Supper Liberation Front
I am sooooo glad I did this. I was invited by a girlfriend of mine to attend this fabulous and decadent dinner but she wasn’t able to go at the last minute and I had been exhausted from one incredibly long week of Coachella and Coachella related recovery so I was also ready to bail… This was until I gave the menu a second look.
The Supper Liberation Front’s April 2012 (cash only / BYOB*) dinner was being held at Utopia Cafe in Santa Monica. At $70 per person (w/ $5 of each dinner being donated to battle the war against foie gras) I thought to myself “How could I pass this up?” The menu was just too enticing and, of course, there’s that underground dinner thing that made it just a lil cooler than a regular reservation at normal brick-and-mortor joint.
Here’s what we had:
1st
uni and seaweed suspended in a gelee with gold leave
2nd
steamed lobster & foie gras dumpling, lobster consumme, natsu miso, dau mui and snap peas
3rd
63 degree egg, caviar, celtuse, turnip with truffle broth
4th
headcheese, pickles, ketchup manis, cashews, sea vegetables, lime
5th
foie gras & chicken liver jar, market apple gelee, roasted radish, smoked salt
6th
green tea, mascarpone, strawberry, lychee
7th
raspberries, vanilla, coca cola foam, pop rocks
I have to say – I completely feel like I got my money’s worth and then some. Utopia sat about 20 people and the heat from the kitchen made the first 3 courses uncomfortable to sit through but everyone smartly brought some chilled wines to help ease the discomfort. By the time we finished the 1st course, the three 2-tops that I was sitting with all scooted a little closer and we all chatted like old friends.
Each dish was outstanding and unique. I’d have to say my least favorite in flavor and execution was the 7th course since it was made with a cola foam which looked like a melting brain. The pop rocks were an interesting twist but I’ve seen it used better (say on a foie gras lollipop).
The 2nd course of the lobster dumpling was amazing! I especially enjoyed the crisp crunch and brightness of the snap peas which helped cut the richness of the consume.
All and all a fabulous time! Long live the LIBERATION!
*If you’re in the area, you have to check out Wine Expo. It is a wine bar and shop which has a “20 wines for $20″ tasting on Mondays and Thursdays. I was happy to see they carried a Nero d’Avola rose (about $18) and it paired well with all the dishes I had for the SLF dinner.
Tags: BYOB , cola foam , dinner , foie gras , Green tea , lobster , Nero d'Avola , pop rocks , rose , Santa Monica , secret location , SLF , snap peas , Supper Liberation Front , underground , uni , Utopia Cafe
Chicago takes a step back into dark ages !!!!!!!The progressive Chicago foie gras ban, ssorponed by Alderman Joe Moore and originally passed in 2006 by a vote of 48-1, has been repealed today due to shameless manipulation by restaurant industry lobbyists to bring the diseased, rotting organs of abused ducks and geese back to Chicago’s restaurants.In the course of our work to keep this ban intact, we’ve talked to thousands of people on the streets of Chicago, the overwhelming majority of whom were horrified when they learned about the cruelty behind foie gras. Many of these people joined us in vocal support for Chicago’s progressive ban of the barbaric product. Unfortunately, in large part thanks to a handful of powerful people, battling wealthy industries can be a long, hard battle, regardless of where the public stands on the issue.This decision is a big step backwards for the city, and it goes against the tide of civilized communities who are making the compassionate decision to ban foie gras.It’s pretty clear from the desperate angling we’ve seen from the foie gras industry as they’ve fought against this ban that they know their days are numbered, but it’s a hell of a shame to see that, even in their death throes, they can still find a way to poison a beautiful thing. We will keep fighting to pass more foie gras bans and to educate the public about this delicacy of despair. You can count on that.