Thursday, August 11, 2011

dinner in trotter's kitchen! chi-town baby! pt 2

Wow! It's been a hectic summer.  Sorry it's taken too long to get these pics loaded up on here(not that anyone's reading).  Well with my trip to cheese country was great.  Even better was the evening I escaped to Chicago for a once and a lifetime dinner at Trotter's.  This was amazing!  Especially sitting at the kitchen table....in the kitchen!  White coats rushing all around me, in the most efficient petit kitchen I have ever seen.  They were an army of 13 that just worked ala minute in complete harmony with one another along with the many sommeliers and maitre ds.  Every course blew my mind as someone different each course presented me with my plate and an explanation.  I really can say enough.  Just a beautiful place.  I even read a framed hand written letter from Feran Adria to Charlie in the bathroom, pretty neat.

There were 15 official courses along with 7 sub courses along with a few surprise courses, the tastiest freshest bread with every course, 18 wines, espresso, champagne, minardes, apartifs(including one they called Trotter's hooch.  Sorry I didn't get pics of everything.

 Charlie's bento box amuse bouche:
kumamoto oyster with yuzu mignonette
poached quail's egg with pickled cucumber & salmon roe
bluefin tuna with watercress hijiki
ramp frittata with charred broccolini & sourdough
razor clams with purple potatoes & horseradish
compressed watermelon with preserved rind & herbs

 surprise dish 1: ?

 surprise dish 2: pho with crispy chicken foot

 poularde with braised rhubarb 7 cilantro

 cured sockeye salmon with plum & bonito

 John Dory with ash-baked eggplant & caper vinagrette

 heirloom beet lasagna with saffron & caramelized cauliflower

 suckling pig with black eyed  peas & kale

lola duck breast with hoisin, spring leek & Thai basil

 Elysian Farms lamb with fig & smoked red pepper& kalamata olives
 72-hour braised short rib with chorizo & spiced date puree

 u bel fiuritu with apricot, farro & mizuna

 sweet pea sorbet with mint explosion 
prickly pear sorbet with nopales & compari jelly

 allspice streusel with candied kumquats& yogurt gelato
coconut mousse with dark rum & key lime

 cocoa sorbet with cinnamon & pequin chiles

 green tea ice cream with cherries & white chocolate mousse

minardes

Charlie just flew into town from a Food & Wine show in Mexico, and showed up at our table as we were finishing the last of his hooch.  We spoke together and he gave me a tour of the whole establishment.  He greeted us at the exit with some of his books and an invitation for lunch the next day at Trotter's ToGo.  We accepted, and enjoyed five more courses and three wines served by his lovely sister before we hit the road back to Mad town.  

Thanks Charlie!