lillibet | Tasting Counter Celebration

For her birthday, Alice's big ask was to go to the Tasting Counter for their nine course menu with non-alcoholic drink pairings. We did that on Friday night and it was a huge success. Alice has gotten extremely good about being willing to try just about anything, but I was still pleased and impressed by how completely she threw herself into the experience.

Here's the menu with our wine pairings:

Her pairings were:

• Sparkling Grapefruit Soda
• Sumac Lemonade
• Sichuan Peppercorn Ginger beer
• Barley & Wild Acres Farm Maple
• Blue Pea Tea & Celery Soda
• Chysanthemum & Salted Plum Soda
• Hibiscus & Burnt Orange
• Juniper, Dandelion, Bergamot
• Pine & Chamomile Flower
• Rooibos & White Sesame

Her favorite courses were the onion tart right at the beginning and the squab, which I agree was the best. The puff pastry around that was so flavorful that I asked the chef what fat they used. He said it's just plain butter--that they'd tried cultured butter and that was Too Much.

Her drinks were more interesting than good. Her favorites were the two at the beginning, which were a little too sweet for me. Of the later ones I liked the Pine & Chamomile best. But the Blue Pea Tea was an incredible color and it was an altogether fascinating experience.

Overall, I thought this one at least the best meal I've had there since the very first one and possibly even better. The sweet potato soup with duck liver crouton and truffle was a perfect example of the art of the chef: serving me something (in this case sweet potato) that I don't like, in a way that I find delicious, because of how well the flavors are handled and balanced. The dessert courses were both fascinating combinations of flavors and the tiny pipings of brown butter custard were up there with the best things I have ever tasted. As always, going there just makes me want to go back soon!

Alice was a marvelous dinner companion--I love how much she has learned about flavors and developed her own sense of taste and style. We had great conversation and all the staff were impressed with her poise and delight in what they were serving. Twelve is definitely off to a good start!