Spicy fried edamame (garlic, shallots, peanut oil, sesame oil, oyster sauce, shoyu, chili oil) started us of – these are as simple to make as they are addictive!

A new twist on a classic – eggs benedict in a salad form. Frisee, radish, edamame and red onions get a mustard, white balsamic dressing which in contrast to the thick and rich benedict sauce that is drizzled over a poached egg and fried thick-cut slice of pancetta.

Celery root and leek soup accompanied by clementine, tarragon, shallot and mustard toasts.

Grilled eggplant underneath syrah spicy shrimp.

Veal cheek in a soy-merlot reduction with mini bok-choy, smashed skin-on yukon golds and foie gras.

My fascination with Foie Gras never ends. Here its on a bed of macerated cherry-blackcurrant-vodka reduction. Served with Yukon Golds in a bit of sugar-truffle sauce. Going a bit extreme – I gave our three dogs the rendered fat on their kibble from the Foie Gras to their mutual delight.

Saw some humongous shrimp at the store and fried these in a garlic-shallot-caper spicy sauce on fresh arugula.

Good old trusty salmon in a black-bean-ginger-sesame glaze with red-salt grilled eggplant and garlic white fried-rice with peas.

Wild Arugula with tomatoes two ways (Broiled with shaved Parmesan and sea salt with butter-balsamic reduction, and a tomato compote with white truffle oil, shallots, and lemon-mustard vinaigrette):

I had somthing simliar to this at Bouchon a while back ad it got me thinking to make it myself. A Croque Madame is basically an open-face ham and cheese sandwich. Japanese pillow bread is lightly toasted and then i freid some nice thik-cut ham. on top is a poached egg and a classc mornay sauce coats it all. Yum:

Lamb is a favorite meat of mine. Whenever I suggest it, I’m met with looks of disbelief. I love to grill, and now that it’s chilly outside it’s a great time to throw on a few racks of whole-mustard coated lamb and serve it with a Cabernet-shallot reduction and fried shallots that were used to flavor the reduction were then flambeed in vodka. I served it with a side of Asparagus-Gai Lan; known as ‘Aspiration’ with black truffle drizzle and finishing salt:

Desert is not one of my fortes. In fact, I don’t have much of a sweet tooth and try to abstain from baking as much as possible. I find many deserts to be too rich or sweet and not the way I ever like to end a meal. Lara has been perfecting her bread-pudding recipe and made a croissant bread-pudding with chocolate chunks. I helped out by making a bourbon cream sauce with fried peach sections:

Kurobuta pork belly, braised in miso, soy, ginger with crackling:

Short ribs braised in red wine, garlic, super special ingredients to make you strong like bull over a bed of white truffled potatoes and caramelized campari tomato and pearl onions:

Firstly I will post some new women’s highs that the wifey bought me for the birthday. Pink and anthracite mighty goodness on my feet! It’s been a while since I’ve had new shoes – with the economy in shambles; it’s tough to justify spending shoe money right now but these were too sick to pass up…

The ambiance is interesting here. There are no long hallways to be seated, you go straight from a hostess right to a table; which are fairly close together. Behind the massive sushi bar is an elaborate light-box display / some sort of LCD unit. It’s beautiful and hard not to be entranced. There is mood music, sort of trip-hop / acid-jazz blends – nothing too ostentatious.

Our party included my wife, Lara and my mom, Tallie. On to the food…

Our first dish was the Kobe beef tataki (Red Onions, Lemon Tamari Soy and Tarragon Oil):

A seaweed tasting came next – something clean for the palate – great flavors, nice to taste the fresh ocean flavors again (Seasoned Chuka, Mixed Tosaka, Sweet Hijiki, Red Shibazuke):

Being a huge fan of oysters, these were a definite must for anyone who enjoys them (Kushi Shogazu Jelly, Kumamoto Orange Ponzu, Kushi Tobiko Yuzu, Sake and Quail Egg Shooter):

A selection of sushi was placed – great quality oh-toro (very fatty tuna) and extremely fresh ikura (my favorite!) complemented the mirugai (giant clam) and tamago (egg omelet). Lara ordered the Mifune roll which comprised of deep fried soft shell crab, daikon katsura, scallions and a spicy aioli. We got started on the platter as sson as it arrived that I barely remembered to take a picture until it was half gone:

By this time we were all getting pretty full. Japanese food is always strangely filling. Because of this, we forged ahead and ignoring all instinct had our last two dishes – both very rich and totally indulgent

First we had the Kurobuta Pork Crisp (Braised Black Pork in Brick Leaf Seared Tofu and Nihon Glaze):

Lastly we barely made it through the braisied Kobe beef short rib with seared Foie Gras in a spicy citrus soy base:

Two gentlemen had desert next to us when we were just finishing our last courses. As good as it looked, there was no way any of us had room for anything else. Excellent service and a huge sake selection complemented the great meal; I’m already looking forward to trying their seven course “Land and Sea” menu with sake for each course next time!