Dinner at WD-50

One of my ideas for beating the winter blues is to go to some restaurants I've had on my radar. I figure this time of year there are fewer tourists, so it's easier to get a table at some really popular spots.

Neil, Nate, Travis and I hit WD-50 on a Wednesday night in mid-January. I'd gotten some good news at work that day, so the boys indulged me in doing the full tasting menu of 11 courses. Travis even got the wine pairings with me, which I must say was a most EXCELLENT decision! It added so much to the meal...I had forgotten how much I love doing that.

Before we begin, let me just say I think this place is missing a big communication opportunity, as the few words on the menu really don't do justice to the explanation of ingredients the waiter gives with each course. Maybe I should have taken notes? Nevertheless, here's the show and tell...

Course: NIGIRI, SALSIFY, SEAWEED, SESAME

Wine: Cava Reserva 'Avinyó' J. Esteve Nadal Brut Nature NV / Penedes, Spain

Verdict: Kind of like a really nice bite of smoky sushi. But I may have to seek out that wine!

Course: SWEET SHRIMP, 'PINE NEEDLES', CHESTNUT, CRANBERRY

Wine: Cava Reserva 'Avinyó' J. Esteve Nadal Brut Nature NV / Penedes, Spain

Verdict: Loved the brushstroke presentation. Flavor was interesting, but I really don't love chestnuts. Coolest part was the "pine needles," which was some in-house creation involving a gelatin-like substance and pine essence.  

Course: PHO GRAS

Wine: Amoroso Oloroso El Maestro Sierra NV / Jerez, Spain

Verdict: Exceptional! Loved the presentation. The foie gras sort of dissolved in the heavenly broth. Would have been out of this world had the broth not been sort of tepid. Check out the funky cracker, which I think is basically a high-class pork rind.

Course: BONE MARROW, POTATO, POMEGRANATE, PEPPER STREUSEL

Wine: Pouilly-Fuissé 'Marie-Antoinette' JJ Vincent 2010 / Burgundy, France

Verdict: Loved the eye appeal. Flavor...not so memorable. There were some nice crunchies for texture.

Course: BAY SCALLOP, PEAR, OATMEAL-NORI

Wine: Pouilly-Fuissé 'Marie-Antoinette' JJ Vincent 2010 / Burgundy, France

Verdict: The subtly flavored scallop wafers were my favorite part. Points for playfulness: they almost looked like styrofoam. Possibly the freshest scallops I've ever tasted.

CRAB TOAST, SAFFRON, KAFFIR-YOGURT, ARARE

Pinot Noir Rosé Ponzi Vineyards 2011 / Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA
Verdict: Apparently I was so busy enjoying this course that I forgot to take a photo and had to get this one from Neil. 

Course: BLACK BASS, SQUASH, CHERRY, JUNIPER, COUS COUS²

Wine: Beaujolais Nouveau ‘L’Ancien’ Jean-Paul Brun Domaine Terres Dorées 2012 / Burgundy, France

Verdict: Loved this one! The fish was moist and flavorful, and the plate featured three kinds of squash, with one piece cleverly cut to look like a peach.

Course: SQUAB, TOMATO HUMMUS, PICKLED TURNIPS, TZATZIKI

Wine: Zinfandel 'Old and Mature Vines' Scherrer 2007 / Alexander Valley, California, USA

Verdict: More wafers...I think these were an herby sort? Did not love this one. My vocabulary failed me; I thought squab was seafood instead of foul, and my taste buds didn't adjust.

Course: FLAT IRON, MUSHROOM JERKY, GRAPE, VERJUS

Wine: ‘Cuvée Pif’ Clos Roche Blanche 2011 / Loire Valley, France

Verdict: The jerkey was the most interesting part of this one.

COCONUT, CUCUMBER, PINEAPPLE, CHARTREUSE
Best. Palate. Cleanser. Ever.

Course: YUZU MILK ICE, HAZELNUT, JACKFRUIT, BASIL

Wine: Late Harvest Torrontés ‘Tardío’ Santa Julia 2011 / Mendoza, Argentina

Verdict: This was incredible! It looked like a hunk of angel food cake. It was a perfect segue from the palate cleanser to the chocolate course. The little crunchy bits were delightful.

Course: S'MORES, BITTER COCOA, MERINGUE, BLACK CURRANT

Wine: Porto Quinta do Noval 'Black' NV / Douro, Portugal

Verdict: A perfect ending. The "marshmallow" was actually ice cream. Not quite as inventive as what my friend Angust commented when I posted this pic on Facebook: If that's Wd50, then the marshmallow is really a potato, the chocolate sauce is gravy, and the brownie/graham cracker is a cut of beef, no? And where's the liquid nitrogen?

Last Bite: WHITE CHOCOLATE, GJETOST
This was heaven in a ball. I think gjetost must be something like caramel? O.M.G.

All in all, definitely glad I went...but it doesn't compare to my initial foray into molecular gastronomy, which was at The Fat Duck outside of London. Still, I had no idea what to expect when I went there, whereas I went into WD-50 expecting to be dazzled.

I would not recommend this to anyone but serious foodies, as I think you have to be really fascinated by flavors, textures and presentation to enjoy it. But I'm very glad to have experienced it, and very glad we went all out with the full deal and the wines!