Bourdain Report part I

[LauraMc]

First, the food report, they switched the menu a little from the first one I posted:

PASSED
Gloria Ferrer, Blanc de Blanc 2004
Albacore Tuna Tar-Tar Cones, Yuzu Vinegar
One of the best tastes of the night. It was like sashimi in an ice cream cone.
Lobster-Scallion “Shooters” Red Chili-Coconut Sake
This sort of tasted like a curry shot. The lobster was just a little piece of lobster that had some sort of breading. It's supposed to be like a lobster dumpling but I much preferred the tuna over this app.
Maytag Blue Cheese Chips, Apple-wood Smoked Bacon
Good if you like blue cheese but I never have. It was served on a small tortilla chip that the restaurant makes. The blue cheese had a creamy consistency with bacon sprinkled on top.

1ST COURSE
Valley of the Moon, Pinot Blanc, Sonoma County 2006
Serrano Ham Wrapped Scallop, Saffron, Chorizo Spanish Rice, Poached Tomato Lobster Butter
A nice, fat scallop on top of the rice surrounded by ham and drizzled with the butter.

2ND COURSE
The Monterey Vineyard, Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands 2006
Chicken Fried Quail Saddles, Grilled Portobello Foie Gras Bread Pudding, Green Chili Red Eye Gravy, Orange, Dried Cranberry Chutney
This was fantastic. I have always joked that the only bread pudding I liked was the white chocolate bread pudding from Palace Cafe; now, I have to add foie gras bread pudding to the list. The bread pudding was sandwiched between two pieces of quail. It was an incredible blend of tastes.

3RD COURSE
Helix, Pomatia, Columbia Valley 2005
Peroni Beer Braised Berkshire Pork Cheek, Butternut Squash-Parsnip Puree, Baby Chanterelle-Lemon Thyme Glaze
My first time to have pork cheek and hopefully not the last. I was super-proud of my nephew when Bourdain looked at Kent Rathbun after two bites and told him that this was "excellent". I'm sure I don't do this dish justice with my description but it was sort of like foie gras with a firmer consistency and pork taste. I think the lemon glaze was a great compliment to the pork.

4TH COURSE
Fantinel, Vino Spumante, Brut Rose
Trio of Dessert Sushi, Mango Bubble Tea Shot
This was like three tiny cheesecakes rolled into sushi size served on a rectangle plate with chopsticks. I got a laugh out of Bourdain when I said that it was no fair that they serve us all this alcohol and then expect us to use chopsticks properly. I was so afraid my bite would fly across the table but I managed to get it to my mouth without any accidents. Mango is my favorite fruit so I knew I would like the bubble tea. It was served in a tall shot glass with mango pulp just big enough to suck through the wide diameter straw. I loved it but several people looked scared of it. If I hadn't been so full, I would have offered to drink theirs too.

Picture attached is Kent Rathbun, Anthony Bourdain, Brian McNamara (my nephew).