter Valley semillon, the berry salad and truffle and date dessert..
______________

Truffled swede velouté
with braised duck leg and cep brioche
~
Marinated beetroot, Sairass cheese,
pine nut and Cabernet Sauvignon dressing
~
Foie gras marinated in Pinot Noir caramel,
smoked ham hock and piccalilli
~
Roasted sea scallops with tomato,
ginger and vanilla chutney, spicy syrup
~
Honey and soy roasted quail with Landes foie gras
and spiced pear chutney
~
Duart salmon, pork belly with choucroute
and smoked raisin reduction
~
Spiced Royal Berkshire pork belly with slow roasted fillet,
apple cardamom purée and jasmine reduction
~
Selection of farmhouse cheeses
~
Selection of sorbets

_____________

Louis Roederer Brut Premier, NV
~
Riesling Achleiten, Prager
Austria, 2003
~
Soave Fonscarino, Stephano Inama, Veneto,
Italy, 2003
~
Jurançon Novembre, Cauhapé
France, 2004
~
Vosne-Romanée 1er En Orveaux,S.Cathiard
Burgundy, 2000
~
Spätburgunder, Franz Keller
Germany, 2004
~
Le Mistral, Joseph Phelps
California, 2003
~
Clos de Los Siete,
Argentina, 2003
~
Noble Late Harvest Tokaji, Oremus,
Hungary, 2003