Go ahead, call me spoiled. Call me Dionysian, sinful, gluttonous. I don't care. I'll take whatever insults you want to hurl at me for the pleasure of having experienced the knee-shaking, mind-tingling, palate-shattering excitement of David Kinch's food a third time.
By now, Manresa could safely be called the newest culinary Mecca of the Bay Area. As proof that the enthusiasm is catching beyond the circle of professional critics and hard core foodies, a few months back our friends R. and B. decided it was time for them to go. Mr. Food Musings and I graciously offered to join them. What are friends for?
Since I've written up every single chew and swallow of our two previous meals, there's isn't much I can add without gushing like a schoolgirl with a mad crush. Suffice it to say that Chef Kinch did it again: each plate from the kitchen was like a gift from the Gods. B. put it succinctly: "Even though each dish is small, the pistons are firing BIG in my brain."
The menu, which Manresa so kindly supplied us after our 17-course orgy, is below. The dishes are listed in order of appearance, and are titled simply and humbly, so I've added a few notes in italics here and there. (Disclaimer: I didn't take notes this time so my jottings should be considered 98% accurate.) Where you see an ellipsis (...) it means that some folks at the table had the first dish, and others had the second.
Bon appetit!
***
Petit fours “red pepper-black olive”
Kir royale cassis sherbet, lemon granité, champange gelée, fresh mint
Chestnut-foie gras croquettes...parmesan churros
Jeremy’s saucisson sec wild boar with fennel…mango smoothies
Oyster and urchin, meyer lemon jelly served on the half shell with sea water gelée
Arpege egg
Broccoli and foie gras royale...chestnut soup over Gravenstein apples
Just shucked scallops, sliced thinly, chanterelle consommé over black trumpet mushroom caviar
Oyster and apple with taleggio foam…sea urchin in coconut milk with fresh crab
Lobster with lemon verbena plus a drizzle of orange reduction and one baby leek (a ramp?)
Black cod, warm salmon roe with cucumber
Sweetbreads, oven roasted, root vegetable choucroute
Farm capon with chestnuts, french filet beans
Roast suckling pig “beet-potato-apple”…beef bavette roasted in its own fat
Rose petal jelly, assorted citrus
Banana waffle, maple sugar ice cream
Hot chocolate with tonka bean and chocolate brownie
Petit fours “strawberry-chocolate”
Holy smokes! What an event! I sure wish I had access to such places more and more when I read posts like this. Sometimes it sucks to live in the middle of nowhere.
Posted by: Nerissa | November 15, 2005 at 07:56 AM
Oooo, oyster and urchin....I know I've said (whined) this before Catherine, but: Too cruel!
New design, BTW?
Posted by: Robyn | November 15, 2005 at 05:21 PM
Nerissa and Robyn -- The truth is I feel sorry for you, too. But Manresa isn't going anywhere, so maybe one day you can drop in!
And yes, I got bored today and redesigned the site. I'm liking it!
Posted by: Catherine | November 15, 2005 at 06:10 PM
Wow! Sounds like an amazing meal. You're a lucky girl!
Oh, and I love the new layout of your blog! :)
Posted by: Beth | November 15, 2005 at 10:56 PM
Beth -- thanks! I'm loving it too!
Posted by: Catherine | November 16, 2005 at 08:31 AM