TDC Nala
1937, what a year that was
- Joined
- Jun 22, 2001
- Messages
- 59,190
Jiko Wine Dinner, 11/6/08 featuring Graham Beck Wines
Didn't take any photos of the hoover doovers. They were: Grilled Lamb Loin with Spinach in Phyllo (great, nice spicy sauce), Crisp Coconut Shrimp with Chakalaka (more spicy sauce), and Forrest Mushroom Risotto Cake with Spiced Remoulade (yes, on the menu it is spelled Forrest, like Forrest Gump. Run Forrest Run!), which Chef Robert cooked up right out there at the AKL observation patio and you had to wait until it cooled off before eating it. Even Forrest Gump would run ten miles to eat these. They were paired with Graham Beck Brut Rose, Western Cape 2006.
Dinner:
1) Pumpkin and Blue Cheese Dumpling with Truffle Brown Butter Sauce, Hazlenut, and Sage (by Chef Jay), paired with Graham Beck "The Coffeestone" Cabernet Sauvignon 2003
Chef Jay is new to Jiko, let's hope he sticks around awhile. The sauce was AWESOME.
2) Poached Lobster Tail with Saffron Thyme Cream and Wild Mushrooms (by Chef Eugene), paired with Graham Beck Sauvignon Blanc 2007
Whenever I see lobster I say "This ain't no dining plan." The tubular thing is heart of palm.
3) Curried Butternut Squash Bisque with Bombay Spice Sour Cream (by Chef David) paired with Graham Beck "Gameskeeper Reserve" Chenin Blanc 2008
Chef David is from Africa and he loves to play with the spices. You can't see the sour cream because they pour the soup over it and it shows up as you eat.
4) Warm Apple Cider with Apple Brandy and Oranges (by Chef Brett)
I thought I would miss the shot of vodka with sorbet they usually give out at this point - but not this time. In November you need spiced cider with booze in it.
5) Venison Two Ways: Grilled Loin and Whole Grain Mustard Tartare with Celeric and Red Kuri Puree, Carrot, and Wasabi Salad, Black Peppercorn Jus (by Chef Brian), paired with Graham Beck "The Joshua" Shiraz 2003
Yeah, it's Bambi. But he tasted awesome. Go with a non-meat-eater so you can have 2 helpings of this - even the raw Bambi tartare. (Actually 3 of us sitting with the non-meat eater split the meat). Shiraz is perfect with this
6) Cheeses: 1) Truffle Tremor Purses with Truffle Honey; 2) St. Marcellin Fondue with Figs, Pistachios and Winter Biscotti, 3) Le Yerbera with Pear-Cranberry Crisp and Walnut Caramel (by Chef David), paired with Graham Beck Blanc de Blanc 2003
The accompaniments were fantastic! They almost overshadowed the cheese. The fondue was a little runny but by this time you've had enough wine to pick up the little bowl and slurp it out. At least I had. They broke out the sparkling wines with this one and I am not crazy about sparkling wine. Drank it anyway.
7) Going Banannas (yes it is spelled "banannas" on the menu probably to go with the Forrest mushrooms): Housemade Vanilla Wafers, Brulee Banana, Banana Parfait, Banana Sorbet and Banana Ice Cream with Meyer Rum Sauce (by Chef Brett), paired with Graham Beck "Bliss" Demi Sec
Hope you like bananas. I love bananas so I ate all of this except the entire cookie, which was more like a vanilla slab (or at least a big vanilla shark fin) than a wafer. But it was wafer-thin. One more bite and it would have been Mr. Creosote's wafer (if you know who Mr. Creosote is). This was the better of the 2 sparkling wines so I drank this one too.
Todd English's Bluezoo Signature Dinner, November 7, 2008 featuring Ruffino wines
These are the hoover doovers, folks. It was necessary to take photos of these because they were just the world's coolest hoover doovers.
From left: Buffalo Chicken Shooter, Tuna Tartare, Ceviche Shooter
To eat the chicken shooter, you put the thing in your mouth, pulled off the chicken and celery, then injected the bleu cheese sauce into your mouth by squeezing the bulb thing. They had another flavor but this was the best one.
Hands Free Shrimp Cocktail
It's not that good a photo, but they stuck this thing on a stick that was sort of wired to the bar, and you were supposed to take it off using only your teeth. They changed out the stick every time (good) and the chef guy dealing them out could adjust the height of the stick. What I really liked about the taste was it had some sea salt sprinkled on it.
There was a glass of wine but it's not on the menu so I don't know what it was. It was white.
1) Amuse buche: Key West Middle Neck Clam, Bacon Ragout, scallion, paired with Ruffino Orvieto (white)
Good, but basically bacon with a clam in it
2) Butternut Squash, Sea Scallop, Chestnut, Maple, Sel Gris (salt), paired with Ruffino Lumina
Ever seen a flat scallop? They pounded this scallop flat. The powdery stuff is the chestnut.
3) The Stick It To Mickey Course: Foie Gras, Quince Butter, Banyuls Gastrique, House Brioche (Banyuls is a fortified wine) paired with Ruffino Borgo Conventi Sauvignon
YES it is Foie Gras on Disney property. Way to go Todd! The wine sauce was inside the little foie gras mold.
4) Black Cod, Baccala Fritter, Turnip, Riesling Air, paired with Ruffino La Solatia
Todd English came by the table at this point so I asked him what Riesling Air is. It's a frothy garnish that was put on the fish. It acutally sparkled, which you can't see in the picture. He said how they made it but I don't remember. Baccala is salted cod.
5) Grass Fed Beef Tenderloin, Rosas Farms Beef, Brussel Sprout, Truffle, paired with Ruffino Riserva Ducale Oro
At least I don't have to explain what anything is.
6) Fourme d'Ambert, Golden Beet Dip-In-Dots, Minus 8 Vinegar, paired with Ruffino Modus
Fourme d'Ambert is a French blue cheese. This was fascinating. The beet dippin dots were really something, loved those.
7) Teecino Ice Cream Eskimo, Chocolate Coffee Charleston Chew, Lemony Hot Chocolate Coffee Foam, paired with Ruffino Vin Santo
Not too much coffee flavor for the coffee hater (maybe because Teecino is an herbal coffee) and really an interesting dessert but I wanted more beet dippin dots.
Didn't take any photos of the hoover doovers. They were: Grilled Lamb Loin with Spinach in Phyllo (great, nice spicy sauce), Crisp Coconut Shrimp with Chakalaka (more spicy sauce), and Forrest Mushroom Risotto Cake with Spiced Remoulade (yes, on the menu it is spelled Forrest, like Forrest Gump. Run Forrest Run!), which Chef Robert cooked up right out there at the AKL observation patio and you had to wait until it cooled off before eating it. Even Forrest Gump would run ten miles to eat these. They were paired with Graham Beck Brut Rose, Western Cape 2006.
Dinner:
1) Pumpkin and Blue Cheese Dumpling with Truffle Brown Butter Sauce, Hazlenut, and Sage (by Chef Jay), paired with Graham Beck "The Coffeestone" Cabernet Sauvignon 2003
Chef Jay is new to Jiko, let's hope he sticks around awhile. The sauce was AWESOME.
2) Poached Lobster Tail with Saffron Thyme Cream and Wild Mushrooms (by Chef Eugene), paired with Graham Beck Sauvignon Blanc 2007
Whenever I see lobster I say "This ain't no dining plan." The tubular thing is heart of palm.
3) Curried Butternut Squash Bisque with Bombay Spice Sour Cream (by Chef David) paired with Graham Beck "Gameskeeper Reserve" Chenin Blanc 2008
Chef David is from Africa and he loves to play with the spices. You can't see the sour cream because they pour the soup over it and it shows up as you eat.
4) Warm Apple Cider with Apple Brandy and Oranges (by Chef Brett)
I thought I would miss the shot of vodka with sorbet they usually give out at this point - but not this time. In November you need spiced cider with booze in it.
5) Venison Two Ways: Grilled Loin and Whole Grain Mustard Tartare with Celeric and Red Kuri Puree, Carrot, and Wasabi Salad, Black Peppercorn Jus (by Chef Brian), paired with Graham Beck "The Joshua" Shiraz 2003
Yeah, it's Bambi. But he tasted awesome. Go with a non-meat-eater so you can have 2 helpings of this - even the raw Bambi tartare. (Actually 3 of us sitting with the non-meat eater split the meat). Shiraz is perfect with this
6) Cheeses: 1) Truffle Tremor Purses with Truffle Honey; 2) St. Marcellin Fondue with Figs, Pistachios and Winter Biscotti, 3) Le Yerbera with Pear-Cranberry Crisp and Walnut Caramel (by Chef David), paired with Graham Beck Blanc de Blanc 2003
The accompaniments were fantastic! They almost overshadowed the cheese. The fondue was a little runny but by this time you've had enough wine to pick up the little bowl and slurp it out. At least I had. They broke out the sparkling wines with this one and I am not crazy about sparkling wine. Drank it anyway.
7) Going Banannas (yes it is spelled "banannas" on the menu probably to go with the Forrest mushrooms): Housemade Vanilla Wafers, Brulee Banana, Banana Parfait, Banana Sorbet and Banana Ice Cream with Meyer Rum Sauce (by Chef Brett), paired with Graham Beck "Bliss" Demi Sec
Hope you like bananas. I love bananas so I ate all of this except the entire cookie, which was more like a vanilla slab (or at least a big vanilla shark fin) than a wafer. But it was wafer-thin. One more bite and it would have been Mr. Creosote's wafer (if you know who Mr. Creosote is). This was the better of the 2 sparkling wines so I drank this one too.
Todd English's Bluezoo Signature Dinner, November 7, 2008 featuring Ruffino wines
These are the hoover doovers, folks. It was necessary to take photos of these because they were just the world's coolest hoover doovers.
From left: Buffalo Chicken Shooter, Tuna Tartare, Ceviche Shooter
To eat the chicken shooter, you put the thing in your mouth, pulled off the chicken and celery, then injected the bleu cheese sauce into your mouth by squeezing the bulb thing. They had another flavor but this was the best one.
Hands Free Shrimp Cocktail
It's not that good a photo, but they stuck this thing on a stick that was sort of wired to the bar, and you were supposed to take it off using only your teeth. They changed out the stick every time (good) and the chef guy dealing them out could adjust the height of the stick. What I really liked about the taste was it had some sea salt sprinkled on it.
There was a glass of wine but it's not on the menu so I don't know what it was. It was white.
1) Amuse buche: Key West Middle Neck Clam, Bacon Ragout, scallion, paired with Ruffino Orvieto (white)
Good, but basically bacon with a clam in it
2) Butternut Squash, Sea Scallop, Chestnut, Maple, Sel Gris (salt), paired with Ruffino Lumina
Ever seen a flat scallop? They pounded this scallop flat. The powdery stuff is the chestnut.
3) The Stick It To Mickey Course: Foie Gras, Quince Butter, Banyuls Gastrique, House Brioche (Banyuls is a fortified wine) paired with Ruffino Borgo Conventi Sauvignon
YES it is Foie Gras on Disney property. Way to go Todd! The wine sauce was inside the little foie gras mold.
4) Black Cod, Baccala Fritter, Turnip, Riesling Air, paired with Ruffino La Solatia
Todd English came by the table at this point so I asked him what Riesling Air is. It's a frothy garnish that was put on the fish. It acutally sparkled, which you can't see in the picture. He said how they made it but I don't remember. Baccala is salted cod.
5) Grass Fed Beef Tenderloin, Rosas Farms Beef, Brussel Sprout, Truffle, paired with Ruffino Riserva Ducale Oro
At least I don't have to explain what anything is.
6) Fourme d'Ambert, Golden Beet Dip-In-Dots, Minus 8 Vinegar, paired with Ruffino Modus
Fourme d'Ambert is a French blue cheese. This was fascinating. The beet dippin dots were really something, loved those.
7) Teecino Ice Cream Eskimo, Chocolate Coffee Charleston Chew, Lemony Hot Chocolate Coffee Foam, paired with Ruffino Vin Santo
Not too much coffee flavor for the coffee hater (maybe because Teecino is an herbal coffee) and really an interesting dessert but I wanted more beet dippin dots.
) with the blue cheese. This is sounding like I really like blue cheese 
