Summer dishes at Solbar 2012

Hello from Napa valley friends,it is harvest time and people come over in the valley specially to enjoy best wine and food of California. Now is period of changing seasons and i will present you some of the summer dishes, also there is only a month until the release of the new michelin guide and expectations are higher then ever. I started in the kitchen of Solbar in February 2012 as dinner garde manger demi chef de partie and was trained for a few months, become the strongest person on the station and later was moved up to the meat station in late summer, so the dishes that will show and explain you are hot and cold starters and main courses. It is been a very busy Summer for us in the kitchen ,and i`m very thankful to be trainer by such a professional chefs , to get their menthality and discipline is the kitchen, dedication and spirit-being pride of what we are doing with no excuses just doing our best... it is not just a cooking, it is mind, soul and hard work to acchive that level of food and still serving over 100 guests every night.

 bean salad with devil egg, home made pickles , salt roasted - deep fried shallots, pickled onions and marjroom aioli, fine herbs

 carpacio of tuna, grilled tofu pure, sesame crouton with scallion creme fraise, ginger cherries, spheres from cherries and tat soy leaves

local farm chicken thigh and breast, smoked tomato vinegrette, panzanella salad, nicoise olive spoonbread,

fino verde basil ,farm egg

valley floor figs,pickled oregon chanterell mushrooms,

toasted farro, pinenut meringue, arugula, pine bud syrup

 coriander-dark rum cured smoked salmon, our rye bread crisp, horseradish

lemon cucumbers, mustard dill potatoes, compressed apples and micro greens and flower

bacon-wrapped tenderloin of hampshire pork, bronx grapes, brussels sprout leaves,

crispy capers, raisin gastrique sauce and cauliflower

 snake river farms flatiron steak, yukon gold potato gnocchi, charred romano beans

chanterelles, potato mousseline, sauce bordelaise

 crispy pork belly porchetta, baked jonathan apples, frisée salad

celery seed vinaigrette

 Rabbit tenderloin and stuffed leg, pear butter ,spinach and pasta with rabbit sauce

 heilroom tomatoes, house made ricotta mousse, gremolata, pickled shallots and garden basil

red curry marinated shrimp- grilled and chilled, compressed melon and watermelon , coconut mousse,

sausalito watercress, nam pla dressing and cucumber-mint granite

Now as chefs we are excited to start new season and  develop new dishes with seasonal products available  in autumn. Soon expect new post of our autumn menu. Wishing all the best to everybody who track my blog and take care .

Dinner at The French Laundry 

Finally the day arrive.. dinner at the famous restaurant The french laundry. Me  and my friends were having Table at 5 45 pm for early dinner ... i was very excited after we left the car and walk in at the dining room in the restaurant .. service at the restaurant was Great... Easily can say that was the best dinnig experience in my life so far. I went there with two of my friends who are related with hospitality industry as well- Sous Chef at Meadowood resort and wine tasting manager at napa valley`s local winery. The culinary maraton starts around 6 pm with the Famous amuse of the restaurant- smoked salmon cornet and chilled cucumber soup

Lets say that next dish on the picture was the greatest starter .It will sounds ridiculous to say but that was some of the most tastier dishes that i ever try , for sure memorable for life: Oysters and pearls. 

The dishes start flying as well and the wine glasses. We start with bottle of chapmagne complimentary for the restaurant and continue on riesling wine. Chef`s menu 9 course was our choise but eventually we get few more dishes extra from the chef :

 osetra cavier

Abalone, citrus and cauliflower

black and white truffle custard in egg shell

Next on the table after we finish with the amuses came butter & bread, freshlly baked in  bouchon bakery- a few blocks further on the street :

melon salad from the garden of TFL

 polenta with iberico ham and australian black truffles

Australian Black giant Truffels

 sturgeon with turnip, fig, pickled onion rings and wholegrain mustard sauce

 sweet butter poached loster open lasagna with bisk foam and herbs

 another set of great breads

 quail leg with pickled mushrooms olives and frisse

 pekin duck french laundry style

 beef striploin with corn potatoes and radish and cavier from eggs

 cheese plate with hazelnut , beetroot and sweet beet vinegrette

 Ginger plum soda

strawberries and white chocolate desert

 dark chocolate dessert with reduced milk ice-cream

 selections of bonbons, cinnamon doughnuts coffee desert & espresso

After we finish that whole concert of dishes  we finally get up from the chairs and went to greet the chef in the kitchen-  Philip Tessier- chef de cuisine at Bouchon and currently he was leading the service tonight.

 After 14 course menu, several bottles of wine and around 5 hours dining it was time to go on your way and start  realizing what an opportunity we had this night-  the honour to eat at one of the worlds best restaurants .That experience was memorable and i believe ones in your life, i`m really thankfull to my friends who share the dinner with me and hope i will have other experiences soon to share with you.

Take care and believe in your dreams !