Kata, I think we paid around $60 for the chef's menu, and it was around another $25 or $30 for the pairings. These are estimates, tho. I'm not sure if the prices change depending on what's being served, too. I know places where I live that offer a chef's menu change the prices depending on what they're serving.
First we were served a little tostada topped with a cabbage slaw and something very small and very raw. I'm thinking it was a fish. We don't do raw stuff generally, but thankfully we were able to gulp it down in one bite and wash it down with our pure rum Mai Tai
I think this was an anniversary gift from the chef. He brought it out to us, as we saw no one else being served this and it wasn't on the menu.
Salad was after the tostada. If I recall, it was greens, hearts of palm, olives, a cheese, nice dressing.
Next was a big roll with cooked shrimp inside. It was topped with two large green onions that were tempura battered and fried. The roll was all right -- again, we're just not into the whole sushi thing, cooked or not -- but the fried green onions were brilliant and soooo good. Best-tasting onion rings this southern gal ever had!
The we had the fish course. Snapper (cooked to perfection) on a black bean/avocado puree. On the side was julienned carrots, slightly blanched, tossed with oil, vinegar and CILANTRO!!! Cilantro and carrots are a wonderful combination and one I've incorporated into meals at home now.
Next was the filet. I don't remember what was on it or what was served with it, but our plates were licked clean. I believe it had a sauce drizzled around it, possibly onion and/or shallot.
Dessert course involved a creamy type of cake/pie with more drizzles of goo (chocolate and white chocolate) and some raspberries.
I don't think you would need to know what the menu is when you make your reservation, as the menu changes often (daily/weekly). For places with chef's menus, we just book the ressie and look at the chef's menu when we arrive. If it looks good, we order it; if it doesn't, we just order things off the regular menu. When you arrive and get seated, Tchoup Chop hands you both menus, chef's menu and the regular menu.
I will say with Tchoup Chop, even though DH & I weren't jumping through hoops over the roll appetizer, the fact that we got a signature salad, fish, filet and dessert for around $60 far beat the price we would have paid for ordering the filet meal by itself, a salad, an appetizer and dessert. Plus you got a fish meal in there in there!
