An Amazing Meal: The Tasting Counter
Jul. 31st, 2015 02:33 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lillibetMy sister posted an article about The Tasting Counter, a new restaurant opening in Somerville. It sounded very much up our alley and we are trying to take as much advantage of Alice being out of town as possible, so we went.
The Tasting Counter lives up to its name--tucked into a corner of the Aeronaut Brewery, it is an open kitchen surrounded by a counter that could seat up to twenty. There were twelve of us tonight and we were at one end. One of the Aeronaut owners was at the opposite corner. The team is fairly small--just the chef, three sous chefs, the sommelier, and the chef's wife who keeps things running smoothly. There is a choice of beverage pairings (wine, beer, sake, or non-alcoholic) and we had chosen the wine.
Our meal was very much like the one described in the article, but here are my notes on the experience:
Welcoming Bites
sourdough, gruyere, onion
a dehydrated caramelized onion cup filled with gruyere cream with tiny sourdough croutons--a perfect little bite of French onion soup flavors
black olive, almond, duck liver
an almond macaroon filled with foie gras and dusted with black olive powder--perhaps my favorite bite of the whole evening, with a perfect sweet/savory balance
sichuan, fennel, hake, roe, lime, rice
a slice of cured hake on a rice cracker with lime sorbet and a red sorrel leaf--the extreme saltiness of the roe overwhelmed the brining flavors
Domaine Valentin Zusslin Crémant D'Alsace Brut Zéro San Soufre
marvelously nutty
Sea Urchin
kelp custard, black truffle, wakame
an eggshell with an only lightly set custard in the bottom topped with truffle sauce and sea urchin and topped with a piece of candied seaweed--wonderful texture and layers of flavor
2013 Domaine de la Bregeonnette Chardonnay
intriguing notes of licorice and almond
Sea Scallop
yuzu, grapefruit, preserved lemon, avocado oil cream
brined scallop on a bed of very thickly set custard, with a strong citrus flavor
2011 Chateau Lestignac, L'Ecorce de Lestinac Sauvignon Blanc
nice, but confirmed my preference for New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, which would have been delicious here
Hand Rolled Seaweed Pasta
hen of the woods, anchovy, bonito broth
perfectly textured noodles in a housemade broth of kelp, shitake, scallions, and bonito flakes, thickened to a creamy texture--I was very glad we had spoons
2013 Punta Crema Pigato Ca Da Rena
Sea Bream
beet, pomegranate, campari, rhubarb, sake
brined and very slow, lightly roasted fish--Chef told us he pulled the tray from the oven with his bare hands, that's how cool it was--that could easily have been overwhelmed by the sauce, but somehow held its own...the "sausage" of sake gelée filled with diced rhubarb made a playful counterpart to the other flavors
2014 Domaine Mirebeau Rosé
my favorite pairing, this natural-style rosé was less sweet than most, with more color and flavor than I expect
Monkfish
milk jam fennel, brown butter, cucumber
another delicate fish framed by inventive combinations of flavors--the fennel root was marinated in milk and vanilla and the sauce made from lightly steamed fronds
2012 Meyer-Fonne Gentil d'Alsace
a blend of sauvignon blanc, riesling, and Gewurtztraminer
Schisandra Berry
pine nut
the discovery of the night--this berry has all five flavors and the cold-brewed tea made a great palate cleanser...the almond cookie topped with pine nuts that accompanied it is quite possibly the single best cookie I have ever eaten
Miso Cured Duck
pear, daikon, celery, soy
duck breast marinated, then cooked sous vide for six hours, stuck in the fridge for a couple of days, and then seared with a blow torch and served on a gelée of celery, pear and daikon with a celery cream and a dollop of soy-based sauce that reminded me of Journeyman's miso butterscotch--my favorite course of the evening
2012 Vignoble Reveille Ultra Violet Syrah
Dry Aged Beef Sirloin Cap
burdock, cilantro, ginger, red curry
sous vide beef with a side of burdock cream backed by a lovely red curry sauce with a tangle of cilantro shoots and dehydrated and lightly fried ginger threads--I think this was the best for Jason
2013 Saetti Lambrusco Frizzante
the sparkling red was a fun pairing with the curry flavors
Lime Curd
passion fruit, lime, ginger ice cream
lime custard on a molasses cookie, topped with pretty little flowers and accompanied by passion fruit sauce and the ice cream, topped with a torched lime meringue
2013 Bera Moscato d'Asti
Bittersweet Chocolate
guava, macadamia nut, kumquat
unfortunately I'd forgotten to list chocolate as something I avoid--this was a very chocolate concoction, made like a mousse thickened to the point of cake and topped with various tasty bits--I had one bite and then let Jason finish mine while I enjoyed the Monbazillac
2012 Chateau Tirecul La Graviere "Les Pins" Monbazillac
such a treat to meet an old friend at the end of such an innovative meal
Parting Morsels
beet pomegranate marshmallow
more like a meringue in texture, with intense flavor
raspberry lychee rose tart
very sharp flavored
pear lemongrass chew
my favorite--intense, but not overwhelming, and a marvelous pairing
Overall, Peter Ungár's work reminds me most of the meal we had last year at The Kitchen Table at Bubbledogs, but where that tipped slightly over into more interesting than good, this one was solidly delicious from first to last. Ungár has an incredible grasp of flavor and has clearly put a lot of research into his methods and combinations. This kind of meal does not come cheaply, but at $150 per person--including beverages--it's really a steal, and the ticketing format (all-inclusive in advance, no need to bring your wallet) is very relaxing.
The one refinement I would like to see--not just here, but at every kitchenside meal I've had--is more effort put into the interaction. The staff should all be introduced at the beginning of the evening. Rather than describing the dishes when they are served they should be introduced when they begin plating, so that the diners can be more engaged in the process, instead of guessing what's happening. I realize that puts a lot of pressure on the team and not all cooks enjoy interacting with their guests, but I think it would add significantly to the experience and really set it apart from eating in the dining room.
Having a restaurant like this within walking distance of home is an incredible development. I'm really excited to go back as the menu changes and see what other surprises Chef has in store.
The Tasting Counter lives up to its name--tucked into a corner of the Aeronaut Brewery, it is an open kitchen surrounded by a counter that could seat up to twenty. There were twelve of us tonight and we were at one end. One of the Aeronaut owners was at the opposite corner. The team is fairly small--just the chef, three sous chefs, the sommelier, and the chef's wife who keeps things running smoothly. There is a choice of beverage pairings (wine, beer, sake, or non-alcoholic) and we had chosen the wine.
Our meal was very much like the one described in the article, but here are my notes on the experience:
Welcoming Bites
sourdough, gruyere, onion
a dehydrated caramelized onion cup filled with gruyere cream with tiny sourdough croutons--a perfect little bite of French onion soup flavors
black olive, almond, duck liver
an almond macaroon filled with foie gras and dusted with black olive powder--perhaps my favorite bite of the whole evening, with a perfect sweet/savory balance
sichuan, fennel, hake, roe, lime, rice
a slice of cured hake on a rice cracker with lime sorbet and a red sorrel leaf--the extreme saltiness of the roe overwhelmed the brining flavors
Domaine Valentin Zusslin Crémant D'Alsace Brut Zéro San Soufre
marvelously nutty
Sea Urchin
kelp custard, black truffle, wakame
an eggshell with an only lightly set custard in the bottom topped with truffle sauce and sea urchin and topped with a piece of candied seaweed--wonderful texture and layers of flavor
2013 Domaine de la Bregeonnette Chardonnay
intriguing notes of licorice and almond
Sea Scallop
yuzu, grapefruit, preserved lemon, avocado oil cream
brined scallop on a bed of very thickly set custard, with a strong citrus flavor
2011 Chateau Lestignac, L'Ecorce de Lestinac Sauvignon Blanc
nice, but confirmed my preference for New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, which would have been delicious here
Hand Rolled Seaweed Pasta
hen of the woods, anchovy, bonito broth
perfectly textured noodles in a housemade broth of kelp, shitake, scallions, and bonito flakes, thickened to a creamy texture--I was very glad we had spoons
2013 Punta Crema Pigato Ca Da Rena
Sea Bream
beet, pomegranate, campari, rhubarb, sake
brined and very slow, lightly roasted fish--Chef told us he pulled the tray from the oven with his bare hands, that's how cool it was--that could easily have been overwhelmed by the sauce, but somehow held its own...the "sausage" of sake gelée filled with diced rhubarb made a playful counterpart to the other flavors
2014 Domaine Mirebeau Rosé
my favorite pairing, this natural-style rosé was less sweet than most, with more color and flavor than I expect
Monkfish
milk jam fennel, brown butter, cucumber
another delicate fish framed by inventive combinations of flavors--the fennel root was marinated in milk and vanilla and the sauce made from lightly steamed fronds
2012 Meyer-Fonne Gentil d'Alsace
a blend of sauvignon blanc, riesling, and Gewurtztraminer
Schisandra Berry
pine nut
the discovery of the night--this berry has all five flavors and the cold-brewed tea made a great palate cleanser...the almond cookie topped with pine nuts that accompanied it is quite possibly the single best cookie I have ever eaten
Miso Cured Duck
pear, daikon, celery, soy
duck breast marinated, then cooked sous vide for six hours, stuck in the fridge for a couple of days, and then seared with a blow torch and served on a gelée of celery, pear and daikon with a celery cream and a dollop of soy-based sauce that reminded me of Journeyman's miso butterscotch--my favorite course of the evening
2012 Vignoble Reveille Ultra Violet Syrah
Dry Aged Beef Sirloin Cap
burdock, cilantro, ginger, red curry
sous vide beef with a side of burdock cream backed by a lovely red curry sauce with a tangle of cilantro shoots and dehydrated and lightly fried ginger threads--I think this was the best for Jason
2013 Saetti Lambrusco Frizzante
the sparkling red was a fun pairing with the curry flavors
Lime Curd
passion fruit, lime, ginger ice cream
lime custard on a molasses cookie, topped with pretty little flowers and accompanied by passion fruit sauce and the ice cream, topped with a torched lime meringue
2013 Bera Moscato d'Asti
Bittersweet Chocolate
guava, macadamia nut, kumquat
unfortunately I'd forgotten to list chocolate as something I avoid--this was a very chocolate concoction, made like a mousse thickened to the point of cake and topped with various tasty bits--I had one bite and then let Jason finish mine while I enjoyed the Monbazillac
2012 Chateau Tirecul La Graviere "Les Pins" Monbazillac
such a treat to meet an old friend at the end of such an innovative meal
Parting Morsels
beet pomegranate marshmallow
more like a meringue in texture, with intense flavor
raspberry lychee rose tart
very sharp flavored
pear lemongrass chew
my favorite--intense, but not overwhelming, and a marvelous pairing
Overall, Peter Ungár's work reminds me most of the meal we had last year at The Kitchen Table at Bubbledogs, but where that tipped slightly over into more interesting than good, this one was solidly delicious from first to last. Ungár has an incredible grasp of flavor and has clearly put a lot of research into his methods and combinations. This kind of meal does not come cheaply, but at $150 per person--including beverages--it's really a steal, and the ticketing format (all-inclusive in advance, no need to bring your wallet) is very relaxing.
The one refinement I would like to see--not just here, but at every kitchenside meal I've had--is more effort put into the interaction. The staff should all be introduced at the beginning of the evening. Rather than describing the dishes when they are served they should be introduced when they begin plating, so that the diners can be more engaged in the process, instead of guessing what's happening. I realize that puts a lot of pressure on the team and not all cooks enjoy interacting with their guests, but I think it would add significantly to the experience and really set it apart from eating in the dining room.
Having a restaurant like this within walking distance of home is an incredible development. I'm really excited to go back as the menu changes and see what other surprises Chef has in store.
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Oooh
Date: 2015-07-31 10:40 am (UTC)Re: Oooh
Date: 2015-07-31 02:39 pm (UTC)Re: Oooh
Date: 2015-07-31 03:08 pm (UTC)I connected the name because Ginhee has emailed me about something and I don't see that spelling much.
Cool to see that both the restaurant and the folks behind it are in the Somerville community! Sounds amazing.
Re: Oooh
Date: 2015-07-31 03:23 pm (UTC)no subject
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Date: 2015-07-31 03:38 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-07-31 05:47 pm (UTC)And, walking distance for you? That's a mighty impressive walk! *grin*
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Date: 2015-07-31 06:02 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-07-31 07:09 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-08-05 03:10 pm (UTC)For the savory courses, I'm torn between the pasta and the monkfish for my favorites. For the sweet, I do love chocolate and that preparation was perfect, but I adored the fruit chew, too. My favorite wine was probably the Gentil, because I adore all the wines that make up the blend.
I could go into more details, but really, I think I had much the same experience of the food & drink as you. There were only 8 of us, and I think Chef was a little more comfortable chatting, but he still interacted only when serving and not plating. I'm hoping that changes as well, for the same reasons.
Two thumbs up, will absolutely go again.
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Date: 2015-08-05 03:47 pm (UTC)If you find yourself thinking of going again specifically, let me know--I think it would be really fun to put a group of us together, especially given that there's no need to hassle with the check :)
no subject
Date: 2015-07-31 07:08 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-08-01 02:43 am (UTC)No way! I wasn't expecting that at all, even though I have had amazing veg tasting menus at some local high-end places. This one seemed too small for that right now, but having never been, what would I know, right?
So I went to the reservation section to learn more, clicked through, and "Vegetarian and vegan options are currently not available."
It's hard for me to believe that somebody could have a list in their head of "most dietary restrictions" that doesn't include even vegetarian. But their web site caused me to go from assuming with no bitterness that they did not to being annoyed that they do not.
In any case, I'm glad you enjoyed it. :)
no subject
Date: 2015-08-01 03:48 am (UTC)