Sunday, June 3, 2012

Cobaya Carmellini and The Dutch boys







TWEET OF THE YEAR

Andrew Carmellini                                                                                                28 Feb 
 me, chef Conor and Josh Gripper would like to do one your  dinners?



How does a food fanatic (me) respond to a tweet from a chef who has won two James Beard awards, earned a Michelin star, received three and four star reviews from the NY Times and also happens to be a Knick and Yankee fan???

HELL MOTHER FUCKIN YESSSS!!!!! That's how....

Big no huge thanks to Chef Carmellini for taking the time out of his busy schedule (Locanda Verde, The Dutch nyc, The Dutch Miami plus Sausage Boss at the Mecca-MSG) to fly down to Miami and host a kick ass Cobaya dinner.
The Dutch in Miami is clearly in good hands when he is not in town. It is manned by Chef de Cuisine Conor Hanlon and Pastry Chef Joshua Gripper. Chef Hanlon was previously executive sous chef at db Brasserie in Las Vegas for two years before heading to Miami to become executive sous at db Bistro Moderne.

Chef Gripper worked under Chef Carmellini at Cafe Boulud followed by a stint as pastry chef at db Bistro Moderne. He rejoined him at A Voce and moved on to Daniel when Chef Carmellini left. His first job in Miami was at Gotham Steak before joining forces with Chef Carmellini again at The Dutch.

I obviously had very high expectations going into this Cobaya and Chef Carmellini and crew easily surpassed them. I'm not going to bore you with a description of each course and will simply let the menu and photos speak for themselves. What I will tell you is that this was a fantastic meal in every way from start to finish including several holy sh-- that was great moments.

This was a special treat and one of the most enjoyable overall dining experience I've ever had.





Sommelier Nicholas Abuabara poured some really great wine all night that paired nicely with each course. I enjoyed hearing him explain each selection along with his rationale for the pairing.   

Chef Carmellini 



Great table out on the terrace featuring 30 guinea pigs.


The night started off with a few fantastic canapés. Lemon Arrancini, Caviar, Creme Fraiche. Bulgogi Tartare, Jae's Kimchi, Lettuce and Watermelon, Cobia, Spicy Yuzu.




Holy sh-- that was good moment #1 featured two of my favorite things, foie gras and meatballs.
Duck Foie Gras Meatball, Celery, Cherry Mustard.


Bluepoint Oyster, Cucumber Shiso Granite.


Holy sh-- that was good moment #2 coupled with a holy sh-- that may have been the best thing I ever ate. Words cannot describe... Lake Meadow Egg, Smoked Sable, Trout Roe





The night would have been incomplete without sampling some pasta Carmellini... His Gnocchi di Patate Primavera con Funghi e Piselli didn't disappoint this pasta lover. They were light and perfectly cooked.



A whole wild turbot in the locker room prepping for tip-off.



An AC two handed jam!! Holy sh-- that was great moment #3 and another dish of all time caliber offering. Turbot Cuit Entier Sur L'Os Aux Saveurs Marocaine (translation-delicioso) was packed with great flavors and melted in your mouth.



Biggie Smalls




Next up was the notorious whole H.O.G. Piggie Smalls (50 lbs) was prepared several ways by Chef Carmellini and Conlon. We got to tackle this bad boy for life head first and on the crispy side.
Crispy Testa with Gribiche.


P.I.G. round two Crispy Pig Ears, Swank Farms Arugula, Meyer Lemon.



Piggie threes moves hypnotized me. It featured insanely good Smoked Ribs Glazed in Cider. Holy sh-- that was great moment #4 and another dish of the year candidate.


                                                   

Chef Carmellini went Carnegie Deli on us with a Pastrami-Brined Belly. I'm a huge pastrami and pork belly fan so this really hit a sweet spot. The pastrami may have been a tad overpowering for some but that belly was a fatty-licious treat.

       
                                          

Alsatian-Style Shoulder with Mustard



Chef Hanlon posing with one of the Brown Sugar-Cured Hams



Brown Sugar-Cured Ham sliced and waiting for the au jus. Ham doesn't get better than this.




The fine swine was paired with Conor's Pickle Pots, Pickled Bread & Butter, Michael Borek's Farm Field Tomatoes and Pickled Ramp Relish.   



Grilled Georgia Peaches were an enjoyable treat.


Mom's Collards and Weinkraut MSG Style. Two outstanding sides.




Rainier Cherry Consommé, Manhattan Granita paired with a great barolo which was a last minute audible by Nicholas. This was a nice transition from savory to sweet.



Dessert was far from an afterthought. Chef Gripper dropped a dessert bomb on us with an old school Croque en Bouche Royal. Holy sh-- those little puffs were great. We were also treated to an assortment of awesome Ice Creams, Sorbets, Sauces, Cookies, Candies, Chocolates. This was a fantastic finish to a perfect evening.

Additional thanks to Jacque Burke, Katya Segovia, Joe Weiss, Seth Alexander and The Dutch team for helping make this a special night. The setting and service was first class all the way.

Do yourself a favor and go check out what's going on over at The Dutch. And save room for dessert!!!



The Dutch (W South Beach Hotel) on Urbanspoon


2201 Collins Ave Map.f370716 (W Hotel)
Miami BeachFL 33139

4 comments:

David Schmool said...

Thank you to everyone at The Dutch and to the Cobaya organizers for a most memorable evening.

The Chowfather said...

Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for the support.

Y'all Taste This said...

"HELL MOTHER FUCKIN YESSSS!!!!!" is right! I just laughed out loud when I read this. I can't think of a better sentiment. What a great night!

The Chowfather said...

Glad you enjoyed it as much as I did