As mentioned in my previous post, today starts the first entry in a multi-part series about my fabulous evening at the 3 Course Feast, a wonderful event benefiting United Cerebral Palsy of the Mid-South. As we sampled the cuisine, Tom and I ranked each dish on a scale from 1-5 with 5 being the best and 1 being almost completely inedible. We then made notes about each dish, which I will share with you.
Now, onto the food!
Thai Tuna Wontons- Seared tuna on crispy wontons, micro greens, and ginger drizzle.
The Majestic Grille (Chef: Patrick Reilly)
-The wonton was crispy, and not at all greasy. The tuna was nicely seared and well seasoned. It lost points for lack of difficulty, but overall the tuna would be a tasty start to any meal. Our rating- 3.5 out of 5
Vitello Tonnato- Slow poached strip of veal with Tonna sauce, crystallized green olive, pine nuts, pickled onion and blood orange foam
Equestria Resturant (Chef:Brett "Shaggy" Duffee)
This dish seemed overly complicated. The flavors didn't work well together at all. The veal was so tough that I could barely chew it, and the green olive left an unpleasant bitterness in my mouth. Tom and I both agreed that this dish was an absolute failure in all aspects. Our rating- 1 out of 5
BBQ Shrimp
Restaurant Iris (Chef: Kelly English)
This dish was over simplified. The shrimp was well cooked, but the sauce completely overpowered the natural sweetness of the shrimp. It seemed like something anybody could cook at home, and while it was tasty, it wasn't very impressive. Our rating- 3 out of 5
Oxtail Stew with herb and ricotta gnocchi
Ciao Bella (Chef: Rick Saviori)
The best part about this dish was the gnocchi. They were light, fluffy, and perfectly cooked. However, the stew itself seemed muddled in too many spices. The oxtail was very tender, but overall this seemed a bit heavy for a first course. Our rating- 3 out of 5
Winter Corn Chowder with smoked bay scallops and truffle popcorn
Chez Philippe (Chef: Reinaldo Alfonso)
This soup was quite tasty and well-balanced. While the tiny bay scallops weren't overcooked, there weren't very many in the soup. The soup was also very smooth. I would consider it more of a bisque than a chowder (I like my chowder chunky). We liked it. Our rating- 4 out of 5
New Zealand Lamb Lollipops with Soy Mustard Sauce
The Tennessean (Chef: David Krog)
These were extremely tasty, and perfectly cooked. The soy mustard sauce was complimentary without being overpowering, and the portion was just right for an appetizer. We believed this one to be the best of the bunch. Our rating- 5 out of 5
Note: The program and the UCP website state that the previous dish was a New Zealand Lobster Lollipop, but it was obviously lamb, so we'll overlook this oversight ;)
It seems like the rest of the diners agreed with us. According to the United Cerebral Palsy of the Mid-South website, the New Zealand Lamb Lollipops from Chef David Krog of The Tennessean, was the crowd favorite, garnering a majority of the votes.
Next Time we'll tackle the Entrees.
Until then...
Sounds like a very nice event. I would like the lamb as well - sounds excellent.
Posted by: Natasha Price | February 17, 2009 at 11:12 PM