4.5 stars!
DOM of…read moreChef's Table fame celebrates the ingredients and culinary traditions of Brazil. Their 12-course tasting menu is offered in an elegant, traditionally-decorated dining room and focuses on a particular theme. On my visit, the inspiration for the menu came from Sertão, a dry region of Northeast Brazil. We were started with a welcome drink of Alua, a sweet and sour mixture of ginger, pineapple, and sugar. The first course consisted of a candy made of cashews paired with smoked cashews; and then three little snacks: a cornmeal puff with fish, a cassava cake topped with cashew butter and cured beef, and a chicken drumstick with farofa. Then came three little dumplings filled with cured meat and served with a buttery pumpkin soup; red rice with butter cheese, fried onions, fried egg white, and a sous vide egg yolk; and beiju (manioc flour cake) served with mocoto, a stew of Andu beans and cow's feet.
The three entrees were yellow seabass cooked in banana leaf (using a traditional method from natives); quail with cornmeal mash; and kale layered with bacon and lamb. The transition to dessert started with a puree of Corda beans topped with melon sorbet and pickled wild cucumbers. Then came a dish called "white forest," consisting of green coconut and several preparations of bacuri, a sour citrus fruit. My favorite dessert was "Grandma's pudding," a coconut cake with a caja (tropical fruit) filling and topped with tapioca jelly swirls. And the last course consisted of three little bites: Souza Leao cake (made of coconut and cassava), topped with their signature silver-colored Amazonian ant (which had a crunchy texture and peppery flavor); a crispy Guava biscuit with goat cheese filling; and wedding cake (dried fruit, spices, chocolate) topped with umbu cream (made with a local fruit). The three bites were served on a dried leaf, along with a brewed coffee served in a glass, which was brewed dark with deep caramel notes.
Overall, the presentation and execution of the entire tasting menu was exceptional. The waiters explained each of the dishes as they were presented, and changed out the utensils and place settings between courses. Chef Alex Atala even came around the dining room to greet guests, capping off a super memorable experience!