A little while back a group of friends decided to celebrate the holidays at my favorite restaurant south of San Francisco, Manresa. This fabulous place is named after the medieval town in Catalonia and gets much of the cuisine’s inspiration from that region as well as from the European classics and local biodynamic farming. David Kinch, the Executive Chef, has worked at famous restaurants throughout the world from the Quilted Giraffe in New York, to Arzak in San Sebastian, Spain and everywhere in between and has a style all his own—he created my favorite amuse-bouche in the US, a coddled egg with foie gras, maple syrup and caviar. What a way to start any meal. I could certainly do it for breakfast, lunch, AND dinner.
When we first arrived in the private room we were all presented with a glass of Non-Vintage Drappier Val des Demoiselles. It has a wonder balance of fruit and acidity. On the palate, there was a hint of cassis. This Champagne has lovely freshness, with a breath of toastiness and great length. Once we were all seated, we were treated to Kobe-style American Beef and Oyster Tartar. Though I have experienced Manresa on numerous occasions, this dish was a new one me and what a treat! The marriage between the two very distinct flavors was absolutely superb and it virtually melted in my mouth. Our second amuse was a daring Kohlrabi and Foie Gras Royale demonstrating Chef Kinch’s knack for blending very different textures with outstanding results.
Our first course consisted of Monterey Bay Spot Prawns on the Planch with exotic Indian spice. The prawns were so sweet and creamy they melted in my mouth; the sauce had fantastic cumin and coriander; and the combination was very fresh and light as there was no cream to weigh it down at the beginning of the meal. This delectable dish was served with a 2006 Diatom Huber Chardonnay, Santa Rita Hills. It had a hint of herbaceousness and green papaya. The 100% malolactic fermentation was certainly apparent and it had a fairly pronounced buttery character. It was a bit green on the palate, with good acidity, balance, and length. It was a lovely pairing with the prawns as there was also a good deal of lychee and exotic fruit as well.
This being December in the Bay Area, our next treat was of course Dungeness Crab prepared in a risotto with black truffles. For those of you who are unaware, we had an oil spill occur in the San Francicsco Bay just before Thanksgiving. It closed beaches and delayed the official beginning of Crab Season by several weeks. But good things certainly come to those who wait. The crab was so sweet, the risotto creamy and cooked to perfection, and who could ever look down their noses at black truffles from Perigord? To accompany this delectable dish we had a 2002 Gros Frère et Soeur Vosne-Romanée. With its beautiful ruby color, it was a classic Vosne-Romanée with hints of violettes and that traditional "barnyard" (and I do mean that in the best sense) aroma. A perfect Côte de Nuits, the wine was lovely and elegant with great acidity and length. It the end it was the red berry and tobacco that lingered the most.
Our next course was the Guinea Hen poached and then roasted with Winter Vegetable and Citrus. This was the perfect dish for a cold winter evening with friends. The hen was rich and moist while the hearty root vegetables were still kept light and savory with the help of the citrus. This memorable course was accompanied by the 2004 Pisoni Estate Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands. It had a dark ruby hue and a nose that was all cherry and mint. There was a good deal of acidity to this Pinot and very fresh for a '04. The finish had lots of sweetness and a gentle hint of melted brown sugar.
Our main course was an amazing Roast Beef with Yellowfoot Mushrooms and Crushed Potatoes with Horseradish. The beef was beautifully roasted – just the right amount of pink for me. The potatoes were from heaven, so sweet from the caramelization accompanied by delectable mushrooms. As this course was fit for a king, we had of course the king of Napa varietals, the 2004 Hourglass Cabernet Sauvignon, out of magnum. The deep, opaque aubergine color was amazing. In the nose were hints of mint, black cherry, and molasses. On the palate it was almost over the top for the scrumptious yet mild roast beef. It had huge, mouth puckering tannins, yet the overall body and structure was still fairly restrained. We enjoyed this wine with a selection of cheeses ranging from a French raw goat’s milk, a harder Spanish goat’s milk, to an American blue wrapped in grape leaves. Even with the intense color and acidity, this will be a fantastic wine to cellar for a years so as to enjoy it again with prime rib at some date after 2012.
Our dessert course consisted of Dark Chocolate Fondant and Chicory Cremeux with Caramel Bouillon and hazelnut Ice Cream. The chicory gave a pleasing crunchy consistency as well as flavor to the dish. The hazelnut ice cream was a dream. I have only had its equivalent once and that was in Piedmonte, Italy! The caramel bouillon was wonderful with elegance and beautiful balance - not too sweet, just enough. This dish also paired well with the Hourglass.
It was a fabulous way to celebrate the holidays with my dear friends from Saratoga and the fantastic staff at Manresa: David, the always brilliant and low-key chef, Jeff, one of my favorite wine stewards, and Esteban, the ever welcoming Maître d’hôtel. Everyone who works at Manresa has a class and professionalism that puts them truly head and shoulders above the rest. Thank you again Russel and Susan Perry as well as everyone at Manresa. Happy 2008!