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Last Monday, I attended one of the dinners from FT33's Guest Chef Series. I wanted to go last year when I first heard of these dinners but never made it out. I was sure to try it this year!
They have it every 3rd Monday of each month. 8 course menu for $105 per person. Optional wine pairing +$55~ I reserved for 7 people on Monday, 6/15. The hostess informed me that the doors open at 6PM where there will be passed appetizers and cocktails. And we'll be seated for dinner around 6:45PM.
FT33
1617 Hi Line Dr.
Dallas, TX 75207
(214) 741-2629
http://ft33dallas.com
Half of the group arrived at 6PM. We hung out at the bar where they were making their featured cocktails.
Guest Bartender: Matt Orth
Cocktails:
Balvenie 12yr. Doublewood Penicillin. I opted for this one and asked to it to be a little sweeter. It had honey and lemon in it. It was sooooo good. And I NEVER drink whiskey because I've never liked it in anything. They definitely converted me! I usually don't drink on a weeknight either but I got a 2nd one before dinner started. :P It's all included, why not?
Balvenie 14 yr. Caribbean Cask Old Fashioned. Most of the guys ordered this. It's more of a manly drink. hehe. One friend that knows his stuff about liquor said it was really really good. The bar ran out before we were seated for dinner though.
Waiters/waitresses also came around with white wine and a rose.
Passed Apps:
All the appetizers were nicely plated and were passed around by the waiters. Everything was tasty. We were off to a great start!
Don't remember what this is, but tasted like shrimp chips! This was pretty good, and it just kept getting better.
Baby Corn Elotes. So cute! I love elotes.
Tomato Madeleines. My favorite of the night. They were cute, buttery, and full of flavor. And the serving platter was beautifully done with tomato vines since it was a tomato flavored madeleine. :)
Chocolate Liver Mousse Macaron. This was very interesting. The macaron is chocolate and sweet. The liver mousse filling was savory and rich. It had so much contrast but everything went together so well. The outside was crunchy, the inside was smooth. Sweet and savory. A very unique but wonderful combination.
Finally, we were all being seated at our tables. They had a pretty structured system for the dinner. Before the meal, the waitress collected all of our credit cards to enter in, then quickly returned to all of us. This way, they can get the check to us at the end of the meal without having to deal with collecting everyone's payments then. It really made a difference. We were not left waiting when we wanted to leave.
I went to the restroom before dinner started and walked by the open kitchen. I saw dozens of plates laid out and all the chefs plating the first course. I love that we can see through the kitchen. I love watching them plate. It always seems like an art form.
They welcomed everyone to the dinner and did a brief intro on the guest chefs and we are off!! Guest Chefs: Kim Floresca and Daniel Ryan from [ONE] in Chapel Hill, NC. I didn't know anything about these chefs but I'm sure that if Chef Matt McCallister invited them, then they are good at what they do.
So the way the menu was structured is that Chef Matt McCallister prepped and served dishes alternating with the dishes from Chef Kim and Chef Ryan. It wasn't what I expected. I had thought that the 3 chefs would all work together and make dishes together. All my friends kind of had the same expectation too, so we were all kinda surprised. The dishes from Chef Matt will be labeled (M), the Chefs from [ONE] will be (K/D).
(M) Summer Squash lightly cooked, Vegetable Tea, Nori.
First course. As we were being served, everyone at the table was talking. All of a sudden I see this tattooed arm reach over me, pouring the vegetable tea. Then I looked up, and was like "Hey! This is the Chef!" Chef Matt was personally serving our table. Cool! :) It was a nice beginning to the meal. The plate was pretty and clean... in both style and flavor. Everything was light, but not bland. A good start.
(K/D) King Crab, Carolina Gold Plantation Rice, Soured Corn, White BBQ.
This was the guest chef's first dish. OMG. So freaking amazing. It was so simple yet so complex. It's a cold dish. The large chunk of king crab under the rice was cooked perfectly. The rice with the sauce was also perfection. I wanted a giant bowl of this and I'd be happy with the dinner. The olive looking things were actually not olives and it added a nice acidity to everything. Everyone was blown away by this. This turned out to be my favorite dish of the night.
(M) Field Peas, Dried Goat Cheese.
You know me... I hate goat cheese. But since it was dried, I could eat around it and the flavor wasn't too strong. The peas were an assortment of flavors and textures. Some seemed to have been fried/crisped, which the others were softer. I loved the difference in texture, especially the crispy ones... they had a smokiness to them.
(K/D) Black Garlic and Squid Ink Cavatelli, Krill, Aleppo, Crumb made of Pig Ears and Skin.
This was the dish I was most excited about when we got the menu since I love squid ink anything and cavatelli isn't something I get often. It wasn't what I expected... it was SO much more interesting! First of all, the cavatelli was jet black and kinda shaped like fat meal worms. haha. A little gross, but also kinda cool. It was perfectly al dente and the flavor of the cavatelli alone was wonderful. The toppings with the crumbs and krill provided a crunchy texture. Normally I don't like krill, but in this case it paired wonderfully. A friend of mine said the same thing about the krill. So much flavor and texture... again. The guest chefs are certainly outshining Chef Matt. (Which I was shocked!)
Two of my friends decided to order Whiskey Sour $6~ halfway through the meal. It was pretty. But not nearly as good as my Penicillin cocktail earlier. hehe. They liked it though. And it was only $6!!
(M) Pork Jowl, Braised Cabbages and New Crop Potatoes, Chicory, Chantrelle.
I was also excited for this dish since pork jowls are usually really yummy. Which it was on this dish. It was like really thin shavings of pork. Super tender. The dish was good but I felt like it was missing something. The flavors were pretty one dimensional. I think a sprinkling of chili flakes would've really brightened it up?? I was a little disappointed.
(K/D) Lily Buds, Beef Cap, Vegan XO, Cucumber, Charred Eggplant.
Another shining star. We didn't know what to expect with the vegan XO. The only time I've had XO sauce is in Chinese cuisine. The waiters explained to us that it is similar to the Chinese XO sauce, but instead of being made with meats/seafood, it was all vegan. The sauce on it's own was ok. But when paired with the beef. Magic happens!! Ahhhhhh! And the beef... oh the beef. Some of the most tender beef I've had that's not labeled "wagyu" or "kobe". Perfectly cooked. We all wished we had more than just the 2 pieces on our plates. For every bite of the beef, you had to smear it with sauce. It was delicious! This was a lot of people's favorite dish. And a very close second for me...IF I had to choose.
(M) Crocodile Tears, Seed Crisp, Basil Fermented Strawberry and Tomato.
We were trying to guess what Crocodile Tears are the entire meal. We didn't want to google it because we all wanted to be surprised. hehe. But before this course, I went to the restroom. On the way back, some of the other tables already got it and it looked like a cheese plate. So Crocodile Tears turns out to be a goat cheese from Capriole farms in Indiana. Sigh... more goat cheese. This one was way more potent than the one in the beginning. I could smell it as soon as they put the plate in front of me. Ugh. It was almost unbearable. But I still tried it. Couldn't do it... after 2 bites.. I really tried! But I ate everything else. Another friend of mine doesn't like goat cheese either and she had the same reactions I did. This is by far my least favorite dish of the night. I felt bad for leaving pretty much the entire chunk of goat cheese on my plate. Good thing my friend took half.
(K/D) Carolina Peaches, Local Beeswax, Olive Oil Madeline, Angelica.
The final dish of the night was a dessert by the guest chefs. The green licorice-like things on the plate was called Angelica. I had to look this one up... According to BBC: "Angelica may be familiar as the acid-green crystallized or candied strips used as a decoration on cakes and desserts, but angelica itself is a herb. It is known as ‘herb of the angels’ (hence the name) because it was believed to have medicinal properties. It’s a member of the parsley family, a tall plant with a long firm stem and bright green leaves. Candied angelica is made by boiling the stems in sugar syrup." It had a very unique flavor. Nothing I've ever had before, and I couldn't decide if I liked it or not. But other than the angelica I liked everything else. Those thin wafer things were by far my favorite. So buttery, thin, crispy, it held the dish together. the peach sorbet was a bit too sweet for some. I thought it paired with everything well. The beeswax cream was very interesting too. So many flavors in here that I don't have often!
It was a fun and interesting meal. I got to try a lot of new things I've never even heard of. But we all realized half way through the meal that we were liking all the dishes from the guest chefs. Their dishes were the clear winners of the night...every single one of them were fantastic. I was actually quite surprised. We all though that Chef Matt needed to step up his game... or wondering if he let the guest chefs have the spotlight?? I mean, we all agreed that his dishes were really good, but in comparison with the guest chefs, it wasn't as good. I really wonder what the thought process was for all the dishes from all the chefs to plan this meal. The other thing is that even though all the dishes were amazing, we felt that it didn't really have a cohesiveness for the entire meal. Wasn't that big of a deal though.
I definitely recommend getting in one of these dinners if you like to try new things. His next one is July 20th. I think that's the last one... I haven't seen any news of any other future dates. Also, if you like wine, I'd suggest the wine pairing. One of my friends regretted not doing it. And the table next to us said the wine pairing made their meal because it was so well done.
We had a lot of fun! The checks were brought out to us, included tax and gratuity already so the check out process was very fast. The service throughout the night was great too. Some of the waiters didn't know all the details about the different dishes but they were very eager to ask the kitchen and inform us.
Quality of Food:
Service:
Ambiance:
Value:
Overall Experience:
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Last last weekend was the first ever Chipotle Cultivate Festival. It was held at Lake Carolyn in Irving on Saturday, October 18. And the best part? Admission is free!
I first found out about this festival when I went to pick up some dinner at Chipotle. They had a poster up. Food festival? Free? And FOOD?!? I'm soooo there! I immediate looked it up online and sent the info to all my friends to let them know about it. I also told my fiance we were not to schedule anything else for that day! haha.
Other than the reasons I've already presented... I was super excited because there were also chef cooking demos and the line-up was fantastic.
First up was Chef Paul Qui from Austin. I love this guy. I first cheered for him on Top Chef Texas, which he won. Woot! Then I was lucky enough to dine at his restaurant (Qui) over Christmas last year and got to meet him!! Can you tell I'm a fan?? haha. And he is just the nicest guy ever. He made Filipino Squid Adobo.
I haven't had much Filipino food in my lifetime but I'd really love to try. But I do love baby squid, my mom used to cook it a lot when I was young. It looked so good. I wish it was one of those demos where the audience could sample the finished product... Oh well. After the demo, people lined up to take pictures with him. Of course I was there! I got my picture. And better yet, he signed my CHOMP! shirt. *Squeal* Oh and did I mention that my fiance was actually wearing the shirt? hehehe. I know I got a good one when he lets other dudes sign his chest. :P So the day started off really well. I was super psyched to check out the rest of the festival.
After the demo, we walked around for a bit. They had several areas set up with different exhibits and demos. You can learn about fresh vs. processed foods, GMO (genetically modified organisms), how livestock is raised in factories vs. those that are responsibly raised and more. The festival was created by Chipotle to celebrate food that is "responsibly raised, skillfully prepared and delightfully enjoyed." It's such an awesome way to spread awareness for better processes and ingredients for food.
I was hungry so we went to find some lunch. There wasn't that many options for food, but they all sounded really yummy.
ShopHouse Southeast Asian Kitchen (a new concept of Chipotle)
Meatball Bowl (Jasmine rice, green curry, green papaya slaw, herb salad, charred green beans with chili jam & crispy garlic) $6~
My fiance got this. I wanted to try it too. I absolutely loved it. The meatballs were super tender, and that green curry was delicious. It had a spicy kick to it too. The papaya slaw on top added a crunch and freshness to it. It was the best dish of the day, in my opinion. It was a little too spicy for him though, he ended up liking my kale salad more. Seriously though, we totally need a ShopHouse in Dallas (currently there's only 2 or 3 states in the US that has it)!!
Kale Salad (Baby kale, roasted corn-escabeche, crumbled cotija, crispy tortillas, and chipotle-honey vinaigrette; Choice to add grilled steak) $7~
I'm loving the whole kale craze because I think it's a great vegetable and so good for you too. It was a little salty... I think they were a little heavy handed with the cotija. I do like the steak addition, it had a lot of flavor. Overall it was good, lots of textures and flavors. But the meatball bowl was better.
Sofritas® Tacos (Sofritas® organic tofu, in soft corn tortillas with fresh tomato salsa, Romaine lettuce and shredded cheese) 2 for $6~
A friend of mine got this. I have to say, it looked a bit sad. Other than the lettuce and hot sauce, I didn't see anything else. I tried a bite. The tofu was cut into little teeny tiny pieces and I really couldn't get much of it at all. I wonder if their chicken taco was better...
Next, we moved on to the Artisan's Hall. There were many local vendors showcasing and selling their products. More food! Yay! hehe. A lot of the products looked yummy, but I had to choose one... I was already a little full.
Texas Honeybee Guild
Whipped Honey (cinnamon) $9~ I've never even heard of whipped honey but it sounds cool! My fiance said he's had them before and it's awesome. So he got a jar of the cinnamon one. I tried it when we got home and it's pretty tasty. And I'm not even a huge fan of honey!
Pop Star Handcrafted Popsicles
Cucumber Lemon Mint $3~ He also got a popsicle. Personally I would've opted for the strawberry lemonade flavor but I had my eyes set on a different vendor. The cucumber popsicle definitely tasted like its listed ingredients. It wasn't too sweet and was very refreshing. He really liked it. That combo isn't for me...
Butterfield Gourmet
Chocolate Pie Slice (topped with whipped cream) $5~ I got a slice of pie. It looks so ooey gooey, I just had to try it. Yummers! The filling was dense and gooey. A bit too sweet for my friends but I liked it. I wish I had some ice cream or milk though. The bottom of the pie had kind of caramelized so it was even sweeter during a few bites. It's definitely very decadent. Thumbs up.
They also featured several other businesses that have partnered up with Chipotle for the event. One of them was Tabasco! Holla. Shout out to one of my favorite hot sauces. And I'm traditional, just the original flavor for me thanks. All the mini sample bottles were so cute!
Then it was time for the next chef demo I was waiting for... Matt McCallister of FT33. The hottest restaurant in Dallas right now I'd say. And I agree, I think it's probably the best restaurant in town.
I was lucky enough to go to a special event there with my friend and got to eat a 3 course meal prepared by the chef. I ate lamb! I never eat lamb because I don't like the flavor, but his dish, I cleaned it. That's a VERY big deal. We got to the tent after it had already started so I wasn't sure what he was preparing. It was a porridge of some sort? But using different grains/oats that I wasn't as familiar with. He showcased his knowledge on a variety of ingredients. And the final product looked delicious. I also got a picture with him and he also signed the CHOMP! shirt! :) Wheeeeee!
After the demo, we hit up Ben & Jerry's. Another partner business and one of my all time favorite ice cream brands. They were giving out free samples! Chocolate Fudge Brownie.
It was soooo chocolatey and decadent. I pretty much love all their flavors and their creative names. I would LOVEEEE to work for Ben & Jerry's some day. :P
The next chef demo we watched was Chef Kent Rathbun, a big name in the culinary world (especially Dallas). Most of you have probably heard of his restaurants Abacus and/or Jasper's.
He also owned Rathbun's Blue Plate Kitchen which was my favorite restaurant in Dallas for the past many years. I found out this year that it closed down. :( I was devastated... He was demoing chili, but not your typical ground beef stuff, this was giant chunks of choice steak. When the breeze came through, you can smell the aroma. OMG! Salivating! We can definitely tell that he's more seasoned in doing demos because he seemed very comfortable on the stage and talking to the audience. Afterwards, I got to ask him about Blue Plate Kitchen and he told me to "stay tuned", things are in the works. That cheered me up some. I can't wait to see what he's going to do next.
It was a great day. The festival was going on til 7PM but we left around 3:45PM. Amanda Freitag was going on next, but we missed her... She's frequently featured on Food Network's Chopped as a judge and also competed on the Next Iron Chef. I wish I could've met her. I love all those shows.
I would say the festival went very well. It was well organized, all the people/volunteers were very friendly. They featured great food, information, demos, and oh yea, live music! There were multiple bands playing on the stage throughout the day. So a little bit of everything for everyone. :) I definitely look forward to next year's event. I would love to see them add more to the chef's demo list and also more vendors in the Artisan's Hall!
Overall Experience:
~~ CHOMP CHOMP ~~
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