The Chef's Table at Second Empire

As a truly special treat for my birthday, Jessica took me to Second Empire (http://www.second-empire.com/) to enjoy their Chef's Table.  The Chef's Table is a unique experience that cannot (and will not in this post) be adequately described to properly convey how incredible it is!  Basically, the head chef (Daniel Schurr) served as the host, server, and chef for our dinner, all taking place at a table INSIDE THE KITCHEN.  As a result, we were able to learn so much about the food, the wine (manager Nick Saddlemire explained the origin of everything we tasted!), the process behind preparation, and the atmosphere inside a kitchen during service.  The entire staff was so incredibly nice and accommodating throughout our meal, and we hope to return in November again because the experience is so fantastic!

Because I cannot do true justice to the Chef's Table experience, I'll focus mostly on the food and then let you try the Table yourself to see it in full action!  With each course, we had a paired wine that without question always complimented whatever we were eating (because I don't know a lot about wine flavors, I'll forgo amateur descriptions... but they were all excellent!).  At the start of the meal, Jessica and I agreed to try everything and I ended up finishing each of my plates (except for dessert, because I was too full).  Jessica did the same except for some of the lamb on the last course, again because she was so full!  This resulted in me trying beans, collard greens, haricot vert, and many others I normally wouldn't like... and all were delicious!

Swordfish

Our first course was a rosemary and citrus grilled swordfish with beans and a fried green tomato.  Neither Jessica nor I had tasted swordfish before but we were both excited because we've heard good things.  Much like I'd heard, the swordfish had a good, meaty flavor (maybe most closely compared with tuna although it's more a white fish) that I really enjoyed.  The citrus and rosemary compliments were excellent, as was the sweet balsamic reduction.  More and more, I enjoy a sweet sauce with my main proteins (whether they be meat or seafood) and this combination worked perfectly.  Surprising to me, I really enjoyed the beans and squash also (two things I don't really eat at all) and hopefully that'll encourage me to try them more in the future.  There isn't a better start to the meal that I could have imagined, and I worry now a bit that the next time I order swordfish (and I will), I'll be disappointed because it doesn't compare to this taste.

The second course was one of our favorites; called a short rib "croquette" it can probably be most comparable to a crab cake that has no filler, except instead of crab it was made of braised short rib and pork belly, then rolled in breadcrumbs and deep fried.  If my chicken-fried ribeye at Revolution was upscale chicken-fried steak from the South, then this was the Rolls Royce of that combination.  By adding the fried crust to the short rib, the kitchen elevated short ribs with contrasting textures... true genius.  If the croquette alone wasn't good enough, the saffron and smoked tomato risotto was arguably better!  Never have I had a more creamy, balanced, flavorful risotto than this; I wish I could have it every single day.  The ginger molasses jus was again a nice sweet compliment to the meaty flavors in the dish.

Foie Gras

In between our second and third courses, we had blood orange sorbet, which was very good.  Jessica thought it was the best thing EVER and I enjoyed it even if it was quite tart for me.  Regardless, it was quite the fancy "pallet cleanser" considering it was basically a full serving of gourmet, exotic sorbet!

As a special treat from the chef, our next course was extra... a magnificent piece of seared foie gras served over grits and collard greens.  Jessica and I had never ventured into the "foie gras" world in any meaningful way, but any apprehension we had about trying it was erased on the first bite.  Words truly cannot do justice to this tasting experience... without question, it was the best thing either Jessica or I had ever eaten.  My mind barely processed all of the flavor, but it was like a mix of excellent steak, butter, fat, and caramelization but better.  If you haven't tried this before (and don't live in California), please order it the next time that you have the chance.  Even Jessica, who is not Mrs. Adventurous with cuisine, loved every single bite!  An added bonus was the wine pairing of sauternes, which is apparently classic with foie gras.  It is a sweet, syrupy wine and may have been my favorite of the night.  The grits and greens were great too, and a nice addition, but I barely remember them because the foie gras was that amazing.



Lamb



Our "main" course for dinner was  de-boned rack of lamb stuffed with foie gras and spinach and served with creamy hominy (delicious) as well haricot verts and a prune-horseradish jus.  For me, the lamb was perfectly cooked and flavorful; not as gamey as other times I've tried it but with enough distinction from a piece of beef.  The arrangement on the plate, with the stuffing and contrasting white hominy, was very cool as well. 

I was probably most impressed by the flavor and creaminess of the hominy; I'd never had it before and couldn't stop eating it in the accompanying sauce.  By this point in the meal, I was so full but I powered through and finished every bite; the dish was really good!

For dessert, we had chocolate souffle with vanilla cream.  From the two bites I tried, I'd say it was fantastic, but I feel bad I was too full to enjoy it more.  It's an odd dynamic in the kitchen when you see someone working so hard to prepare something, and preparing it so well, only to eat a couple of bites before hitting a completely full state!  Hopefully the pastry chef understands the predicament I was in (she probably has seen it many times before!) and wasn't offended.  Jessica did her part to chip away at the dessert (we actually only had them give us one instead of one for each because I knew this would be an issue!) so by the end it didn't look quite as bad.  Still, though, it would have been

great to box up (although that was tough with us going out after).  I think next time, I'll figure out a way to save room and savor ALL courses at the table!

Without any exaggeration, this was the best meal of my life.  The food was great, and the experience completely unique.  I have become so interested not just with eating new foods but with seeing ways to prepare them, meeting people who have chosen the culinary profession, and experiencing the "business" from an insider's point of view, that this will be something I never forget.  The tastes, the interactions, the setting, and the food service were all perfect... I cannot wait to return with Jessica to celebrate her next birthday!

Thank you to Second Empire... Chef Daniel Schurr, Nick Saddlemire, and the entire staff made this my best birthday dinner ever!