Friday night French

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So this is the third evening in a row that I'm out for dinner, and the second evening I'm attending a birthday celebration.  The Specialist decided to invite a few of us over to her place for dinner, and the food was catered by Chef Eddy from Chefstudio.

We had some canapés to start, including mozzarella with sun dried tomatoes, and salmon with caviar.

Poached French white asparagus, Hollandaise, Hokkaido uni - not bad, and I was glad the sea urchin wasn't cooked.  Interesting that the  Hollandaise was a little spicy.

Homemade scallop wonton, golden caviar, thyme flower creme - the cream sauce was yummy, and the wontons were decent.

But I was left puzzled by the server and the utensils he placed on the table.  With no spoon at my side, how was I supposed to pick up the caviar and the cream sauce with just my knife and fork?!  I the end I did what I thought ILoveLubutin would do… I picked up the bowl and drank the contents.  Given that we were not in public, I just assumed that the Specialist wouldn't mind…

Wood smoked pigeon breast, truffle risotto, natural jus - interesting that the pigeon leg was done differently and un-smoked, resulting in more delicate flavors.  The breast was smoked and pretty tasty.

The risotto, however, was a completely different story.  I was left with one thought in my mind: W-T-F…  Many people fail with risotto for various reasons, and this one was probably the most over-seasoned risotto I can remember… Did the chef not taste it before serving?  Or is that the level of seasoning we should expect from him?

12-hour braised wagyu cheek with creamy mashed potato - the chef redeemed himself with this, as the beef cheek was really tender and yummy.  Love the haricots verts, too… and stayed clear of the mash.

Bloody orange sabayon with berries - hmmm… I think it should be "blood orange"?  Anyway, this was pretty yummy, as the sabayon definitely tasted of orange, or was it orange blossom?

Dinner with the Specialist is never without good wines, and a few big guns came out tonight for the celebration…

1999 Cristal - smooth on the palate but a little light.  Toasty nose.  Full-bodied but the finish was a little short.

1990 Cristal - salty plum, savory, with nice acidity on the palate.  A lovely wine.

1992 Leflaive Bâtard-Montrachet - nose of marmalade and sweet grass.

1997 DRC Richebourg - sharp and alcoholic on the nose at first.  A little smoky, and slightly green and vegetal.

1998 Armand Rousseau Chambertin Clos de Beze - smoky with leather notes.  Unfortunately no longer lively and fruity.

1986 Lafleur - smoky, sweet grass, mineral, earthy.  A little sweet fruit came out, with slight hint of exotic coconut.  After this faded there was some burnt rubber…  Smooth on the palate but a little muted.

1988 Lafite-Rothschild - smoke, pencil lead, a little mineral, black tea and a little soy sauce.  Classic Pauillac and beautiful.  Definitely the wine of the evening.

Jacques Selosse Exquise - really big toasty nose, lots of citrus, a little marmalade.  Certainly sweeter on the palate than most other Champagnes.

Many thanks to the Specialist for a wonderful evening.