Over the past few years, Miami has been the site of much culinary colonization. Several chefs with national reputations have set up outposts here; and as often as not, those outposts take the form of a steakhouse. Michael Mina's
Bourbon Steak, Alfred Portale's
Gotham Steak, Laurent Tourondel's
BLT Steak ... It's a formula designed to capitalize on the name while minimizing the execution risk as they put others in charge of carrying the brand's flag in the far-flung colonies: given the inherently limited nature of a steakhouse menu, diners will expect quality, but not necessarily the same creativity or flourishes by which these big-name chefs garnered their reputation in the first place.
That's not to sell the steakhouses short. I've had some great meals at these places, and they have the capacity to serve as a springboard for younger kitchen talent (witness the nomination of Chef Sam Gorenstein of BLT Steak as a semifinalist for a
James Beard Rising Star award this year). But the self-limiting format only gives so much wiggle room for the local chefs to show that they can do something other than grill a steak and cook potatoes.
That's in part what
Cobaya is for: to give chefs a chance to showcase, or experiment with, things they may not be able to do in their "native habitat." When we met with Bourbon Steak's chef Gabriel Fenton and general manager John Riccardo, we told them that this was a no-holds-barred opportunity to cook whatever they wanted to make, and if there wasn't a single piece of steak on the menu, that was perfectly fine. And Chef Fenton - who spent several years as executive sous chef at Michael Mina's
flagship restaurant in San Francisco - put together a beautiful meal in which a cow made only the briefest cameo appearance. We hardly noticed its absence.
The menu (you can see all my pictures from the dinner in this
flickr set):
Michael Mina Cuvée Welcome & Gougeres
Michael's Classic American Caviar Parfait
House Smoked King Salmon, Dill Oil
Robert Weil Riesling Tradition, Rheingau, Germany 2008
Hawaiian Big Eye Sashimi
Aji Amarillo Chile, Cilantro, Lime, Chorizo
La Cana Albariño, Rias Baixas, Spain 2008
Hudson Valley Foie Gras Terrine
Strawberry, Grains of Paradise, Pistachio, Blue Basil
Royal Tokaji '5 Puttonyos,' Hungary, 2003
Line Caught Wild Alaskan Halibut
Baby Purple Artichokes, Meyer Lemon, Taggiasca Olive
Tablas Creek Esprit de Beaucastel, Paso Robles 2007
Columbia River Sturgeon
Short Rib Ravioli, Spring Garlic
Jean Louis Chave Cotes du Rhone, Mon Coeur, Rhone Valley, France 2006
Local Peach Sorbet
Ginger Gelée, Lemon Balm
Milk Chocolate Panna Cotta
Candied Kumquats, Almond Biscotti
Jorge Ordoñez & Co. Moscatel Seleccion Especial, Malaga, Spain 2006
(continued ...)
