Last night after seeing a magnificent new production of Gluck's ORPHEO ed EURYDICE at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, I had the pleasure of taking my client to dinner around the corner at BLACKBIRD, 619 West Randolph (Tel 312-715-0708; www.blackbirdrestaurant.com). This was my fourth or fifth visit to Chef PAUL KAHANE's gastronomic temple of trend. We sat at the bar for a while awaiting our table (we were 25 mins early and all the operagoers had the same idea to eat after the shorter than usual 90 minute performance!). I tried a glass of the innocuous MARGARET BONNERAVE BRUT ROSE N/V Champagne, but the fireworks of food
and wine started soon after we were seated. For the first time at Blackbird, I felt the music was a little too loud and sometimes to much bass and disco-like. It faded to soft jazz and back and forth which did not make for the best of dining ambiance. Despite this minor fault, and the amuse I never saw at the table, our meal was a truly exquisite experience.
The sommelier/manager, Eduard Seitan, who had helped me with many wonderful wine selections in previous visits decided to surprise us with a special bottle of wine. He disappeared and returned with two Syrah/blend style quality glasses and a decanter from which he proffered tastes. I immediately guessed it was a blend, but was slightly off geographically with my California guess. The CHERRY CREEK CELLARS 2003 MONTAGE was a thick earthy wine with lots of flavor and a
blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Chancellor Noir (a varietal I had heard of but hadn't had in years). If I tell you this quality wine comes from Michigan, you might plotz, but it was a perfect wine for our food choices, and kudos to Eduard for his allowing us to be introduced to this new wine (at a cost of $30-something!).
David started with the SEARED HUDSON VALLEY FOIE GRAS, DUCK CONFIT CREPE with Sweet Potato & Currants. The dish was sheer perfection, with the foie gras simply seared and seasoned and served plain atop the crepe. The garnish was on the bottom of the "tower," with a slash of balsamic across the opposite side of the plate, just to add a bit of taste for the foie gras if you felt it needed it. The toasted mini-marshmallow was a bit of an odd garnish.
My HOUSE SMOKED MAINE DIVER SCALLOPS with MELTED LEEKS, Local Beets, Marcona Almonds, Black Truffles and Meyer Lemon was a combination of sheer genius. The creamy sauce and leeks were exquisite, but the pink scallops and those intense tasty truffles were heavenly.
For an entree I chose the BRAISED KOBE BEEF SHORT RIBS with CANDIED KUMQUATS, Confit of Baby Turnips, Yukon Golds and Red Wine. The "Yukon Golds" appeared as mashed potatoes underneath and irresistible homemade chips on top. The sweet chutney-like kumquats were an ideal foil to the soft as could be, Mom-can't-make-better, pot roast-like ribs, and the wine as well. David chose the excellent SEARED LOIN of VENISON with DATE MOLASSES, TOASTED BARLEY, Snug Haven Farm Spinach, Maitake Mushrooms and Water Chestnuts, another brilliant interpretation and combination.
Once can not skip Blackbird's cheese tray with five selections for $14. We decided to split this, which is just perfect for two. Each cheese is paired with a condiment and a tasty flatbread accompanies the beautiful presentation. At this point we noticed the silly little white vase on the table with two boring yellow daisies that may have added some color, but was quite drab. Back to the cheese:
MIDNIGHT MOON CYPRESS GROVE goat from California was a crumbly, intensely nutty cheese served with (oddly) pickled beets.
MUNSTER GEROME a French cow with Quince Paste was a wonderful Munster from Alsace that had less intensity than the goat, but more depth. FIUMORBU BREBIS was a hugely intense sheep cheese from France served with Caperberries, and I felt it would have been better coming after the next cheese, due to its monstrous flavor (David didn't like it at all!).
OSSAU-IRATY a harder raw sheep cheese from France was served with Medjool Dates and was exciting for its difference alone.
Finally, the ROARING 40's KING ISLAND DAIRY cow cheese from TAZMANIA looked like a blue cheese and was, while not a blue, aged to an intense flavor that made it the perfect final cheese (served with Smoked almonds in honey).
Dessert--of course! We split the one we saw at the next table earlier in the evening, and it was the perfect choice: GINGERBREAD BLINIS with Spiced Anglaise, BRANDIED CHERRIES and Buttermilk Ice Cream offered up so many different flavors it was a true treat. The warm mini-pancakes piled silver-dollar like shamed IHOP and the Brandied Cherries were something I'd love to package and take home to eat nightly. A glass of ANDREW RICH 2002 "les Vingneaux" Late Harvest Gewurtztraminer ended my day of blissful music and food in perfection.
