FOODBABY

We ended up only ordering one item off the Earth section, but it ended up being one of my favorite dishes of the night. The Young Garlic Agnolotti used peas, fragrant mushrooms, and delicious brown butter crumbs with their small raviolis to create a beautifully put together plate. After eating it we learned the dish represented new seasons, with the browned crumbs as soil, the shaved parmesan as snow, and the sprouts as they are, sprouts growing through the ground.

Sea

Amberjack Ceviche

Grilled Swordfish

Squid

The Sea section of the menu offered promising dishes. We ordered the Amberjack Ceviche, Grilled Swordfish, and Squid. The Ceviche was one of the better dishes in this section. A classic ceviche with amberjack mixed with Taiwanese taro! For the main we shared a grilled swordfish, however because of the black beans and salsa like tomatoes and vinaigrette, the dish reminded me of a chipotle bowl. I didn’t find it to be very different from any normal grilled fish except it was a little more dry.

When the squid came out we weren’t sure what we had ordered, but it was definitely a unique dish. Almost like a deconstructed calamari, the crumbs acting like the breading. The white powder was actually squid oil and melted into your mouth enhancing the seafood dish.

Out of all three dishes, we thought the ceviche was worth ordering. The rest we were better off having ordered more Earth or Land dishes instead.

Land

Uncle Han’s KFC

Pork Shoulder Cochinita

The Land section seemed like the highlight of the meal. Bright, colorful, interactive dishes with flavors to match. The “KFC” was a fried chicken dish served in a bamboo steamer. It was topped with plenty of fresh basil, and paired with a mini hot sauce. This is more like a single person’s dish with around only 3 pieces of chicken in the steamer. I think for the price and the fact that it’s fried chicken which is usually in bucket sizes, it may be underwhelming.

The Bossam however was incredible. The pork belly was cooked perfectly, with crisp, fresh, vegetables to make your own wrap. I felt it did the Korean dish justice, without changing too much of it and maintaining all the Korean flavors.

The Pork Shoulder Cochinita was my second favourite dish of the night. (After the Young Garlic Agnolotti) and what I think is a must-order. The pork shoulder was beautifully tender, and came with a plate of corn tortilla, and root vegetables. The grilled pineapples added the perfect acidity to match the meat, and the kabocha squash puree was absolutely addicting. I could happily eat an entire plate of this myself.

Wines

Overall a fun and satisfying dinner! We enjoyed the surprises with each dish and looked forward to seeing how the chef’s would reenvision already loved dishes!