3/12/2010 Cafe Juanita

i know, y'all all are probably wishing i'd go eat somewhere else, right? well next weekend you get your wish. but for right now...

we finally got to CJ with our house-sitter, who hadn't been since we were out of town before christmas - was that the previous summer? so there were a number of things she hadn't had.

we started with aperitifs

matt had a pear brandy sidecar with the Foie Gras Huckleberry Brik

while kathy and i had the traditional prosecco with Parm Reg.











our 1st course, or appys were served 2 + 1

a new Grammercy Cellars 2007 John Lewis Syrah - very tasty

Alaskan King Crab with Apple Sorbetto and Crab Butter Powder - that's 'extra' crab butter powder thank you very much :-)

House Smoked Sablefish with Frisee, Cara Cara Oranges, and Toasted Horseradish Vinaigrette

Mint SIlk Handkerchief over Lamb Sugo and Housemade Ricotta


i think this tastes 100% better than it looks


















then our primi:

Barbera Risotta Mantecato. 


this was the very 1st risotto i ever had at CJ. it's fantastic, and it's purple!
no, matt and i ordered a large and just had it boxed to go.

yay to sous chef lauren! when i made the reservations i asked if there was any way possible to have the tajarin (remember the valentine's day post?) and was told we could probably have it with a sage butter because they didn't expect to have any caviar. as it turns out there was a private party downstairs so they had the caviar. needless to say we ate every morsel and thanked her profusely!








our secondi:

we took the Quilceda Creek 2007 Cab Sauv with us and asked them to cork it for us. it had just arrived at our door a couple days earlier.

when mason was telling us the specials he mentioned they had '1' serving of pork tenderloin left and matt pipes up "i'll take it!" so he hurried off to the kitchen to let them know it was taken.


Tails & Trotters Grilled Pork Tenderloin over Sauteed Beet Greens, Greens with Fried Sage, Roasted Parsnips, Pickled Huckleberries and Marsala Pan Sauce

kathy had the Tagliata of Mishima Wagyu Flatiron Steak with Cippolini Agro Dolce and Gorgonzola

and i had the Local Squab with Salad of Miners Lettuce, Crisp Sweetbreads, Foie gras and Moscato Pan Sauce.


the sweetbreads were indeed crispy and yummy. this was the 1st squab i've had at CJ. last time i didn't order the pork i said 'next time porks on the menu i'm having it' but the pork will be on again, and squab's a spring bird, so i might have to wait a year to have it if i didn't this time.

our contorni was a surprise we weren't expecting:  the spiced cauliflower






















dessert: 

coffee, of course. we're taking it easy after so much food, knowing we want to see the dessert menu, but not getting to that point yet. mason's clearing the table, and then he comes over with spoons and forks for us. i don't remember what exactly, was said, but it was along the lines of 'yes i'm forcing dessert on you. i want to know what you think'.


so this was the 1st day this was on the menu.
 
Beet Cake, Chocolate Xocopili, Port Reduction, Beet Foam and Beet Microgreens, Chocolate Tuille, and a Blackberry Black Pepper Macaroon. 


the xocopili was very dense and spicy - it reminded me of the spiced mexican hot chocolate. and wow it was good! if you had said 'we have beet cake on the menu tonight' i would've said 'forget it!' boy would i have been wrong!


-as you can tell by the photo!