We started this marathon of DK's restaurant gorging on Thursday with the Street Food specials at Vino. Vino also hosted their Big Red tasting but we were here strictly for the food specials. We started with the Crab and Shrimp Bruschetta with arugula and tomatoes. Creamy and briny!
We then moved on to the Grilled Shortribs with anchovy vinaigrette and tomatoes. Almost like Korean meets Italian.
We then sampled the Crispy Skin Pork Belly with fingerling potatoes and lemon-basil aioli. I think the porcine from our belly didn't do enough sit-ups as more than half of each slice was pure fat. Layered fat is good, pure fat, not so good.
We then moved on to the Veal and Pork Sausage Pizza which was thin and crispy just how I like it!
And man (and wu-man) don't live by food alone so we uncorked a 1990 Fontanafredda Gattinera Barolo. Earthy squared with tobacco and leather and a nice palate flow.
Chuck also selected a 1997 Terreno Chianti Classico Riserva which had loads of red cherry on the front with leather on the back end.
The girls still had room so they sampled the Chocolate Pistachio Semifreddo.
Great specials and great wine... so less than 24 hours later, we were back in the Hiroshi private room for the second Chef's Table.
The two assistant chefs who now are tasked with carrying the torch (now that Hiroshi is no longer there) created dishes along with Hiroshi's pastry chef and Chef Keith from Vino. Chef Iha caught oio (bonefish) earlier in the week and made Seafood Dumplings with a tomato relish.
He also created a Braised Local Tako with smoked miso dressing and grilled hearts of palm and charred Shishito peppers. As tender as tako gets with a slightly different take than the usual su-miso dressing.
Chef Colombong created an Adobo Steamed Shinsato Pork Belly with adobo jus. Very tender and succulent though the richness could have paired with regular Riesling instead of the off-dry that was poured.
Lastly Chef Keith created a Grilled Sous Vide Lamb Belly with taro-chorizo hash. It was the first time I had lamb belly and boy was it good! Mixed with the spiciness of the chorizo made it a perfect combo!
Chef Pascua then served us Thai Inspired S'More with lemongrass basil sorbet and chocolate coconut macaroon. This should go on the regular menu!
And since the night was till young, we headed back to Vino less than 24 hours from our previous visit. Since I was celebrating the B-Day this whole month, I wanted to share a Noel Verset Cornas with Chuck since he's the one who turned me on to this wine so I uncorked a 1989 Noel Verset Cornas. Immediate black olive, leather, tobacco, licorice and tar on the nose with a seamless palate flow. I give this wine 4.9/5!
Chuck also uncorked a 1995 Champy Corton Charlemagne which had a nose of citrus vanilla curd with candied citrus peel. Another 4.9/5 wine!
We also sampled a Chartogne Taillet and a Launois Blanc de Blanc Reserve grand Cru almost like a baby Salon since the grapes were from the Grand Cru vineyards of Le Mesnil.
Another great meals with superlative wines shared most of all, with great friends. We probably won't return in another 24 hours but we'll be back!
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