Chef David Kinch is just getting better and better. His tasting menus have an internal harmony; it is not just a collection of dishes randomly put together. I see a David Kinch meal as a symphony with each course enhancing each other. Many chefs talk about seasonality and a farmer’s market menu, but with Chef Kinch it is really true and not just hype. The relationship between Cynthia Sandberg and Chef Kinch has become stronger; it is a close collaborative relationship with Chef Kinch and Cynthia in the most compatible marriage of ingredient to the table. A vegetable becomes more than just a vegetable, an herb is more than just an herb, and an egg yolk is a gorgeous yellow. Manresa is so much more than dining – it is love affair between the earth, the soil and the sun. There is a reverence for the product, be it animal or vegetable.
BYO Champagne
Petit Fours “red pepper-black olive” This is a visual pun – the madeleine style amuse is actually black olive and the red “gum drop” red pepper
Spearmint Granita, Lavender Lemonade – light refreshing and perfect for a summer evening
Sweet corn cromesquis – insert cromesquis in your mouth and in one bite the liquid summer corn explodes in your mouth.
Sorrel Foie Gras Royale with a Tempura Fried Exotic Spice Blossom
Close-up of the Sorrel/Foie Gras Royale – it is essential that you dip your spoon to the bottom and get a taste of foie and sorrel in each bite.
Arpege Egg – perfect as always
Pim’s hand churned butter
BYO White Wine
Seabream with Shellfish (octopus, giant clam, crab) in a green tomato broth with Joe Schirmer’s Strawberries from Dirty Girl Farm. This was sensational – each fish was served flawlessly and the addition of the tomato broth plus the strawberries was an ode to summer.
BYO White Wine
Nasturtium Ice Cream, Pumpkin Confit and then Chestnut Pumpkin Veloute is poured on – this had the most incredible mouth feel – just luscious.
Young Potatoes, Unopened Squash Blossom, Romano Beans, Fiorelli, Bonito Butter – Again an ingenious pairing – the potatoes were wondrous, but the pairing with the bonito butter off the charts superb.
Close-up of the young potato dish
“Into the Garden” – Carrots, Arugula, Mizuna, Sorrel, Pumpkin, Zucchini, Watermelon Radish, Beets, Potato, Cucumber – a Miro painting of the freshest vegetables
Pacific Salmon, Chervil Cream, Onion Consomme with Bone Marrow
Consomme added – this dish gave new meaning to a marriage of fish with meat i.e. the bone marrow.
BYO Red Wine
Chicken, Porcini Mushrooms, Garden lettuces, Fingerling Potatoes – My meat and potatoes guy husband was in love with the potatoes.
Rack of Napa Valley Lamb, Quinoa with Arugula, Lamb Tongue Confit – the lamb was flawless, but the lamb tongue absolutely sublime.
Cheese Service
I think I got this right – Queijo da Serra”, sheep cheese, made in the Serra da Estrela region, where the highest peak of Portugal is located.
Bernard Antony’s comte – 2004
Comte – half eaten
Fig Carpaccio, Summer fruits, Santa Rosa Plum, Green Gage Plum, Peach, Dirty Girl’s Farms Strawberries, Gold Dust
BYO Dessert Wine
The flavors of New Orleans (taken from the website – my note-taking was deteriorating rapidly) – Coffee, Chicory, Pecan Praline, Banana
Beignets
Dark Chocolate Cupcake
Our incredible server, Dana.
This was an exceptional meal- not one misstep. It is not easy to orchestrate a great tasting menu. It is not just a collection of dishes. My initial paragraph likened it to a symphony and what a symphony this was.
Snap!!
Been looking forward to seeing this post…meal looks great. Thanks for the photos!
The photos don’t do the meal justice – it was superb.