providence full tasting menu
Originally uploaded by bluepupae. providence was celebrating their 3rd year anniversary and offering special prices for their tasting menus a couple weeks ago, and it happened to be mike's birthday, so we decided to go for their full tasting menu which consisted of nine courses. i have to say that i really love this place. the interior design is modest yet refined, and the service for us has always been excellent. the whole experience was so well orchestrated with the preparation of the silverware and prompt removal of courses staggered in timely succession. i wouldn't suggest dining here if you're in a hurry. it's all about savouring.
though i have yet to try all the high-end restaurants in LA, compared to the many i have been to here and in other urban cities, the prices are reasonable, and what makes this place great is the food is consistently good. on this visit, we started with some fancy cocktails. mine--the ruby slipper--was concocted from herradura silver, lychee liquer and grapefruit and lime juices.
amuse bouche: i look forward to seeing what special surprise and inspired delicacy the chef starts our meal with. thus i anticipate the amuse bouche. i was disappointed (and this was only minor and the only thing disappointing of the whole meal) to see that it was the same as we had on our previous visit. it was interesting though to compare. it consisted of three small pieces. the first, a creamy fennel soup and saffron oil was much more flavorful than i remembered. the second was a small, white cube--a gin & tonic gelee--lightly dusted with sugar which fizzed when i squeezed lime juice on it. the last and still most unusual was a mojito ravioli, which came in the form of a translucent skin filled with mojito liquid and a small sprig of mint embedded in the skin.
japanese kanpachi: i've had hints of the pieces that make up this dish at various japanese restaurants, but the combinations of flavors here was amazing and delightful. the fish was fresh and perfectly moist and delicious. the cucumbers were slightly salty and light. the flavored ice was an interesting juxtaposition of temperature with the tangy sweetness and salty, concentrated plum dabbed across the plate. this was one of my favorite courses of the evening.
bobby's block island sea scallops: i love scallops, and this one was perfectly seared and accented with a sweet glaze richly reduced sherry. combined with smoky, roasted asparagus and tasty shiitakes, it was another favorite. the almonds added a crunchy texture, while the almond milk added a bit of delicious fat.
point judith calamari: the calamari was the best i have ever tasted. it was so perfectly tender and firmly crunchy. not at all chewy. it was served in two different preparations. some tendrils were coated and fried while others sat naked and tender like freshly cooked noodles. there was a zing to the tomato-based marinara-like sauce. simple and oh so good.
lobster risotto: instead of the veal, we requested all seafood and were not disappointed. the chef was very accommodating, and substituted a lobster risotto. little slivers of meyer lemon added not only zest but a nice texture to the creamy risotto. a bit of lobster foam sat atop, while a reduced balsamic vinegar rounded out the dish.
wild day-boat halibut (nova scotia): the tangy sauce that glazed this white fish was a nice contrast yet complement to the herbaceous squash puree. meyer lemon slivers and delicate chive blossoms accented the fish.
wild king salmon: by the time we made it to this course, i was beginning to get full and was surprised by how much fish they gave us in this dish. it came with shimeji mushrooms & crunchy radish and was topped with cinnamon espuma, which reminded me of cappuccino foam. as a whole, the dish was reminiscent of the icelandic char we had on a previous visit. tasty, but not a favorite. i really liked what they did with the crispy, curled skin, where the flavor of the fish was concentrated.
market cheeses: we were filling up fast when the cheese steward brought out his cart of cheeses, prompting us both to start drooling over the feast of dairy before us. he asked what we liked. i'm more of a hard cheeser, while mike likes the soft. our cheese guy picked out a goat cheese from spain (gurocha?), a sallie jackson cow's milk cheese with walnut leaves and a sheep's milk nutty basque. predictably, i initially liked the basque best, but the sallie jackson grew on me. with the cheese, we also had dried figs, candied walnuts, apple compote, black olive preserve, & small slices of some dense bread with nuts.
persian cucmber, orange flower water, mint: this was a perfect follow up to the entrees. it was a light, refreshing, cool and fragrant way to cleanse the palate.
blackberries & corn tortilla: they really are creative with the desserts. i would have never imagined pairing corn tortilla flavors with ice cream. though i would not necessarily seek it out, i really enjoyed the concept and the experience, and was amazed by how well the flavor was incorporated into the ice cream. and how curious were the bits of jalapeno that added zing?
petits fours: chocolate hazelnut truffles, five spice caramel, olive oil gelee -- yum! the olive oil gelee left this tasty coat of oil on the inside of my mouth that was kind of comforting.
once again, we enjoyed everything. i feel like we partook of a work of art. some of it was more heady. some of it was pure visceral pleasure. i highly recommend one of the tasting menus to truly experience the depth and breadth of the food. it's a pretty good deal for the quantity, quality & variety, and i find it preferable to ordering individual entrees. it's not an all-you-can-eat buffet as each course is portioned so you can have that many tastings. i came here starving and left completely satiated.
