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Otom (was: Moto 2.0?)

Otom (was: Moto 2.0?)
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  • Otom (was: Moto 2.0?)

    - August 30th, 2007, 9:57 pm
    - August 30th, 2007, 9:57 pm Post #1 - August 30th, 2007, 9:57 pm
    Thanks for uploading the pictures! It was my first LTH event, and I'll have to get used to seeing the previous night's dinner posted in a gallery. It was definitely an enjoyable experience sharing all of the dishes with everyone.

    So here's my requisite critique of the dishes that stood out (either in a good way or a bad way):

    Wilted spinach salad with golden beets, smoked oyster mushrooms, red pepper & roasted garlic vinaigrette
    When Chef Nash came out at the end of service, I was pretty surprised when he mentioned that there was no bacon used in this dish. The bacony flavor was rather overwhelming BUT I thought this was a very interesting attempt at making spinach salad vegetarian. Traditionally, spinach salad is made with bacon and its drippings, and the use of smoked mushrooms to replicate the bacon flavor was pretty damn creative. It could have used a little less aggressiveness in smoking the mushrooms.


    Trio of miniature burgers with bacon and cheddar, mushroom and swiss, fried quail egg and shoestring potatoes
    There was a discussion between GAF and Chef Nash about the patties being too small causing the lack of juiciness and the disproportionate bread-to-meat ratio. I was a bit uncomfortable during this exchange because, well, how do you tell a chef that he can't pull off a frickin' burger? GAF definitely knows how to dish out constructive criticism, though.


    Chinook salmon ceviche with lime, chili, cucumber & wonton chips
    This was my favorite of the appetizers, with the marinated bean salad being a very close second. The chef gets to show off his knife skills here. I noticed the fat striations in the cubes, and it must have been from the belly of the fish (sake toro?).


    Macaroni and cheese with creamy rosemary-white cheddar sauce, smoked carrots, and parmesan-panko crust
    For a restaurant that aims to recreate american comfort food, it's inconceivable to screw up mac and cheese. They definitely did not disappoint here.


    Roasted acorn squash and oyster mushrooms with seared tofu and crispy shallots
    The faintly crisp tops and bottoms on the seared tofu contrasts nicely with the creaminess of the center. The oyster mushrooms were not smoked this time around :)


    House-smoked apricot and chili glazed pork back ribs with crisp sherry slaw and pickles
    This dish grabbed my attention as it immediately filled the table with a vinegary-smoky aroma. My expectations were running high and I almost grabbed a piece before pictures were taken (it could very well have been my first and last LTH event as a result). Unfortunately, this was the biggest letdown of the night for me because I always associate ribs with fall-off-the-bone tenderness. Maybe I'm just a bit bitter that meat ended up stuck in my teeth from trying to gnaw it off the bone.


    Grilled Top Sirloin with butter-poached new potatoes, golden onion rings, and veal reduction
    The sirloin was... too... chewy. The potato I had was cooked perfectly but some had pieces that were undercooked.


    Beef short rib ravioli with shallot and sage goat cheese, candied sweet potato and brown butter
    This was easily the best dish of the night. It was amazing how the meaty texture of the short rib filling stayed intact while being melt-in-your-mouth at the same time. The goat cheese lends richness that either ricotta or parmesan just couldn't bring.


    Braised lamb shank, white bean cassoulet, rutabaga, and olive oil
    Anything with beans cooked in fat is a winner if you ask me.

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