June 2012
Demonstration Dinner

Presented by Chefs Nancy Zimmer, Randall Selland
and Chef de Cuisine Noah Zonca

Hurry – June and July are nearly booked – seats available on June 17th and July 27th only, with wait list status the remainder of both months.
Call Bobbie today – 916.568.7171

A Note About June
The June Menu is really exciting to us – we hope you agree! Tons of fresh fruits and vegetables, eggs and more are coming from the Farmers Markets and we are sourcing much of our menu from the region and California as always. We’re also wrapping up June with a big foie gras bow and including it on our final savory course so you can enjoy it one more time before you have to go out of state to savor the delicacy.

Dietary Restrictions
We are happy to accommodate any dietary restrictions or preferences – please let us know in advance of your specifications so we can make the best possible substitutions for you.

First Course

Maine Lobster Vichyssoise
with Minted English Pea ‘Panna Cotta’
and a Hint of Smoked Pork

Our take on the classic Vichyssoise, slightly warmed to room temperature, made with potatoes and leaks from Beatrice Jimenez at the farmers market. A light and flavorful ‘panna cotta” of mint and peas from Half Moon Bay’s Contreras Ranch sits in the soup adding contrast of texture and flavor. Sous Chef Stan Moore will be working with locally raised pork to craft a lardo that will add richness, creaminess, and a hint of smoky flavor. This is a stunning dish you’ll want to order seconds of and that will kick off the night deliciously!

Second Course

A Salad of Clustered Herbed Greens and Lettuces,
‘Local’ Burrata, Stewed New Tomatoes
and Grilled Bread

It’s a beautiful time of year for herbs and lettuces. We’re getting clusters of herbs from our friends at Forni Brown Welsh in Calistoga and lettuces from Nature’s Best in San Diego for our second course salad. The star of the show here is the rich, creamy, buttery Burrata Cheese form LA’s Gioia, made to order for us at its peak of freshness and flavor. We will be getting new tomatoes from San Diego’s Madison Growers and be cooking them down just enough to sweeten them up and release the juices and flavor, and we will serve it all with grilled sourdough bread that is ground and “dusted” on top. A perfect early summer dish.

Intermezzo

Sushi  •  Sashimi  •  Crudo

Leave your seats for an intermezzo of our Chef’s selection of a variety of sushi, sashimi and other treats. Selections change nightly.

Third Course

Japanese Sea Bass and ‘Kitchen’ Rock Shrimp,
Pickled Octopus and Small Vegetables
with White Soy-Miso Butter

This dish is full of crisp, light, rich and deftly balanced umami flavors. You have the rich, slightly fatty sea bass perfectly grilled medium along with the very lightly pickled baby octopus that is tender and that has a brightness and freshness of flavor. The small vegetables are also lightly pickled and will be coming in from our friends at San Diego’s Nature’s Best – whatever is freshest in season that week. When we did these lightly pickled veggies in April they were a huge hit. Your third course includes one of our very favorite things – our crisp, plump Rock Shrimp from the Gulf Coast. You will definitely want to order seconds of these little babies. The sauce is a heady combination of Japanese White Soy and Japanese miso, the best quality available of each. This a combo that we have perfected over the last few years that is just ideal for seafood.

Fourth Course

Roasted Guinea Hen Breast with Foie Gras,
Potatoes, Gravy, Mushrooms
and Chicken Hearts

This stunning Guinea Hen breast is like a richer and more exciting version of the best chicken you’ve ever tried. They are coming to us from a small family farm in Stockton, and we just love the flavor so we had to serve them on this June menu. The breast will be served with California’s last (for now!) foie gras coming to us from Sonoma Artisan Foie Gras – and of course it is rich and otherworldly in flavor and texture. This dish is all about comfort, so Noah and Randall and crew are keeping it simple with mashed potatoes, gravy and mushrooms (locally procured by Connie Green with porcinis to start). One of Randall’s favorite things, crispy fried chicken hearts, is brought to us by Cache Creek Farms. You can get Cache Creek chickens and eggs at the Sunday farmers market under the freeway.

Dessert Course

Blueberry Tart and Cherry Swirl Ice Cream,
Chocolate Covered Candied Walnuts
and Creamed Honey Custard

Absolutely perfect blueberries are coming from our friends at Delta Blue at the Sunday Farmers Market. We are making Nancy’s classic crispy, flakey, sugary, buttery tart shell and filling it with a honeyed cream and these blueberries, and serving the tarts up with a cherry swirl ice cream made with Toso Farms (Lodi) cherries and Toso Farms walnuts covered in chocolate. All this fruity, sugary and buttery goodness is then topped with a creamed honey custard, the honey being from local producers Leinarts and also available at – you guessed it – the Sunday farmers market.

June 2012
Demonstration Dinner

Presented by Chefs Nancy Zimmer, Randall Selland
and Chef de Cuisine Noah Zonca

Maine Lobster Vichyssoise
with Minted English Pea ‘Panna Cotta’
and a Hint of Smoked Pork

A Salad of Clustered Herbed Greens and Lettuces,
‘Local’ Burrata, Stewed New Tomatoes
and Grilled Bread

Sushi  •  Sashimi  •  Crudo

Japanese Sea Bass and ‘Kitchen’ Rock Shrimp,
Pickled Octopus and Small Vegetables
with White Soy-Miso Butter

Roasted Guinea Hen Breast with Foie Gras,
Potatoes, Gravy, Mushrooms
and Chicken Hearts

Blueberry Tart and Cherry Swirl Ice Cream,
Chocolate Covered Candied Walnuts
and Creamed Honey Custard