IN TODD WE TRUSTED: THE BLUEZOO SIGNATURE DINNER OCTOBER 16, 2009
This is my second Bluezoo signature dinner. Came back to it after having a good experience last year.
The more things change, the more they remain the same. Bluezoo is once again using the entire restaurant for the signature dinner. Once again you need to wait outside interminably before youre let in. Once again they are serving Ruffino wines (not that theres anything wrong with Ruffino wines just that I would personally have preferred trying something new for the second year). And once again there isnt space in Bluezoos café and bar area for all these people milling about looking for hoover doovers.
There was one welcome change the Bluezoo signature drink, the Zootini, was being mixed and poured for everyone while waiting. Because they were being mixed to order and were not pre-mixed, there was a bit of a wait for them. A glass of nondescript white wine (not bad, just nondescript) was also served for you to imbibe while you waited for things to start up. The way to handle the reception part is just to find a place to park until theyre ready to seat you because walking around is harder than dodging strollers at MK.
It was also easier to get ahold of the canapes which were being brought around more often this year.
On the left is a braised pork belly, on the left is hamachi with spices. Loved the hamachi, disliked the pork belly. Pork belly is fat. A slice of cold pork belly to me is like sucking on raw bacon. I like bacon but not that way. Not that Ive spent any actual time sucking on raw bacon.
There was also lobster on a skewer which was not photogenic but tasted nice. I am not a lobster fan but it was a good chunk of lobster plus something lemony and some celery. It would score higher if I really liked lobster.
Lobster:
Hamachi:
Pork belly:
It is my stated opinion that nothing served at a $180 per person signature dinner has any business scoring below a Lisa. So one major strike against the Toddapalooza so far. Well, its only canapes. Ill give them a break on this. And other people apparently like the pork, so its a personal preference thing for me, and I dont like marking down based on my own preferences.
I will say that they gave my friends and I a lovely table. We were able to see Todd and the wine guy when they got up and talked. They used a microphone, so it was possible for everyone to hear them, although Im almost certain the whole restaurant couldnt see them. After so much wine they started sounding like Charlie Browns teacher after awhile though.
Amuse: Apple cider, celery
Served with: Ruffino Orvieto Classico
This was really good. I cant recall ever having a fruit amuse before. The garnish is a very thin apple chip balanced on a slice of apple which was I think marinated in something boozy. Nice. I have given this a very good score for an amuse.
Scallop with lobster jus, littleneck clam, iberico ham broth, sorrel
Pairing: Ruffino Libaio Chardonnay
We call this the Skid Mark Scallop. The scallop was perfectly cooked, which is a plus. The little clam tasted like bacon. The bits of pork belly scooped up with gelatinous pepper sauce (orange dots) was better than the pork belly canape. Plus, I liked the chardonnay.
Porcini Papardelle: Fall Mushrooms, Ricotta Salata, Focaccia Breadcrumbs
Wine pairing: Santedame Estate Romitorio di Santedame
Hm lets see
did they mention SALT? Because thats what this tasted like. I mean, it tasted of salt to the exclusion of everything else. Here is my dilemma: Release the hounds, or not?
POINTS IN FAVOR OF RELEASING THE HOUNDS
1. A major restaurant at a $180 per person signature dinner has no reason to put something out of its kitchen that tastes like it was prepared in Dead Sea Sauce.
2. Ive forgotten how the wine was.
3. They couldnt pour water fast enough.
POINTS IN FAVOR OF KEEPING THE HOUNDS AT BAY JUST THIS ONCE
1. I ate it, all of it. I actually like salt.
2. The big honking mushrooms in it (they are hiding under the noodles) were nice.
3. The noodles and mushrooms were well cooked.
After considerable deliberation I am keeping the hounds indoors and Ned will make his appearance.
I will at this point reiterate that Ned does not need to be showing up at signature dinners. For him to appear at a meal of this caliber is actually rather serious.
Vitello Tonato: Sweetbreads, Toro, Lemon, Garlic Chip
Wine: Ruffino Riserva Ducale Oro Chianti Classico Riserva
Toro is not bull and its not a lawn mower. Its a tuna. We got two little thin slices of tuna over the sweetbreads. This is actually rather fishy-tasting tuna and isnt my favorite. Traded one to my friend for some extra sweetbreads.
The sweetbreads, however, were as far as I am concerned the highlight of the meal. They were excellent.
Now, thats more like it. Monty is supposed to show up here, whereas Ned is not.
Wagyu Shortrib, Cauliflower, Petite Vegetables
Wine: Tenuta Greppone Mazzi Brunello di Montalcino
This looks the way it does because a bit of beef carpaccio was wrapped around the shortrib. And you know what the absolute best thing served tonight was? Look at that little thin shaving of pickled cauliflower sitting next to the meat. Thats it. He should have given us a plate of that stuff and Id forgive him for making me bring out Ned.
Anyway, the shortrib was very good, juicy in texture, tasty and nice. Enjoyed the little veggies. I could have done without the carpaccio because after that much wine just try and unwrap your shortrib in order to see what it tastes like without the extra meat wrapper.
Cheese course: Humboldt Fog, Chestnut Maple, Brioche, Nitro Raisin
Wine: Ruffino Modus Super Tuscan
Humboldt Fog is one of my favorite cheeses. Points for that. The thing about this dish was Look at me, Im putting raisins in liquid nitrogen and you get some raisin dust on your plate. OK its kind of cool, but it aint MythBusters. This was actually a lot more fun last year when we got beet Dippin Dots instead of some raisin dust. Oh, and the garnish which looks vaguely like a marijuana leaf was not edible. Last year EVERYTHING was edible. You know what, dude? If youre going to play with the cheese, go all out.
I like the Super Tuscan but they serve it so late in the game (and this dinner serves TONS of wine) that the wines all started tasting the same.
Pear and Caramel Millefeuille, Tonka Bean Ice Cream
Wine: Ruffino Serelle Vin Santo del Chianti
I think at this point they thought a light dessert would be preferred. In my opinion after all that wine (did I say it was more wine than Mr. Creosote could drink?) we need something with a stronger flavor. This was sort of boring. Pretty, but boring. They did serve it with a very nice dessert wine based on Chianti though.
In conclusion, youre going to be seeing a lot of us talking this dinner down a bit, based on last years Bluezoo (much more creative) or on the Flying Fish dinner the night before, which I understand tended toward the height of culinary accomplishment, while this was a pretty good and somewhat interesting dinner with A LOT OF WINE, enough wine to have a party for the Armies of Ancient Rome.