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Day 4 - The Dinner: Charlie Trotter'sThe photos below provide ample evidence of the finest meal we've ever eaten. While we loved our meal at French Laundry, our entire experience at Charlie Trotter's was at the next level above.
(Click photos for full-size images and commentary.) Photos On MARS : Chicago Food Binge! : Day 4 - The Dinner: Charlie Trotter's |
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2002-2007 by Michael A. Alderete and Rochelle McCune. All rights reserved. |
![[Photo]](./trotter/mvc-408f_sm.jpg "This was our first course, actually four courses served together in a bento box. Lamentably out of focus. Counter-clockwise from the bottom right: An assortment of fall squash, blue fin tuna with sunchoke and endive, Tempura of Matsutake mushroom with organic soy, and grilled hamachi with Asian pear and horseradish.
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The squash was served ice cold, and was like a squash sorbet -- and quite a shock to us when we first put it in our mouth. [1890 views]")
![[Photo]](./trotter/mvc-409f_sm.jpg "One of our servers took these two photos of us shortly after our meal started. Michael and Rochelle are in the background, Dan and Hilda are fore. [1389 views]")
![[Photo]](./trotter/mvc-410f_sm.jpg "A second photo. Yes, that's Michael in a tie. How often do you see that? [1120 views]")
![[Photo]](./trotter/mvc-412f_sm.jpg "This is a terrine of fingerling potato and scallion, with a generous shaving of white truffle on top (those tan flaky things). While the terrine was fabulous, the truffle really left us wondering why. Apparently, even the finest restaurants in the US just can't get good truffle; it simply doesn't survive the voyage across the Atlantic. [1497 views]")
![[Photo]](./trotter/mvc-413f_sm.jpg "This is a Coromandel Bay oyster in an emulsion sauce with braised pig tail. Braised pig tail tastes like good bacon, if you're wondering. The oyster itself was stunning. [1288 views]")
![[Photo]](./trotter/mvc-414f_sm.jpg "This is steamed halibut with cauliflower and saffron, and a green emulsion sauce. The flavor was delicate, and sublime. [1290 views]")
![[Photo]](./trotter/mvc-415f_sm.jpg "This is always Michael's favorite course: seared fois gras with chestnut (the shavings) and persimmons. This was without question the best fois gras we've ever had, and the flavor combination was stunning.
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Now that I've come to understand the joy of fois gras, I have to ask: Mom and Dad, why didn't you feed us <B>this</B> when we were growing up? [1291 views]")
![[Photo]](./trotter/mvc-416f_sm.jpg "Poached poussin breast with mustard greens and caramelized parsnip. I don't really know what poussin is, but it tastes good! [1226 views]")
![[Photo]](./trotter/mvc-417f_sm.jpg "You can't really see it under the emulsion, but this is roasted squab with braised legumes. [1215 views]")
![[Photo]](./trotter/mvc-418f_sm.jpg "This is how God serves lamb. Crawford Farm lamb loin with black trumpet royal mushrooms. So far above and beyond the lamb served at Ambria they couldn't possibly be from the same species of animal... [1313 views]")
![[Photo]](./trotter/mvc-419f_sm.jpg "The first of six dessert courses (yes, <B>six!</B>), when we came to this dish, we knew the whole world had come to a screeching halt for Rochelle. Old Chatham Farm camembert bread pudding with currants and port wine. This is <B>the</B> recipe for bread pudding, and Rochelle has dedicated her life to recreating it in her own kitchen.
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This dish was where Rochelle hit her wall, and after finishing half of it she had to sit with her head in her hands and stare at the table for almost 10 minutes before she could resume eating. When Michael offered to finish it for her (helping out, or so he thought), she <B>yelled</B> at him \"No way!\" She did eventually finish it, but that was about the last thing she ate all night. [1221 views]")
![[Photo]](./trotter/mvc-420f_sm.jpg "This is a chilled Feijoa guava soup with passion fruit-coconut sorbet. The perfect light and refreshing touch after the very rich food we'd just been eating. Rochelle could only taste it and push it away... [1113 views]")
![[Photo]](./trotter/mvc-421f_sm.jpg "Wild rice waffle with cranberry-buttermilk ice cream. And foam on top. Yet another dessert that Rochelle forced on Michael. [1148 views]")
![[Photo]](./trotter/mvc-422f_sm.jpg "This was a scrumptious ricotta custard with fig jelly and huckleberry compote. Again, Rochelle could only taste and turn it over to Michael for its proper treatment -- eaten slowly, savoring every mouthful. [1078 views]")
![[Photo]](./trotter/mvc-423f_sm.jpg "This looks like a cornbread muffin with chocolate ice cream (with a bite taken out; we're trying to hide that in back).
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Well, it's corn all right, but here's the more correct description: Sultana-white chocolate-polenta cake with chocolate sherbet. Rochelle once again couldn't eat much of hers, so Michael ate two. [1148 views]")
![[Photo]](./trotter/mvc-424f_sm.jpg "Mignardises. Would you believe Rochelle couldn't even finish these bite-sized candies? Worse, she wouldn't let Michael have them either, since our server offered to box them up for her. But then they gave both couples two full sets in beautiful boxes. Dan and Hilda finished their first set, so they got <B>two</B> full sets each, while Michael missed out on his rightful two-and-a-half sets.
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The kicker: nine of Dan and Hilda's \"disappeared\" the next morning while Hilda was showering... [1254 views]")