Week 40: Deliciously Unique Dinner

My apoligies for the pictures in advance. I took them with my cell phone - a terrible way to take pictures. But I couldn't exactly take my big camera into a 4-star joint could I? Well, I could have, but they discourage it.

Shotgun Betty and I were treated to a deliciously free and unique dinner. We went to Heron's at The Umstead. We looked at the wine list first and were planning to buy $100 bottle of wine. Why? Because it was free and I've never bought a $100 bottle of wine before. The wine list was ridiculous! There were bottles of wine for hundreds of dollars. I even saw a bottle for over $2500. I can't imagine that the taste of a $2500 bottle of wine is worth that much money. There comes a point when wine just tastes like wine, right? 

We decided against a bottle of wine and instead went with a wine pairing. It was paired with the Chef's Tasting Menu. This combination was a 5 course meal. We were first served a scallop in apricot sauce. This was not part of the tasting. It was just a small appetizer. It was delicious.

Course 1: Marinated Blue Crab topped with Osetra Caviar, Heirloom Cucumber, Pickled Onion, Creme Fraiche. Paired with Prosecco from Borgo Magredo in Veneto, Italy.

The caviar (fish eggs) were quite salty. Not quite what I expected.

Course 2: Japanese Amber Jack with Clamshell Mushrooms, Baby Root Vegetables, in Yuzu-Barley Broth. Pair with Chardonnay from Smith-Madrone, Spring Mountain, Napa Valley, CA.

This meal came complete with PLASTIC. Yes that's right. I found plastic in my fish at a 4-Star restaurant. They did serve me up a new dish and topped our wine off frequently.

Course 3: Grilled Foie Gras with a side of Brulee of Peach, Vanilla Mascarpone, and Wild Huckleberries. Paired with Pinot Noir from Kenneth Volk, Santa Maria Valley, California.

If you don't know what Foie Gras is, that's ok. I didn't either before this little food adventure. Well, let me fill you in. Foie Gras is fatten duck liver. I know, it sounds disgusting but it actually tasted pretty good after you get over the fact that you are eating the thing that cleans the toxins out of your body. I'm sure I absorbed some duck toxin. Wonder what that does to you? The Peach Brulee was to die for though.

Now at this point Shotgun Betty had had just enough wine to make herself brave. She asked to meet the chef. That's right. Us there common folk would like to meet the chef of the 4-star restaurant that we could never afford to go to if my company hadn't footed the bill.

Course 4: Milk Poached Hen with Savoy Cabbage, Matsutake, Cippolini Onion, and Grain Mustard Cream. Paired with Syrah from Tardieu-Laurent, Cotes Du Rhone, France.

Now I'm not sure where the mashed potatoes fit in, but something certainly tasted like mashed potatoes. Some poor chef is reading this going "No, no, no! This crazy girl doesn't know what she is talking about. She is calling my masterpiece mashed potatoes." However, it was very delicious.

Also at this point, Shotgun Betty started going on and on about Cotes Du Rhone. I must admit is was some scrumptious wine followed by a scrumptious chef. That's right, Chef Greene can out to speak to us. Did you think he would say no after I found plastic in my food? Of course now. Chef Greene was very nice and personable, not at all like the mean chefs on TV.

Course 5: Olive Oil Cake with Lucques Mascarpone, Sweet Tomatoes, Mozzarella Sorbet, and Pistachio. Paired with Semillion from Oriel "Ondines", Sauternes, France

I'm not sure where the "Ondines" fits in. There must be a reason behind the quotes. But mythically speaking, Ondines were mermaids or water creatures of some sort.

After dinner mint: We were served an assortment of chocolates that were delicious!

  

All in all is was a fabulous dinner. The food was excellent! Shotgun Betty and I had an upper class night on the town. Oh and according to Shotgun Betty, I'm going to be famous or so she told the waitress. And yes I did take a picture in the powder room.