First off, don’t wear anything body hugging, even if you are a size four. There’s a good chance that nine courses, accompanied by sparkling wine, five paired wines, a snifter of Madeira, and an assortment of decedent desserts are likely to alter your silhouette toward the latter part of the four and half hour dining excursion. But, it’s worth it. Okay, nine courses does sound scary, but it doesn’t warrant transcendence to the Roman vomitariums. This is the ultimate in portion control, offering micro-sized servings that deliver the right amount of punch to enjoy the thoughtfully balanced flavors designed by hailed chef, Jerry Traunfeld.
The menus are seasonally themed; I happened upon Chef Traunfeld’s reverence of the root. From my understanding, all of the roots and culinary herbs served are organically grown in the backyard, with the exception of the famed Italian white truffle, which was shaved into demi-glace and served under grilled foi gras. And, yes, it lives up to its insanely inflated rock star status. The highly anticipated first course
Preceding each course, Chef Traunfeld briefly introduced the dishes and any peripheral information of interest, and then turned the talk over to his sommelier, who discussed the wine pairings. The takeaway was a smattering of culinary education and a multitude of impressive, pleasurable dishes. End to end, the experience was memorable.
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