We were invited by a blogging friend of ours that we met several years ago. I was dying to see her new home after a few peaks on social media. As expected, it was incredible and very London. The best part was the kitchen which had been taken over by two chefs. Oh, the smells coming from their work, I knew this was going to be a great night.
That's how La Belle Assiette works. You go online to select a chef, a menu and a price. They do the shopping and show up with all of the food and equipment needed. The professional chefs take over the kitchen, work their magic and serve a beautiful meal cooked just for you and your guests. LIke all good dinner parties, this one started with a signature cocktail. Apologies for not remembering what was in it but trust me when I say it was good.
This was one of those gatherings where you know only the hostess which could potentially be awkward. But we immediately felt welcome and comfortable. I'm always a little nervous as the American trying to fit into a group of Brits. I still feel like a Labrador in a room full of cats, and some things do over my head. But, generous wine offerings always help. It was fun to watch all of the activity happening in the kitchen, too. I wonder what these jars of straw are for?
Once we gathered around the dining table, I found out. This was our Amuse Bouche. A beautifully seasoned shrimp on a skewer with a rosemary sprig. The grass in the jar was lit with a match and smoking just slightly as it was presented. It was quite the presentation and smelled like a campfire. Great way to start off the meal and a very tasty shrimp.
I've mentioned before that our kitchen is the size of a broom closet and we can't use the oven without setting off the fire detector. So we eat out or order in way too much. And we don't have a dining room table in our tiny flat and always eat on the couch. So this was an absolute delight, to sit around a beautifully laid dining table and have a home cooked meal. Well, home cooked by professional chefs.
The starter was served next...Roasted Beetroots, Goat Cheese Croquette, Pomegranate and Aged Balsamic Vinegar Dressing. In keeping with my desire to try new foods, I tried beetroot for the very first time. For goat cheese, I'll try just about anything. The dressing had a tanginess to it that went great with the sweet beetroot. The goat cheese brought everything together. It was a large serving of beetroot and as it was a new taste for me, I committed the dinner party faux pas of leaving some. But only after I'd cleared my plate of everything else.
Time for a palate cleanser of Apple Granita. My lips are puckering just thinking about it. Sweet and sour and fresh and cold with crunchy slivers of apple, just yummy. I need to find a recipe for this and try it at home. I tried to get Matt's serving too, but it was gone too quick.
Our main course was Confit Aberdeen Ox Cheek, Celeriac and Truffle Puree, Carmelized New Potatoes, Silver Skin Onions and Madeira Jus. When I walked in the first thing I did was go over to smell that amazing Ox Cheek cooking. I mentioned to Yann, the chef, that I wasn't the bravest eater and that this would be my first taste of Ox Cheek. The name has always put me off. I have a very visual imagination. He reassured me that I would love it. When he served it, he made sure to give me just the right bit. He was right. I did love it. It was like the most tender, slow cooked roast beef and served with the perfect assortment of veggies.
Yann is a French chef with 7 years of experience in prestigious French and European kitchens and Graham is an Irish "street-trained" chef with 10 years experience. in Europe, Asia and Australia. Two very different accents making incredible food together. We had a great time chatting with them about all things food. La Belle Assiette ensure that their chefs are the best of the best, so they have these special jury validation dinners where the new chefs are critiqued. Only the best will get the special status of Validated by Jury.
In case there was any doubt that they would get a good critique from this group, they brought out the dessert of Blue Berry Souffle, Pistachio Crumbs and Buttermilk Ice Cream. Earlier, we had been even invited into the kitchen for a quick lesson in making the perfect soufflé. It did not disappoint. This was my favorite dish of the night. I do have a sweet tooth. I felt so full, there was no way I could fit in dessert. I was wrong. The warm blueberry soufflé with that ice cream and crumbles, so incredible. The perfect end to our meal.
Oh, but wait, there's more. While we finished off the last of the wine and prepared to say our goodbyes, we enjoyed some nougat and these little French pastries, pets de none. It might have been the wine, but I had quite a giggle at the translation. I'll let you Google it.
Did I mention that not only do the chefs shop, cook, and serve, but they also clean! It's like magic. You have a foodtastic London dinner party and wake up to a clean kitchen and if you're lucky, some yummy leftovers in your fridge. A special thank you to our delightful hostess for including us in this fun evening.
Which La Belle Assiette Menu would you pick for your dinner party?
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