New Years Eve dinner at Hot and Hot Fish Club in Birmingham, AL!
An experience similar to the film "The Menu", thankfully without the deaths.
Bone Marrow: that melted in my mouth. It had me scraping the bone with my silverware trying to find some I missed.
Arborio Rice Risotto: unfortunately, some were toothsome, I believe undercooked. However, once I ignored the occasional extra chewing, my tongue was filled with umami and adventure.
Biggest take away- cook the risotto fully, and have floss available
Bread Service with chive butter: These biscuits were a bit bland in my opinion, as well as the butter. Both complimented each other well though. Biscuits were crunchy and fluffy. I think the bread service is not meant for my taste buds since I love salty food.
Pork trio: Seems to have been a pork sausage ball maybe wrapped in caul fat, pork loin, and pork roast? This is the epidemy a surprise with every bite. Nothing was as expected, everything contrasted texturally-soft, crunchy, simple, complex. The brussels were abit out of place though. Everything seemed elevated, but the brussels were just roasted brussels.
Favorites: caul fat sausage ball and the celery root and chestnut gratin
Poached Pear in Saffron with Port Wine Sauce: I do not know what I expected out of this dessert. Maybe something sweet and fresh to finish off a large dinner? I WAS WRONG. I took a bite and instantly, I mean INSTANTLY, smiled and my eyes flew open. I felt a smirk creep onto the right side of my face and a dimple poke through.
The port wine sauce was bitter, which was surprising considered I had seen so many people ogle over it on cooking shows- it just was not what I expected. The bitterness in combination of the slight crunch of whatever those flakes are were perfection. The perfectly poached pear was not sweet, but instead was bright, not acidic, and not overpowering. It was a perfect ending to the night.
Something I learned: to never skip on dessert, it may be surprising
