Monday, December 10, 2012

Detroit, MI - Iridescence; Iridescence sets the expectation for top-of-line-food with perfect execution, correct pairing of foods, sexy and playful presentation in an elegant atmosphere. We had a unique opportunity to have a private chef tasting thanks to the yelp staff,  executive chef, and staff at iridescence.

The chefs came out and did an excellent presentation on the evenings activities with their upcoming fall menu. We started the evening on an unconventional food with two sorbets. Vanilla Bean Strawberries and Creme Fraiche were sweet and designed to cleanse the palate. A nice textural surprise were the chopped pistachios at the base of the sorbet, give addition counter balance of texture and sweetness.

Next dish was Yellow Fin Tuna Carpaccio with chili vinegar, mango coulis, rice crisp, and mango lime foam. The tuna was so smooth, cut perfectly thin to bring out all the flavor. There is a nice balance between heat from the chili oil and the acid from the lime foam.

The sandwich dual off. DY Spindini with buffalo mozzarella and lemon butter against the Croque Madam with gruyere and quail egg. The spindini was nice, light, and smooth. The fresh herbs on top gave it the fresh earthy flavor. The capers was a nice addition to add the saltiness. Even though it was good, the Croque wins the challenge. Its the delicious and refined comfort food that I was hoping to get out of the sandwich. When you break the egg, it's yolk glazes the sandwich nicely and with the salty, nutty gruyere cheese, it adds the necessary balance.

Potato and Mushroom Ravioli was next with bay scallop, enoki, lobster creme plated with their Croquille Saint Jaques. Oh, that ravioli haunts me to this day. I can't find another place to reproduce it. It was magnificently delicious with it topped with the light lobster sauce. The bay scallops also with the lobster sauce causes you to say mmmmm as well. Now, combining the two, what a disappointment. Why did they combined them? I sliced the bay scallop and placed it on top of the ravioli and together, they individually lost their flavor and didn't create some new unique taste.

Now for their playful attempt for the Tribute to the Cheeseburger with sweet potato, tomato nage, romaine, sauce mornay. It is a fully deconstructed cheese burger. It of course doesn't resemble any cheese burger you'll find and if you taste the individual parts, you would come to the same conclusion. Now the genius of the concept, if you place each component on your fork together, you got yourself a full flavored cheese burger. Each element was executed thoughtfully and carefully. Each one was perfect, but the two at really stood out was the tomato nage and the mornay sauce. Those two were very delicate and individually, you would probably say to yourself, really, what is that. Then you had it to the "cheese burger", oh man, you have a perfect "ketchup" and "cheese". This was simply a wow.

The staff did an amazing job to make the night perfect and the chefs did an excellent job in presentation to the group and on the plate.

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