StudioKitchen (2002-2007)

[shacke]

I was there last night for dinner.. It was an amazing meal.. The soup was the best I have ever had.. Everything was perfect..  Shola is such a talented artist..  One of the more impressive meals I have ever had. I cant think of another restaurant I would rather go to more then I want to return here.. Thanks everyone..

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Jeff's photos seem to evolve with Shola's cuisine - both in the right direction!

Daniel, I am glad you got to go - finally. I know it has been on your list for some time. It looked like a top notch introduction to SK.

Evan

[philadining]

Thanks, everyone, for the compliments about the photos, it's good to have something interesting to shoot!

If anybody's interested, I added some impressions of the meal to my original post.

Edited January 30, 2006 by philadining (log)

[I_call_the_duck]

OK, two days later and I'm still reliving this meal with much fondness. What can I say but OMG, OMG, OMG!!!!!

I don’t have much to add to philadining’s comments (love the pics BTW), except to add my own bravo to Shola for another incredible meal.

Percy, we thought of you twice that evening—we knew you would have loved these eggs. We really did need a good wine scribe, as the self-appointed one for the evening fell short of his duties since he was too busy drinking the wine, and lost track somewhere near the end of the meal. (I will add what tasting notes he did have later on.)

Oh, THOSE EGGS. That first bite confirmed that if I died at that moment, I would die a very happy woman. The unnamed person sitting next to me would have been happy too, since he was hovering over my plate to make sure he’d get my share if I did indeed keel over. But knowing that several more courses were coming, I decided to hang on, and am I glad I did. Everything was outstanding—THE BEST MEAL EVER!!!

By the time we got to the veal I think Shola recognized that some of us were slowing down. As delicious as this was, I just could not finish it, and much to the chagrin of said person sitting next to me, Shola offered me a Tupperware container to take home the rest, adding an extra scoop of Madiera Jus.

(Guess what’s for dinner tonight, Capaneus? ) I took pictures, but they didn't turn out too well. But it tasted just as good the next day.

That anti-griddle was so cool. I couldn’t trick anyone into putting their tongue on it, though.

We had the pleasure of meeting Daniel and his lovely girlfriend, Alicia. Thanks for joining us, along with philadining, Capaneus, Diann, and later Katie. Hope to see you at a future SK dinner. Great company, great wine, and GREAT FOOD!!

Edited January 31, 2006 by I_call_the_duck (log)

[percyn]

Percy, we thought of you twice that evening—we knew you would have loved these eggs.  We really did need a good wine scribe, as the self-appointed one for the evening fell short of his duties since he was too busy drinking the wine, and lost track somewhere near the end of the meal.  (I will add what tasting notes he did have later on.)

I wish I could have made it !!! As BryanZ has pointed out, I think it hurts even more knowing that you could have been there.

I'll have to ask Shola to make me those eggs sometime soon

[Daniel]

Percyn,

I must admit I thought about you also during the lobster and egg dish.. It was truly amazing.. The Fines Herbs in Philadining's description was Taragon.. Oh my g-d.. Why taragon isnt put in every egg dish makes no sense to me.. And you might as well throw in some lobster too then..And why not add some marscapone.. The eggs were cooked perfectly.. I will attempt this dish as soon as I get home.. Last night I made the cauliflower ice cream with orange peels in it with great success..

Edited January 31, 2006 by Daniel (log)

[I_call_the_duck]

Got any pictures, Daniel? You should post them on the Inspired by StudioKitchen thread.

Gotta score me some lobster. Still thinking about those eggs.

[GregD]

Diane and I were lucky enough to be able to step in for a vacancy at last night's Studio Kitchen dinner. It was our first time, and I'll let the more experienced folks comment about the relative quality of each dish. For us, the joy was in having some extraordinarily fine favorites (veal cheeks, crushed potatoes), some things we have but infrequently like exquisite skate, and even more so some things that we had never had before and had never considered eating (cauliflower ice cream! "Redondo Inglesias" terrine, pineapple carpaccio, dehydrated olives.) It was an amazing eating and educational experience. Diane is assiduously trying to figure out how to make cauliflower ice cream as we speak.

The other pleasure was the company. Some of the more experienced hands gave us excellent guidance, and Jeff and Pedro and others poured fantastic bottles of wine.

Edited February 1, 2006 by GregD (log)

[shacke]

Diane and I were lucky enough to be able to step in for a vacancy at last night's Studio Kitchen dinner.  It was our first time, and I'll let the more experienced folks comment about the relative quality of each dish.  For us, the joy was in having some extraordinarily fine favorites (veal cheeks, crushed potatoes), some things we have but infrequently like exquisite skate, and even more so some things that we had never had before and had never considered eating (cauliflower ice cream! "Redondo Inglesias" terrine, pineapple carpaccio, dehydrated olives.)  It was an amazing eating and educational experience.  Diane is assiduously trying to figure out how to make cauliflower ice cream as we speak.

The other pleasure was the company.  Some of the more experienced hands gave us excellent guidance, and Jeff and Pedro and others poured fantastic bottles of wine.

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No early morning post-op report from Philadining? No stunning pics with my am coffee? Sheesh! Some people

[philadining]

No early morning post-op report from Philadining?  No stunning pics with my am coffee?  Sheesh!  Some people

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Ya ever have one of those days where you wake up on the couch, lights on, laptop JUST about to crash to the floor, several half-edited photos on the screen? No? Happens to me all the time...

patience!! All in good time! All this fine living is destroying my stamina!

[I_call_the_duck]

No early morning post-op report from Philadining?  No stunning pics with my am coffee?  Sheesh!  Some people

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Ya ever have one of those days where you wake up on the couch, lights on, laptop JUST about to crash to the floor, several half-edited photos on the screen? No? Happens to me all the time...

patience!! All in good time! All this fine living is destroying my stamina!

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What other reason for getting up in the morning but to view your pics? Living vicariously through these postings, man! Come on!!

[shacke]

No early morning post-op report from Philadining?  No stunning pics with my am coffee?  Sheesh!  Some people

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Ya ever have one of those days where you wake up on the couch, lights on, laptop JUST about to crash to the floor, several half-edited photos on the screen? No? Happens to me all the time...

patience!! All in good time! All this fine living is destroying my stamina!

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Nicely said Bob Loblaw now pictures please! Don't let your cult down.

Edited February 1, 2006 by shacke (log)

[philadining]

StudioKitchen, January 31, 2006

Scallop Tartare, Tomato-Rhubarb Sorbet, Chive Oil

Weingut Ratzenberger Riesling Brut Sekt

Fresh, sweet scallops, given a little acid and crunch from a microscopic dice of tart apple, the mellow sorbet melting down among the cubes, melding with the grounded chive oil...a beautiful, bright way to start the meal.

We've started many a meal at StudioKitchen with this sparkling Riesling, and for good reason, it's a nice aperatif on its own, and then often compliments an early course like this.

sometimes you luck out when you can't eat scallops...

Lemon Scented Kohlrabi Soup

Scallions, Grapefruit

Sweet Pecans "de Esplette"

Heron Hill Dry Riesling

I've decided that it's futile to try to rank Shola's soups, just when I was throwing up my hands, unable to pick a favorite among the squash soups, or those velvety lentil concoctions, along comes a Kohlrabi soup making a strong run at the winner's podium. It had that impeccable creamy texture that we've gotten used to at SK, this time with the round sweetness of an often-ignored root. The cool grapefruit sections were genius, as were the candied pecans, each playing off an aspect of the soup's flavor.

The citrus and root vegetables suggested a riesling, and as we'd powered-through the sparkler, we popped a still, drier version from NY. On its own it was a respectable, if not thrilling wine, but it slotted-in just perfectly with this soup, making each taste even better.

"Clam Chowder" Calasparra Rice

Nueske Applewood Smoked Bacon

Green Pea Water

Roasted Potato Froth

Vigna del Greppo Montecarlo Bianco

We were talking about this while waiting for the rice to finish cooking: Shola has ruined us for other restaurant risottos. His always have this ideal balance of firm, toothsome rice, but an overall loose, but not soupy, consistency. I don't care what he puts in it, I'm going to love it, just to feel it rolling around in my mouth. In this case, some tiny clams, sweet peas and a ton of bacon, what could be bad about that?!? It actually teetered on the edge of too salty, but it wasn't, it was just bacon and clam-flavored. Jeeze, the rice is getting like the soups, just keep it coming, I can't possibly choose a favorite version.

This was an odd mystery wine, I don't have any recollection of buying it, I couldn't find out much on line, but hey it was white and Tuscan, and what the heck, we gave it a try. And it was really quite good! There were a whole lotta grapes in that bottle, but together they made a nice, bright wine that countered the salt and smoke from the risotto really well.

Skate Wings Roasted with Fennel Pollen

Preserved Lemon "Pomme Ecrasee"

Choucroute of Fennel

Blood Orange Vinaigrette

LaTour Montagny 1er Cru "La Grande Roche" 01

Skate wings are always tricky to get done just right, they're such an odd shape, with such variable thickness. Well, Shola must have hand-raised some skates in little rectangular boxes in the back room, because these sake wings were beautifully square and even. OK, maybe he didn't actually breed them to be that shape, more likely he applied a little WD mojo to two pieces of fish, to produce a more perfect wing. At least that's how it tasted, perfectly done throughout, with a perfect crunch on the ridges. A delicate citrusy sauce was a refreshing change from capers and brown butter. The potatoes were simply roasted and crushed, resulting in a pedestal for the fish that tasted, well, like a potato, but a vivid, creamy potato. Want to make them at home? Better start peeling those tiny bintjes...have fun! The very briefly pickled, paper-thin swirls of fennel made converts out of several who have always hated that ingredient.

This white Burgundy was a really nice paring with the fish, and a lovely wine on its own. But then, this selection was inevitable, Capaneus has developed an odd pavlovian response: whenever I say "StudioKitchen" he reflexively blurts-out "burgundy". And you know, he's right.

And don't ask whether to bring red or white, the answer is "yes."

Veal Cheeks Braised in Banyuls

Warm Potato-"Redondo Inglesias" Terrine

Horseradish

Cakebread Benchlands Cabernet Sauvignon 2000

David Arthur Meritaggio 1994

They'd better start raising little cows with extra cheeks, because this dish is enough to start a run on them... A long, low, sous-vide bath melted this meat down to just barely holding together, the texture alone was worth the trip. But the intense, almost syrupy wine sauce put it over the top. He probably could have gotten away with serving one piece, as far as portions go, but trust me, there would have been rioting. Good thing there were two on each plate. (Yes, yes, there's some sort of joke about turning the other cheek in there somewhere, but darned if I can find it...) The crisped-up slice of terrine of interleaved potato and ham was great on its own (we've already imagined a dream breakfast that combines this with the lobster scrambled eggs from a a few days ago) but it also gave a nice salty contrast to the sweet and rich meat. And yep, there they were again - some innocent little vegetables, a little roasted tomato, a few pods worth of baby peas ganging up on a tiny squash, meticulously peeled by the elves Shola must employ in the afternoons.

Both of these wines complimented this course, in slightly different ways. The Meritaggio had a few more years to settle down and think things over, and a few more grapes to develop a consensus with, and indeed it expressed itself a little more eloquently than the straight cab. But there's nothing at all wrong with that Cakebread, it's a solid, beefy wine, but not bullyingly tough, it had just enough of a mellow side to not scare off the veal cheeks. Capaneus is convinced we should have opened a, you guessed it, Burgundy, and as much as it irks me, he's probably right. But I didn't miss it one bit.

Frozen Cauliflower Cream, Blackberries, PX Vinegar

Kiona 2003 Red Mountain Late Harvest Gewurztraminer

Yes, I've actually gotten used to the Cauliflower ice cream, in fact it seems positively normal now. Each time, it's been a slightly different concoction, and this one was nice and subtle, but way more interesting than your basic vanilla. The semi-frozen berries didn't bother me, as they did some, but I could see that some experimentation is still called for. Regardless, I agree with other posts that the blackberry flavor was just perfect with the cauliflower, and the hint of Pedro Ximenez sherry vinegar was a crowning touch. These discs of cream were quick-frozen on the anti-griddle, which gave them an interesting chewy texture, which added to the appeal.

That LH Gewurtz was really tasty, and managed to compliment both the cauliflower and the blackberries, no mean feat!

Pineapple Carpaccio

Olive and Marcona Almond Crumble

Lavender Honey Ice Cream

Spearmint Oil

Two Hands Brilliant Disguise 2005 Moscato

Hopler Noble Reserve Ausbruch Neusiedlersee 1981

Jeeze, I'm getting jaded... Dessert was delicious, of course, but even dragging my lavender-scented ice cream though crumbles of dried olives is seeming normal to me! That's not a complaint, although all the ice cream at the store tastes pretty blah to me these days. It was a lovely, light, refreshing dessert, with sour, sweet, salty, perfumey, tingly sensations pulling at your taste buds, but amazingly not fighting.

Another perfect setting for that Two Hands moscato, but then, we're starting to believe that all occasions are good settings for that fizzy, peachy nectar.

As if that weren't enough, we were lucky enough to steal a taste of what Shola was sipping to round out the night. That Hopler Noble Reserve was intense and full and complex, dense enough it was almost heading toward sherry. It was really delicious and a wonderful end to an outstanding meal.

Even with a few more hours to consider it, Pedro and I are still thinking: best meal yet...

Thanks to everyone who came, for the truly enjoyable company, and great wines, and good time over all. And once again, thanks to Shola for somehow outdoing himself yet again.

Edited February 2, 2006 by philadining (log)

[I_call_the_duck]

Thanks for appeasing the masses, philadining. Best ever, huh? I wasn't there, but it certainly looked darn good. The Warm Potato-"Redondo Inglesias" Terrine looked especially beautiful. Boy at times like this, I wish there actually was Smell-O-Vision.

Percy, wassup? Second SK dinner you missed? We need you there! I'm still trying to put together the wines we had on Saturday, but it's really hard to transcribe Cljasfodsssssssss.

[mrbigjas]

Let's just say that Pedro and I were thinking: best meal yet...

you don't say.

[GregD]

[Great photos, Jeff.

[philadining]

Let's just say that Pedro and I were thinking: best meal yet...

you don't say.

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Well, we might end up saying that after every meal!

But seriously, although there certainly are the occasional memorable dishes that are just never going to be beat (tomato water risotto...) every bit of this particular meal was SO solid, and progressed so nicely that it left a pretty remarkable impression as an entire dinner. It might have been helped along by the fact that, through no small amount of good luck, we just really hit the wine matches well, and had excellent company and conversation, but I think, purely considering the food, it was as a whole, best ever. Not that there's actually ever been much variation!

[docsconz]

Man, this is killing me! These meals look phenomenal. You regulars are soooo lucky to have this. The thing that keeps me going is that if these meals keep on getting better and that continues I will really be in for a treat when i finally get there!

Nueske bacon, huh? Was that a result of this thread?

What was the scallop-less dish? Foie gras?

I am very much looking forward to reading about the wine pairings.

[philadining]

What was the scallop-less dish? Foie gras?

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Yep, foie gras, nice score Lauren! If it were merely a menu choice, rather than an allergy thing, I think I would have recommended sticking with the scallops, but some seared foie is a nice consolation prize...

[SaxChik]

rule #27: do NOT lick the anti-griddle.

it's a griccle!

some wines imbibed include the following:

1. sparkling riesling

2. riesling

3. Montagny 1er Cru La Grande Roche (or the BIG ROACH) Louis Latour (Burgundy) -- forgot to write down the date!

4. ?

5. cabs

6. Kiona 2003 Red Mountain Late Harvest Gewurztraminer

7. Two Hands Brilliant Disguise 2005 Moscato

8. shola's dessert wine

hopefully, this will jog your memory a little and everyone else who brought wine can fill in the blanks.

[BryanZ]

rule #27: do NOT lick the anti-griddle.

it's a griccle!

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I was really hoping that was a link to a photo of someone doing exactly that. That would've made my day.

[KatieLoeb]

rule #27: do NOT lick the anti-griddle.

OK - this is just too damned funny.

Looks fabulous. A bunch of us will be there tomorrow night and will hopefully get a demonstration of said anti-griddle. Totally looking forward to it.

And we called Percy for our team.

So Dr. Sconzo, when are you coming down to join us?? We'll roll out the PhilleGullet red carpet for you.

[docsconz]

So Dr. Sconzo, when are you coming down to join us??  We'll roll out the PhilleGullet red carpet for you.

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Soon though not as soon as I would like.

[Chris Amirault]

The date approaches for our visit. Tomorrow we get into the car here in Providence and head Philly way; by late afternoon we should arrive at our hotel. Just got the menu today from Shola:

Carpaccio of Lamb

Pistachio – Lemon Praline

St. Agur

Mezza Arugula

Roasted Griggstown Quail

Farci of Foie Gras and Sweetbreads

Pea Flan, Quail Eggs

Perigord Sauce

Skate Wings Roasted with Sichuan Pepper

Oxtail Ravioli

Braised Bibb Lettuce

Gigondas Sauce

Veal Cheek Tart Tatin

Cipollini Agrodolce

Truffle Egg Salad

Chocolate 3 Ways

We've also been instructed to expect a surprise or two.

I would have to rely on really lousy, hyperbolic writing to communicate how excited I am, so forgive my reticence. Trust that we are utterly, profoundly eager.

Are we there yet?

[Capaneus]

The date approaches for our visit. Tomorrow we get into the car here in Providence and head Philly way; by late afternoon we should arrive at our hotel. Just got the menu today from Shola:

Carpaccio of Lamb

Pistachio – Lemon Praline

St. Agur

Mezza Arugula

Roasted Griggstown Quail

Farci of Foie Gras and Sweetbreads

Pea Flan, Quail Eggs

Perigord Sauce

Skate Wings Roasted with Sichuan Pepper

Oxtail Ravioli

Braised Bibb Lettuce

Gigondas Sauce

Veal Cheek Tart Tatin

Cipollini Agrodolce

Truffle Egg Salad

Chocolate 3 Ways

We've also been instructed to expect a surprise or two.

I would have to rely on really lousy, hyperbolic writing to communicate how excited I am, so forgive my reticence. Trust that we are utterly, profoundly eager.

Are we there yet?

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This is a sickness!

Today I spent $1300 on dental work. I have been to two extraordinarily good SK dinners in the past week. I have already imposed on your kindness by withdrawing from the above. And yet I have just spent the last twenty minutes trying to torture my bank account into yielding an extra $100 so I can go with you guys.

That menu looks so good. I know that's at least in part because I'm an irredentist carnivore, but really...

If this does turn out to be an addiction, I wonder if i can get my insurance to cover it?

[Capaneus]

StudioKitchen, January 31, 2006

Scallop Tartare, Tomato-Rhubarb Sorbet, Chive Oil

sometimes you luck out when you can't eat scallops...

Lemon Scented Kohlrabi Soup

Scallions, Grapefruit

Sweet Pecans "de Esplette"

"Clam Chowder" Calasparra Rice

Nueske Applewood Smoked Bacon

Green Pea Water

Roasted Potato Froth

Skate Wings Roasted with Fennel Pollen

Preserved Lemon "Pomme Ecrasee"

Choucroute of Fennel

Blood Orange Vinaigrette

Veal Cheeks Braised in Banyuls

Warm Potato-"Redondo Inglesias" Terrine

Horseradish

Frozen Cauliflower Cream, Blackberries, PX Vinegar

Pineapple Carpaccio

Olive and Marcona Almond Crumble

Lavender Honey Ice Cream

Spearmint Oil

Percy had the audacity to stay home again (AGAIN!!)  so we're still working on reconstructing the wine list... will add that and some thoughts later. 

Let's just say that Pedro and I were thinking: best meal yet...

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Wines... with the scallop tartare we had the Ratzenberger sparkling Riesling that Moore Bros always recommends. With the soup we had the Heron Hill Riesling and the Mystery Italian White. With the risotto we had an '01 Montagny from Latour. For the... I've lost the thread. I know there was a David Arthurs "Meritaggio", the Cakebread Cab, the Kiona LH Gewurtz, the Two Hands Moscato...

I think that may have been it. We went relatively light, a course which, after the debauchery of Saturday, fairly imposed itself.

The meal was amazing. I'll select for further praise the risotto, in which the brine of the seafood danced coquettishly with the salty earth of the bacon, chaperoned by the most perfectly al dente rice ever. And the anti-griddle pancake with the blackberries. the complaint that the blackberries suffered from the freeze has merit, but nowhere near enough to harm the perfection of the flavor pairing. Shola might choose to do the blackberries as a compote, or otherwise withdraw them from the freezing process, but they work beautifully with the cauliflower ice cream.

Gods, I want more...