We started Dining Room Dinner class last Thursday. It's like simulating work in a restaurant except that... it's a real restauran, The Dining Room at Kendall College. We had our opening night yesterday and it was very exciting.
Dinner Menu, Winter 2007
Served Tuesday through Saturday 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM (8:30 PM on Fridays and Saturdays) - January 11th through March17th
First Courses
Crispy Kumamoto, cardoons, prosciutto, foamed “mignonette” 11
Roasted, beet “carpaccio”, beet pave, chevre fritter, red wine-beet emulsion, dill soda 9
Truffle- stuffed squab, cauliflower-Calypso bean gratin, squab jus, sage oil 12
Smoked sturgeon, eggplant ”cannoli”, pickled mushrooms, “battered” quail egg 9
Butter- poached alligator, creamy brandade, lardons, alligator vinaigrette 8
Roasted, seasonal squash, foraged mushrooms, shell beans, sherry bubbles, micro arugula 8
Soups
Lobster “Rockefeller”, lobster consommé, watercress puree, celery foam, lobster-Pernod gel 9
Roasted duck “gumbo”, duck confit, Andouille, dirty rice, pickled okra, “cracklins” 8
Entrees Pan-seared sturgeon, braised veal cheeks, Kobe short rib, sunchoke “paint”, caramelized onion-Fingerling “Truffade”, black truffles, braised sunchoke, short rib gelee, truffle vinaigrette 25 Butter-poached, lobster, brandade “Atchafalaya”, celeriac ”paint”, Tasso Choron, lobster foam, lobster dust 26 Porcini-crusted, rack of lamb, smoked cheese grits, lamb “grillades”, cauliflower “hush puppy” and puree, lamb nage 26 Pacific Cod, crispy Kumamoto, eggplant “caviar”, smoked oyster “pain perdu”, red chili beurre blanc 23 Muscovy Duck, duck confit “sausage”, sweet potato puree, stewed figs, calypso bean Cassoulet, duck-fig jus 22 Pan-roasted Salmon, crab galette, potato-saffron “soup”, foraged mushrooms, saffron foam, citrus candy 22 Berkshire Pork, spiced walnuts, “candy apple” –potato puree, celeriac salad, lardons, Trois Pistoles foam, caramel-pork gelee 24 Grilled, house made Paneer, sultana Jasmine rice, spinach puree, ginger-carrot foam, Honey pea shoots 19 Chickpea crepes, Sardinian ricotta, winter squash “jam”, mushroom salad, coconut “milkshake” 19 ------------------- It can be a little overwhelming because there's a lot of prep work and there's a lot to learn considering we only get to run the station for about 3 days to 1 week. It's pretty intense for a 17-day class but it's a good exposure to real kitchens and new methods (note the 'foams', 'caviar' and 'ice cream'). Opening night got a little crazy because there was no plate up prior to opening. We only got to see the plates, or rather make the plates right when they are already called for pick up. Stressful! I had a lot of fun and learned so much... and realized that there's still so much to learn.
