Image
  • Writing
    • Andy Gavin: Author
    • About my Novels & Writing
    • All Writing Posts
    • The Darkening Dream
      • Buy the Book Online
      • Sample Chapters
      • Reviews
      • Info for Reviewers
      • Press Coverage
      • Awards
      • Cast of Characters
    • Untimed
      • Buy Untimed Online
      • Book Trailer
      • Sample Chapters
      • Reviews
      • Info for Reviewers
      • Press Coverage
      • Awards
      • Cast of Characters
    • Scrivener – Writer’s Word Processor
    • iPad for Writers
    • Naughty Dark Contest
  • Books
    • Book Review Index
    • Favorite Fantasy Novels
    • Andy Gavin: Author
    • The Darkening Dream
      • Buy the Book Online
      • Sample Chapters
      • Short Story: Harvard Divinity
      • Reviews
      • Info for Reviewers
      • Press Coverage
      • Awards
      • Cast of Characters
    • Untimed
      • About the Book
      • Buy Untimed Online
      • Book Trailer
      • Sample Chapters
      • Reviews
      • Info for Reviewers
      • Press Coverage
      • Awards
      • Cast of Characters
    • Naughty Dark Contest
  • Games
    • My Video Game Career
    • Post Archive by Series
    • All Games Posts Inline
    • Making Crash Bandicoot
    • Crash 15th Anniversary Memories
    • World of Warcraft Endgames
    • Getting a Job Designing Video Games
    • Getting a Job Programming Video Games
    • Naughty Dark Contest
  • Movies
    • Movie Review Index
  • Television
    • TV Review Index
    • Buffy the Vampire Slayer
    • A Game of Thrones
  • Food
    • Food Review Index
    • Foodie Club
    • Hedonists
    • LA Sushi Index
    • Chinese Food Index
    • LA Peking Duck Guide
    • Eating Italy
    • Eating France
    • Eating Spain
    • Eating Türkiye
    • Eating Dutch
    • Eating Croatia
    • Eating Vietnam
    • Eating Australia
    • Eating Israel
    • Ultimate Pizza
    • ThanksGavin
    • Margarita Mix
    • Foodie Photography
    • Burgundy Vintage Chart
  • Other
    • All Posts, Magazine Style
    • Archive of all Posts
    • Fiction
    • Technology
    • History
    • Anything Else
  • Gallery
  • Bio
  • About
    • About me
    • About my Writing
    • About my Video Games
    • Ask Me Anything
  • Contact

Archive for Dark Illuminated Forest

Food as Art: Dark Illuminated Forest

Mar07

Restaurant: CR8 by Roberto Cortez [1, 2, 3, 4]

Location: LA

Date: March 5, 2012

Cuisine: Modern Art

Rating: Absolutely Amazing

_

About a year ago I came across online a chef named Roberto Cortez who hosts periodic themed modernist dinners. Looking at Roberto’s work (visible on his blog) it was instantly obvious that his visual style and presentation were out of this world. They exhibit a standout playfulness and creativity well in advance of even top restaurants. But what you can’t tell from pictures is how does it taste! Any which way, I was dying to find out. I emailed, and finally, this winter, the opportunity came. March 5, 2012.

Even with founding Foodie Club partner Erick out of town for business, this could not be missed.

To ruin the suspense: what followed was one of the best meals I’ve ever had. And, you, my readers, know I had a lot!

Roberto doesn’t just put on a dinner, he stages an event, a kind of modernist play for the senses. This one, part of the CR8 series, was called Dark Illuminated Forest and it has a wintery theme befitting the season. Food, drink, music, and ambiance all help create the evening.

Discover the cryptic “menu”!


Roberto chose a midtown gallery space for this particular event. And above you see several of us gathering in the back patio prior to the meal. Another interesting element is that there is a single table for ten, composed of three different parties mixed together. Everyone who comes to an event like this is a foodie and so part of the fun is meeting and socializing with new people. In this way it’s a bit similar to the experience at Jose Andres’ É — but Roberto takes it to a whole new level.


First he whipped up — literally — a specialty cocktail.


The base is fresh winter melon, compressed to bring out the flavor with a bit of cream and of course some booze. The top is a white foam of St Germain with a bit of chili.


The result was a wonderful blend of flavor and texture. The top velvety soft, the body intense and refreshing, with a pleasant burn on the finish. Really quite spectacular.


We move inside to the forest. The table has been set with a smoldering centerpiece of salt, bark, and flame. Paper walls cordon off the open gallery space to make it more intimate.


Above hangs part of the “forest” – painted by Roberto himself.


Each course featured unusual modernist silverware which was often amusing and conversation worthy, if not always totally practical.


As the candles melted, the flame began to sputter amongst the salt. This caused tiny volcano-like explosions, pops, and crackles. Advice: don’t pour water on burning salt, big flame results.


Our host introduced each course — then he was back behind the curtain whipping up the good stuff.

2007 Montenidoli “Carato” Vernaccia di San Gigmignano

The current release is, yes, five years old from the first Vernaccia to be aged in Barrique from a fine selection of free run grape musts, one can taste and feel the Leroy influence here. Deep minerality floated in creamy clouds. Grandiose, wild, and important. Here’s a pic of where this wine comes from. I discovered it last summer while Eating Italy.

This is a BYOB event for the most part. I brought a box of wine and another guest brought some too. Roberto opened various bottles to match — like this complex floral white from my cellar.

Liquid Moules Frites

With this post I’m experimenting with audio descriptors. Most are recordings of Roberto, but this one is me. Click the play button to listen.

https://all-things-andy-gavin.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Evernote-20120305-200139.wav

In any case, this dish is an amuse that riffs on “moules frites” the mussels and fries. The spoon contains beer gelee. There is a fried mussel and the shot is a potato soup tasting like… fries. Other than the oddity of the bitter beer goo, it tasted superb, particularly the “fries.”


The gluttons.

Leftover Christmas Garden

Roberto had a vision to create a dish out of the remains of his Christmas tree. The green oil is actually a resiny pine oil distilled from the tree, then there’s an arugula granite, and pears done 3 ways. As fruit leather, straight up and as a chip. But the best is that white blob, a mousse made from Brillat-savarin cheese. The cheese was mind blowing and the overall combination of flavors and textures truly startling. Really, quite divine.

Roberto speaks:

https://all-things-andy-gavin.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Evernote-20120305-200139.wav

Faux Stout

It looks like a Guiness, but no, it’s truffle soup with foamy maple syrup on top! And even better, it tastes amazing!

https://all-things-andy-gavin.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Evernote-20120305-200139.wav


Instead of wine the next dish was accompanied by this unique Belgian beer. It has a soft bubbly strawberry soda like flavor.


And a cool drinking spoon.

Duchesses’ Noodle

The beer was specifically chosen to pair with this fois gras dish. Noodles of liver are matched with sphereized dark cherries, anise, tarragon, mushrooms, and a crunchy powder. The dish was slightly reminiscent of the frozen fois noodles I had in Madrid.


My cellar isn’t deep in California wine but I do like this sophisticated 2000 Neiman Cabernet. It’s very Bordeaux-like even down to the lead pencil nose.


Earth’s Deep Perfumes

This has two components. The 1st, served in this glass-like “spoon,” is a savory broth of mushrooms. You just have to be careful when you put it down.


The 2nd part, is this risotto. And it was the best dish of the evening, which is saying a lot. Creamy rice is paired with a Syrah coffee reduction. There’s something crunchy in there to adding yet another delicious textural component. Utterly, totally, mind blowing.

Roberto on this dish:

https://all-things-andy-gavin.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Evernote-20120305-200139.wav


Thunder in the East

https://all-things-andy-gavin.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Evernote-20120305-200139.wav

Here, Roberto makes a sort of Japanese and Chinese surf and turf. Chinese congee (rice porridge), the Christmas tree oil, Chinese style pork belly, are paired with exotic shrimp. Lots of subtle savory flavors.


Parker 96 for this boutique Spanish blockbuster. The 2008 Ultreia De Valtuille received the same elevage as its less expensive sibling. To say that has more of everything is a gross understatement. The complex aromatics leap from the glass; on the palate the wine is dense, rich, and velvety, and it gives true meaning to the expression “iron fist in a velvet glove”. It is an extraordinary effort that should drink well for 10-15 years, probably longer.


Bovine Symphony #8

https://all-things-andy-gavin.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Evernote-20120305-200139.wav

Classical pairing with novel technique. Succulent sous-vide beef short rib with polenta mousse and a soft blue cheese ice cream with a bit of zest. Heavy. Delicious.


Parker gives the 2005 Doisy Daene 91 points. I found it to be very pleasant sauterne, in the lighter style, but well-balanced with nice floral notes.


LAs first Snowball

https://all-things-andy-gavin.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Evernote-20120305-200139.wav

Yes, it looks a bit like a hostess snowball, but that’s about where the similarity ends. You can never go wrong with coconut and kafir lime, plus the textures were really interesting. Even the sprigs of dill and the pomegranate seeds worked. Roberto has an incredible knack for pairings.


A shot glass from the dessert wine in the magic egg — inside is the caramel sauce for the next dish. he is


Xocolatl 2012

https://all-things-andy-gavin.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Evernote-20120305-200139.wav

Of course there would have to be a chocolate dish. You have to listen to the recording to discover all the random items in here, but unsurprisingly,  given Roberto’s track record so far,they blend superbly. I particularly enjoyed the caramel with popcorn flavors.

I had high hopes for this meal, but on all levels the results were truly outstanding. The most similar meal I’ve had was this one at 2-star Calima in Spain — but the overall experience of Dark Illuminated Forest took everything to the next level. Roberto told us that many of these dishes were cooked for the 1st time this night. He didn’t even give them a test run. That he can just taste them in his head. The man is like a Toscanini of food. It’s mind-boggling. Every single dish worked. Some were a bit better of course, but all were great. They show technical virtuosity, but more importantly, they show his incredible talent for predicting the nature of sensory experience. Like a Mozart symphony, the notes were all harmonious. Really, Food as Art.

Roberto details this meal on his own blog.

Check out more of my grand Foodie Club meals.

Related posts:

  1. Near Dark – The Hurt Coffin
  2. Dark Souls
  3. Kindle Select – The Results
  4. Jak & Daxter Retrospective
  5. Game of Thrones – Iceland
By: agavin
Comments (6)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: Dark Illuminated Forest, Foodie Club, Modernism, Roberto Cortez
Watch the Trailer or

Buy it Online!

Buy it Online!

96 of 100 tickets!

Find Andy at:

Follow Me on Pinterest

Subscribe by email:

More posts on:



Complete Archives

Categories

  • Contests (7)
  • Fiction (404)
    • Books (113)
    • Movies (77)
    • Television (123)
    • Writing (115)
      • Darkening Dream (62)
      • Untimed (37)
  • Food (1,765)
  • Games (101)
  • History (13)
  • Technology (21)
  • Uncategorized (16)

Recent Posts

  • Happy Hibi
  • Eating Naples – Palazzo Petrucci
  • Eating San Foca – Aura
  • Eating Otranto – ArborVitae
  • Eating Lecce – Gimmi
  • Eating Lecce – Varius
  • Eating Lecce – Duo
  • Eating Lecce – Doppiozero
  • Eating Torre Canne – Autentico
  • Eating Torre Canne – Beach

Favorite Posts

  • I, Author
  • My Novels
  • The Darkening Dream
  • Sample Chapters
  • Untimed
  • Making Crash Bandicoot
  • My Gaming Career
  • Getting a job designing video games
  • Getting a job programming video games
  • Buffy the Vampire Slayer
  • A Game of Thrones
  • 27 Courses of Truffles
  • Ultimate Pizza
  • Eating Italy
  • LA Sushi
  • Foodie Club

Archives

  • May 2025 (4)
  • April 2025 (4)
  • February 2025 (5)
  • January 2025 (3)
  • December 2024 (13)
  • November 2024 (14)
  • October 2024 (14)
  • September 2024 (15)
  • August 2024 (13)
  • July 2024 (15)
  • June 2024 (14)
  • May 2024 (15)
  • April 2024 (13)
  • March 2024 (9)
  • February 2024 (7)
  • January 2024 (9)
  • December 2023 (8)
  • November 2023 (14)
  • October 2023 (13)
  • September 2023 (9)
  • August 2023 (15)
  • July 2023 (13)
  • June 2023 (14)
  • May 2023 (15)
  • April 2023 (14)
  • March 2023 (12)
  • February 2023 (11)
  • January 2023 (14)
  • December 2022 (11)
  • November 2022 (13)
  • October 2022 (14)
  • September 2022 (14)
  • August 2022 (12)
  • July 2022 (9)
  • June 2022 (6)
  • May 2022 (8)
  • April 2022 (5)
  • March 2022 (4)
  • February 2022 (2)
  • January 2022 (8)
  • December 2021 (6)
  • November 2021 (6)
  • October 2021 (8)
  • September 2021 (4)
  • August 2021 (5)
  • July 2021 (2)
  • June 2021 (3)
  • January 2021 (1)
  • December 2020 (1)
  • September 2020 (1)
  • August 2020 (1)
  • April 2020 (11)
  • March 2020 (15)
  • February 2020 (13)
  • January 2020 (14)
  • December 2019 (13)
  • November 2019 (12)
  • October 2019 (14)
  • September 2019 (14)
  • August 2019 (13)
  • July 2019 (13)
  • June 2019 (14)
  • May 2019 (13)
  • April 2019 (10)
  • March 2019 (10)
  • February 2019 (11)
  • January 2019 (13)
  • December 2018 (14)
  • November 2018 (11)
  • October 2018 (15)
  • September 2018 (15)
  • August 2018 (15)
  • July 2018 (11)
  • June 2018 (14)
  • May 2018 (13)
  • April 2018 (13)
  • March 2018 (17)
  • February 2018 (12)
  • January 2018 (15)
  • December 2017 (15)
  • November 2017 (13)
  • October 2017 (16)
  • September 2017 (16)
  • August 2017 (16)
  • July 2017 (11)
  • June 2017 (13)
  • May 2017 (6)
  • March 2017 (3)
  • February 2017 (4)
  • January 2017 (7)
  • December 2016 (14)
  • November 2016 (11)
  • October 2016 (11)
  • September 2016 (12)
  • August 2016 (15)
  • July 2016 (13)
  • June 2016 (13)
  • May 2016 (13)
  • April 2016 (12)
  • March 2016 (13)
  • February 2016 (12)
  • January 2016 (13)
  • December 2015 (14)
  • November 2015 (14)
  • October 2015 (13)
  • September 2015 (13)
  • August 2015 (18)
  • July 2015 (16)
  • June 2015 (13)
  • May 2015 (13)
  • April 2015 (14)
  • March 2015 (15)
  • February 2015 (13)
  • January 2015 (13)
  • December 2014 (14)
  • November 2014 (13)
  • October 2014 (13)
  • September 2014 (12)
  • August 2014 (15)
  • July 2014 (13)
  • June 2014 (13)
  • May 2014 (14)
  • April 2014 (14)
  • March 2014 (10)
  • February 2014 (11)
  • January 2014 (13)
  • December 2013 (14)
  • November 2013 (13)
  • October 2013 (14)
  • September 2013 (12)
  • August 2013 (14)
  • July 2013 (10)
  • June 2013 (14)
  • May 2013 (14)
  • April 2013 (14)
  • March 2013 (15)
  • February 2013 (14)
  • January 2013 (13)
  • December 2012 (14)
  • November 2012 (16)
  • October 2012 (13)
  • September 2012 (14)
  • August 2012 (16)
  • July 2012 (12)
  • June 2012 (16)
  • May 2012 (21)
  • April 2012 (18)
  • March 2012 (20)
  • February 2012 (23)
  • January 2012 (31)
  • December 2011 (35)
  • November 2011 (33)
  • October 2011 (32)
  • September 2011 (29)
  • August 2011 (35)
  • July 2011 (33)
  • June 2011 (25)
  • May 2011 (31)
  • April 2011 (30)
  • March 2011 (34)
  • February 2011 (31)
  • January 2011 (33)
  • December 2010 (33)
  • November 2010 (39)
  • October 2010 (26)
All Things Andy Gavin
Copyright © 2025 All Rights Reserved
Programmed by Andy Gavin