Akelare - I must have missed the point...

Akelare

San Sebastian April 18th 2013

Entrance to Akelare

We had finished our lunch at Extebarri at 5.15pm and originally had dinner scheduled for Akelare at 8 that evening. It was decided to reschedule to 9pm to give lunch a chance to digest, especialy the magnificent Galician Beef on the bone which was belting with a voluptuous and blowsy Rioja - all Penelope Cruz body and hot Spanish mama flamenco attitude. Ole indeed.

The beef was clearly still playing on the mind and digestive senses as we clambered back on the bus. Everyone was still talking about it and singing the praises for Dear Leader and his choice of lunch venue. Basking in the glory in the Basque region - someone had to say it. And Akelare beckoned. 

My expectations had been somewhat supersized. With Yelp and Chowhound reviews being overboard enthusiastic with things like "magical", "Stellar" and "Do yourself a favour and come here before you die" I expected great things. The Akelare website spoke of Chef Pedro Subijana and his highly efficient team dedicating "their deep-felt passion to ensuring that you take away the best possible memories of your visit from start to finish thanks to a perfect gastronomic experience and the exquisite ritual of the service that goes with it. " Well, and maybe, though quite what the website meant by Akelare being the "perfectly synchronised coordination between responsibility and action (that) generates unforgettable moments" was far from clear. The Fashion Industry generates stories to seduce - looks like the Restaurant industry is not that dissimilar. Maybe that is why I rebel against this kind of nonsense. It's not entirely honest. There's an agenda at work which seeks to alleviate you of your hard earned cash as seductively and pleasantly as possible. Like high class hookers, you presumably get what you pay for - an experience that you'd like to repeat or just keep as a once in a lifetime perfect memory. Or not. Usually depends on what it gets remembered for.

Chef Pedro Subijana

So. Rant over. Wikipedia says that the word Akelarre is a Basque term that means "witchcraft' or "a meeting of witches". The literal translation is meadow (larre) of the he-goat (aker). Alternatively, it could have its roots in the basque name for the long grass native to the area and got manipulated by the Inquisition for their own purposes. Whether Chef was seeking to suggest with the name that witchcraft took place in the kitchen was not made clear from the website. And maybe no bad thing - suggestions of ritual magic would turn a lot of people away. One had visions of Macbeth's three witches in the kitchen cavorting around a bubbling cauldron under the watchful and moustachioed eye of Chef Pedro. No. We could see the kitchen from our table. All light and steel.

 An uphill thirty minute drive up the hill and we were at Akelare. Parked on a cliff overlooking the Biscay Bay, we couldn't see much due to the high wall and the absence of much in the way of lighting. The illuminated name of the restaurant was all that stood out as a beacon in this Biscayan blackness of a stormy windswept and somewhat wet evening. A chilly drizzly thirty second amble into the restaurant and seated we got. Didn't get much of the view, being sat on a twenty seat long table, though thankfully with enough space for elbows and glasses. The place was nicely romantic, though a shade underlit for cameras without decent flash guns. But hey, who wants a snap happy flashing photoshooter when you want a quiet romantic evening overlooking the Mar Cantabrico as the sun sets?

Our tasting menus differed slightly from that published on the website. Maybe the webby was a bit outdated. Dear Leader Yin How had negotiated with the restaurant that we were able to choose our main course. The menus were

Akelare Appetizers

Appetizers - Sea Garden

Prawns Sand

Oyster Leaf

Mussel with Shell

Sea Urchin Sponge

Beach Pebble (Shallot and Corn)

Codium Seaweek Coral (goose barnacles tasting tempura)

ARANORI

Prawns and French Beans cooked in “Orujo” Fire

Molluscs in Fisherman's Net

Pasta, Piquillo and Iberico Carpaccio, Mushrooms and Parmesan Shrooms

Hake and its Kokotxa with Oyster Leaf and Mussel´s Beans

Whole Grain Red Mullet with Sauce "Fusili"

Carved beef, Tail Cake, "Potatoes and Peppers"

Roasted Pigeon with a Touch of Mole and Cocoa

Roasted baby Pig with Tomato “Bolao” and Iberic’s emulsion

Xaxu and foaming Coconut Ice Cream

Another Apple Tart

BEKARKI

Xangurro (Crab) in Essence, its Coral Blini and "Gurullos"

Razor Shell with Veal Shank

Sauted Fresh Foie Gras with “Salt Flakes and Grain Pepper”

Turbot with its “Fake Kokotxa”

"Desalted" Cod Box with its "Kokotxa"

Roasted Pigeon with a Touch of Mole and Cocoa

Roasted baby Pig with Tomato “Bolao” and Iberic’s emulsion

Milk and Grape, Cheese and Wine in parallel evolution
Orange "Tocino de Cielo" Sheet with Fruit Leaves

Being Malaysians, though, we would all be tasting each other's dishes. It's the culture - share the tastes!

Wines for the night were

Larmandier Bernier "Terre de Vertus" 2007 Champagne

Egon Muller Scharzhofberger Riesling Kabinett 2009 (Mosel)

Domaine Leflaive Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru "Clavoillon" 2009

Domaine JL Trapet Chapelle Chambertin Grand Cru 2005

J Palacios Corullon Las Lamas 2009 (Bierzo)

Bodegas Mauro "Terreus" 2005 (Castilla y Leon)

Crab with Coral Blini

The Sea Garden appetizers were cute, looking like a sandy beach after the tide had gone out. Almost made you start whistling "Under The Sea" from Disney's "Little Mermaid." Tastewise, the textures ranged from crispy cake like crunch to salty seaweed chewy. The salt reinforced the fierce lemon acidity in the fizz which started ripping the tastebuds off the tongue. Almost a burning.

The prawns were pleasant though lenglui's crab had lots of shell bits and cartilege which made for a somewhat stringy mouthful and needing occasional accurate spits to expel the shell.  The Blini with Crab Mousse felt texturally strange though the pasta was tasty.

Whole Grain Red Mullet with Sauce "Fusili"

The Molluscs were a bit too seafoody for personal taste, with elements of seawater and weed present though the dish certainly had character. The Razor Shell with Veal Shank was an odd combination that might have worked in some 5th Dimension of the Universe but all it seemed to do here was kill the otherwise sweetly honey and spicy mango of the full bodied Scharzhofberger Riesling. 

The pasta was nicely oily and freshly filling. 

The Foie Gras was excellent, with a sugar shaving and a sweet black rice.

Turbot with its “Fake Kokotxa” or Fish Cheek/Maw

The Cod was excellent. Firm flesh flakes, perfectly cooked and steamed. Great jus and thin mash gave it enough carbo foundation and liquid to let it shine. The dish of the evening. 

The Whole Grain Red Mullet with Fusili had been glazed with the puree of the remains of the fish after the fillets had been sliced off. So there was bone, liver, head all nuked together and used as a crust to give a sandy crunch. Total fish, in all respects, with the fusili offering a texturally softer counterpoint. But again the salt overpowered, much more so with soy in the fusili which the balsamic "ajo blanco" did little to alleviate.

The Outstanding Roast Suckling Pig

The rest of the food seems forgettable except for the Roast Suckling Pig, which was a belter. Skin was oily yet crunchy , with the meat and jus blending nicely. Tender, mouth melting - they know how to do their pigs in Spain. 

Special mention for the “Xaxu” and Coconut Iced Mousse was visually cute - two large iceberg size chunks of foamy coconut ice cream closing in on an egg and almond cake. Remembe the movie "Jason and the Argonauts" when the ship was trying to sail through the shaking cliffs? That was this dish. No notes on how it tasted, but it was the visual dish of the night. 

Apple Tart with edible paper. Yes.

Lenglui had my okay apple tart with edible paper whilst I got lumbered with a range of little tapas style desserts of odd mixes with an apparent focus on salt and egg white foam with more salty foam. For me, this seemed to be too molecular, with the salted Fig and Pedro Ximinez sherry mix coming across as quite bizarre and confusing. It almost felt like chef was trying to be deconstructive for its own sake and somehow missing the point of the food - taste and innovation is one thing but I feel that some degree of sustenance is necessary and food still has to satisfy at some nutritional level.

Lovely wines...

Matching the wine became an exercise in futility, so the comments are on their individual presentations. 

The Leflaive Puligny once again made an appearance at the dinner table. Creamy sweet apples and a spring breeze on the nosewitha crunchy endless finish. Total class in a glass and masterful with the Cod.

...which went okay with the food

The Chambertin had good beefy cherries and firm tannins with a spicy mouth and a pepper finish. Somewhat bolder and feeling young, there's a few more years in the bottle for this one.

The Corrulon was an apple wine from the Basque with 11% proof. Was fleshy and voluptuous, young with bold tannins. Tasted like an alcholoic sorbet, but certainly woke everything up.

The Terreus was voluptuous and fruity. That's all he wrote. He must have been drunk by this time. 

Akelare staff explaining the magic

Staff were pretty fast and efficient in serving and clearing and keeping glasses refreshed. No complaints, except that the stylish coat of one of our group went missing. Apparently staff were a bit unconcerned and tried to say that friend did not bring a coat but that if she did then it was the manky one remaining on the hanger in the closet. Friend was too ladylike to make a fuss and wrote it off, saying that if that was her bad luck then maybe better the jacket should leave her and let her be. I think maybe it was the witches. Our friend apparently does have the sight so perhaps they recognised her power and wanted to whack her. So. Hopefully any balances are restored and equilibrium between the dimensions is maintained. But it left a bad impression. Watch your coats if you go there - the witches are clearly fashion conscious. 

So….  adding it all up, it's not sure what it all means.  On balance, I'm probably glad it's been done so that I can now talk about the thing. Could I recommend it? Hmmm.  If you like fresh seafood playfully prepeared and artfully presented then yes. If you like salt and foam and the sea theme then yes. If you like an outstanding view across the Mar Cantabrico then go for lunch or in summer. My notes on the menu say "IT'S ALL FOAM!! AND GOT FRICKING SALT IN EVERYTHING!!" But it was the last thing written and came just after dessert. Total taste of the sea in all its storm and tempest. Or maybe the kitchen witches just like salt.

Reading some other reviews, it's clear that I missed the point with this place. Whilst some of the tastes and combos were truly outstanding, I'm realizing that Michelin stars seem to get given out for innovation in food, be that in preparation, culination and presentation, and these stars direct people to chefs who are avant garde in their approaches and outlooks toward food and cooking. I must have a piece of the puzzle missing here, like trying to drink a Two Thousand dollar bottle of wine when you've only got a twenty dollar palate. I think I get it. I'm not quite sure I go along with it. Or maybe don't WANT to go along with it.  Not completely convinced that it is my bag. Or the guilt of the Catholic. The Scotsman in me feels it is a shedful of money to pay for something so fleeting, a memory of a food experience that one can do little with except blog about or relive memories with friends who were there. The Michelin restaurants I have visited have underwhelmed in various aspects, mostly the food and the absence of substance therein. Tongue tickling and visually pleasing but not really sticking in the ribs. At the same time, I have been pleasantly surprised - Nimb in Copenhagen stands out as memorable in both food and location senses. And La Pergola overlooking the Vatican in Rome was stunning. And coupled with tasting some outstanding wines at these places is beyond words. But we are always learning, and the tongue and belly are insatiable masters. I'll roll with it. 

On the way back we were still talking about the amazing beef at the Extebarri. Hence my point that perhaps the context of things meant that Akelare was always going to be a non starter. Extebarri was a tough act to follow and would be like comparing the soul food diner to the fine dining star. Apples and oranges. If the twists and turns of life permit, then I would go back to Akelare to try again and making sure to skip lunch. Old wisdom says one should never judge on a single visit. But it would not be a place for me to make a second dedicated trip. If there's a crowd or a charming dinner companion keen to get romantic on a hill overlooking San Sebastian, then maybe. Otherwise I'll do lunch because that beef at Extebarri was amazing. Guess I'm just a steak and red wine kind of guy at heart. Bourdain says next time must try the baby eels there. Sign me up.

Akelare

Paseo Padre Orcolaga, 56
20008 San Sebastian – Donostia, Spain
Phone: +34 943311209

Stellar Lunch at Extebarri San Sebastian!!

April 18th 2013, San Sebastian

We left the Pullman Hotel in Bordeaux at 10am expecting a three hour drive to get to our lunch in San Sebastian. Slow driving and backlog at the border turned this into close on six, meaning that lunch didn't much get underway much before 3.30pm. There was also a slight delay following a mistaken destination. But we finally arrived at the Asador Exterbarri pretty hungry and hoping for a memorable lunch.

And that was exactly what we got for all the right reasons. Superb food and matched with some magnificent wines. 

Extebarri entrance

Located in the Axtondo valley to the south of San Sebastian. Extebarri nestles in a lush green setting that was only slightly dampened by an April shower as we debarked the bus and got inside. The ambience is one of rustic simplicity and warmth, dominated by stone walls and wood panels and lunchtime natural light helped by wall lamps. 

The Extebarri website talks about the necessity for "Care and instinct under the discipline of fire and primitive cooking techniques, where simplicity and warmth of the grill inspire a natural landscape." At the same time the restaurant seeks to inculcate a sense of "Wistfulness, with an adventure spirit for knowledge; tasting flavours, and rediscovering that space and time are imperceptible."

What this means is that all the food is locally sourced and cooked over "La Brasa" or "The Grill". Chef Victor Arguinzoniz plays daily with his fire to maintain a simplicity yet with a sense of experimental adventure whereby anything can be prepared over the grill or in the ovens - caviar, egg yolks, even the goat's milk ice cream. Part of the secret is the charcoal used - it is made every day at the restaurant using an assortment of woods from various trees and sources. Apple, orange, olive and oak wood each lend a hint of smoky enhancing char to the cooking. "From seafood and steaks to wild woodland mushrooms and oysters, the character of cooking is defined by the woods used" and different charcoals get used for different foods. As much as the food gets infused with the spice of the wood, so does the restaurant. The smell hits you as you walk through the doors and take a seat and breathe and taste the smoke in the air. The grill is central to the Asador experience in all sensual terms - sight, smell, taste and sound. But not to touch. Burning fingers should not be part of the Asador experience. No.

At the heart of things, though, remains the food. Whilst the grill permeates the taste, texture and smell of things, the freshness and seasonality of the produce is what makes or breaks a restaurant. At Extebarri, much is made of sourcing from the surrounding district. Woodland mushrooms and wild berries, free range eggs from free roaming chickens, organic vegetables from the restaurant garden, whilst chorizo, cheese, butter and ice cream is all produced in house.

Gramona Cava

Given the numbers, it made sense to go with the tasting menu and do the Malaysian way of parking the food in the middle of the table and sharing it around.

Lunch became a total feast. Each of the starter appetizers did exactly that, setting the palate for the gastronomic assault that was to follow. The beetroot onion combo pumped up the fiery chorizo which was neutralised by the mozzarella in preparation for the salt and oily magic that was the anchovies on toast. The clean acidic and lemon spritzy finish of our Gramona Imperial Cava NV starter was naturally softened by the cheese and anchovies which also made for a somewhat short but pleasing finish. Outside of this the fizz did have good length on it, still tasting fresh and fruity even after two hours in the warmed up glass. Someone gave me their glass to try - I have yet to learn such discipline.

The Sea Cucumber

The oyster came out in a butter foam which zipped the fizz somewhat, though the cooked seaweed lent a vegetal salty texture that was nicely firmed up on a hunk of bread. The prawns were champion, fresh and grilled to succulent perfection whilst the follow up sea cucumber was soft, sweet and mouth meltingly delightful. Totally unlike the chewy monsters swimming in the gunky soy goo that my Chinese friends rave about when we go to eat at Chinese restaurants in Kuala Lumpur. This delicacy still totally eludes me - I just cannot get what it is about it that people will pay astronomical prices to eat. Everyone likes to sit next to me because I always give mine away when it gets served. To this extent, the Extebarri Sea Cucumber was a revelation. Still don't particularly like it, but revelatory nonetheless.

We had moved on to the white which was a 2011 Bizkaiko Tzakolina from the Itsas Mendi winery Guernica. This came over clean and light with a lovely body. Imagine a chardonnay without oak and butter and this would be it. Softly fruity, the sea cucumber killed off the acid which allowed a ripe apricot note to burst through.

Baby Octopus

The smoky grilled baby octopus was aptly named - it looked embryonic, almost to the point of pity to see them on the plate. But sometimes we must put sadness to one side and just taste away. And what a taste - the texture was one of very, very, VERY tender ribeye. Total woooooo….   

The strangely named Scrambled of Mushroom turned out to be scrambled egg yolk with raw mushroom and came out a bit thin and runny, like half boiled eggs albeit an incredibly great tasting yolk. This was perhaps the less salted dish of the entire production and was probably the one that most needed a shake. In the east, a half boiled egg is often spritzed up with a dash of soy sauce and that would have helped here. Add a hunk of buttered bread and it would have been bonanza.

The lightly grilled Prawns

The follow up mushrooms felt as if they had just been picked. Crunchy, raw, and fresh with nothing else added to enhance. Total taste and texture. Au naturelle, and oh my lord what a delight. Stellar and sublime.

Our dear leader and wine guru Yin How had been scouring the wine lists of the restaurants on our itinerary and had made his selections in advance. For our red, he had found a belter - a 2009 Echezeaux from the Romanee-Conti Domaine which the restaurant was selling at a price that proved so silly to some of the members that they promptly bought up the entire restaurant's stock. I also asked if I could buy a bottle or two but was too late -  there appeared to be no such thing as letting members get a look in when it came to buying top end wine at silly prices. Lesson learned.

DRC Echezeaux 2009

And oh, it was a belter. Drinking like liquid silk with a bouquet of cotton and wool and tasting of the lightest of cherries. Someone once told me that the first wine he had ever drunk had disappeared in the mouth - evaporated into the air. This was what the Echezeaux felt like - breathing the wine rather than drinking it. Enlightenment. Feed me more.

There had been lots of tittilating and tongue busting tastes to this point in the meal. And as playfully delightful as they were, it felt increasingly like it was getting time for something to fill the belly. Tasty is nice, but substance is still king. 

Me and my big mouth. 

The turbot came to the table in its smoked entirety and was rapidly demolished before most photographs could be taken. It was that good. Rich in flavour with an oaky smoky skin, the buttered asparagus contrasted well to boost the slightly dry texture of the fish flesh on the tongue and on the finish. 

Extebarri's magnificent Beef Chop

The Galician beef chop could have fed our house for a week. Large to the eye, it proved equally large on taste. Seared to medium cooked perfection on the bone, this aged piece of lightly seasoned meat was world champion. The importance of the grill now made sense, with the charcoal infusing its smoke into the meat and giving a heavenly carbonised oaky bite in the mouth. I thought New York had the edge of cooking steak. Extebarri would easily give the Wolfgang's and the Luger's a darned good run for the money. It was a Brahma with the Echezeaux, a perfect match of perfect steak and perfect wine. Absolute Wow.

My notes say that another bottle of red got opened at this time, a bold and sexy Spanish number tasting of spice and peppery dark fruits and plum and full on the finish without being overly tannic. Very voluptuous - the Penelope Cruz of wines. The name eludes at this time. And there are no photos. Perhaps I got it wrong?

Raising a glass at the Extebarri

The smart move would have been to stop eating at this point. We had a dinner reservation for 7.30pm and it was now 4.15pm. Would there be sufficient time for our lunch to be digested ahead of our 3 star Michelin extravaganza at the Akelare? Then wisdom shone through - we were in Spain where time takes on a different dimension. Why not just start our dinner later, say 9pm. when the rest of Spain starts eating? Brilliant. As Picard of the Enterprise might say, it was made so.

Which meant we could enjoy the desserts without feeling too much in the way of guilt. The fruits in the smoothie and marshmallow had a freshly acidic tang to offset the smoked and toasty marshmallow. But the surprise of the day was the Goat Milk ice cream that had spent some time getting smoked over the grill. It came out as rich milky cream with a dusting of smoke and a hint of goat. It felt somehow reminiscent of a Devonshire Cream Tea without the scone - total light liquid cream, yet less gunky than the full cream. Very unique taste and one that would be worth a return trip to San Sebastian on its own. 

Extebarri was the memory of the trip for the steak and the wine and the ambience. A total standout that we were still talking about two weeks after we had returned home. The beef, the wine, the smoke. We were recommending it to everyone who had either been to San Sebastian or were going there. Between this place and the Rekondo where we did lunch the following day, the beef at the Rekondo had the slight edge - less crisp on the char and a little less pepper. But both were magnificent and to have eaten them 24 hours apart was a privilege. Otherwise, is difficult to separate the two. Extebarri was a total experience and one I would happily repeat at any time. Especially the smoked Goat Cheese ice cream. Totally gut busted - Total Phwooooarrrhhh.

Do we really have to go to dinner tonight?

Extebarri

Erretegi Asador

Plaza San Juan,

1 - 48291 Axpe-Marzana

AXTONDO- BIZKAIA

Tel 94 658 30 42

Tasting menu starters were:

Beetroot and Spring Onion

Chorizo from acorn fed pork

Butter of Goat's Milk with Black Salt

Mozzarella of Buffalo 

Salted Anchovy

The mains were

Oyster with seaweed

Prawns from Palamos

Sea Cucumber with baby green beans

Baby Octopus with caramelised onion and its ink

Scrambled of Mushroom

Mushrooms

Turbot

Beef Chops of Galician beef

Desserts were

Smoothie of blood orange

Marshmallow with strawberries

Reduced Milk Ice Cream with red fruit infusion

Mignardise

Wines

Gramona Imperial Cava NV 

2011 Bizkaiko Tzakolina from the Itsas Mendi winery Guernica

DRC Echezeaux Grand Cru 2009

unknown Spanish red

Wonderful dinner at Chateau Cordeillan-Bages in Pauillac, Bordeaux France

April 14th 2013

Background: IWFS Kuala Lumpur Committee member Wong Yin How had decided to organise a food and wine trip to Bordeaux and San Sebastian touring Chateaux and restaurants. He originally said he had space for 16 but this had expanded to twenty by the time the trip came around. So it was that the group flew out of Kuala Lumpur bound for Paris midnight April 13th. After an uneventful and pretty sleepless 12 hours, we arrived in Paris CDG airport at 6.30am and our tour bus only left at 8.45am after a slight delay in getting our group of twenty herded to where the bus had parked. A supposedly five hour drive to Bordeaux took nearly eight as a result of slowish driving plus the fact that EU drivers need to take mandatory 45 minute rests after three hours on the road. Joy. 

So we were all a bit road weary and frazzled as we checked into our rooms at the Pullman Hotel around 4.30pm. I got even more frazzled due to having to repack and change rooms as a result of the safe, sink and aircon not working. Fair play the hotel let us change without question - but making the 6pm deadline for the bus to our dinner was a rush.

Restaurant interior

For the first dinner on our IWFS Bordeaux Pilgrimage, Yin-How had selected the Chateau Cordeillan-Bages in Pauillac. Originally a 17th Century mansion house, the Chateau is now a hotel with restaurant nestled on a hill just outside the village of Pauillac in the heart of the Medoc. It is also a working vineyard, with two hectares of vines that produce the Chateau Cordeillan-Bages  made by the staff of Chateau Lynch Bages. Unfortunately, we didn't get to try this wine - maybe next time, if there is one.

The bus pulled up after a pleasant forty minute drive along the snakey Bordeaux road and we degorged freshly showered and dressed for dinner. The sky was a lovely pastel sunset blue and shone fiercely as we posed for photos in the outdoor reception gardens area whilst clinking our glasses of Taittinger NV Prestige Rose. This proved terribly more-ish with its amazing crispy light cherry mouth and sleek rousing finish. It also proved an able companion for the equally moreish appetizers - olive crisps with goats cheese, meatball croquets and a crunchy fishmeat mini pie. We were all pretty hungry after little more than a ham and cheese baguette for lunch and the appetizers got demolished quite quickly. There were some vines growing various varietals and some were already budding in the warmth of the early spring sun. 

We lingered on the grounds for about thirty minutes until the evening chill drove us indoors and we ambled in to the restaurant. Two long tables had been set for the twenty of us. For some reason, we seemed to naturally divide into vintage and new growth members. Perhaps this was why our table was the more noisy as the evening passed.

May Peng, Chef Rocha and Yin How

Chef Jean Luc Rocha came out early to present the menu to us. Having been second in command to Patrick Henriroux at La Pyramide in Vienne, and then Thierry Marx at Cordeillan-Bages (both two starred), Chef Jean-Luc Rocha took sole charge of the Cordeillan-Bages kitchen in 2010.  Combining technique with tradition and rigorous technical skills with a thorough knowledge of the modern school of French cuisine, Chef Jean-Luc presents  a "delicious, no-nonsense, balanced cuisine to which he succeeds in adding a touch of fantasy and sophistication." It is perhaps these qualities that earned Chef the coveted title of Meilleur Ouvrier de France in 2007. 

Our Amuse Bouche indeed amused with a foamy crunch. My notes are illegible, except for the fact that the cauliflower foam kept finishing long after it should have done. Quite a number of repeat performances and encores with this one, though the Rose Fizz tamed its drum section well in time for the first gastronomic movement. 

The fizz got finished off and the Dagueneau "Pur Sang" Pouilly Fume 2007 got poured. This was a difficult one to put into words. It had the aroma  and mouth of a Riesling but finished like a fine white burgundy with baked apples and ouzo on the throat. Slightly industial on the finish and a shade high in alcohol, but drank like a champion. 

It seemed that we were having Yuzu butter with our bread. The Yuzu fruit is native to Japan (though apparently originating in China) with a citrus taste like a cross of grapefruit with mandarin orange.  The citrus element to the butter naturally counterpointed oil with acidity and made for an interesting sensation on the tongue. 

Dungeness and King Crab

The Dungeness and King Crab were beautifully presented with the crab's orange-red and the green of the mousse standing out on snow white plates like a national flag. Peeling like tender threads, the crab tamed off the industrial aspects of the Pur Sang to let the apple crisp finish kick in a little firmer. The aniseed mousse gave a little umami boost to the crab but the real deal was loading the Crab and Mousse on the slightly salted fresh bread and Yuzu butter. There was butter crab with creamy lemon and carbo and….  ooof. Total Mind blower. Haven't had the mind blown like that since…  wow….  just had a total flashback of colours and lights and Close Encounters with mushrooms... but that's another story.

Whilst the Pur Sang handled this mind blowing combo nicely, the Leflaive "Clavoillon" Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru 2008 brought it full on to another level. Though somewhat tight on the nose, the fresh apples and firmer structure made for a creamy mouth full of orange blossom and complex buttery heaven. The absolute business. The 2008 drinks very well. Matter of fact, all the vintages drink very well….   Stunning wine.

The Leflaive was scheduled to last through the Cod loin and most of us were disciplined enough to ensure that it did. Those of us who had kept some Pur Sang were also nicely rewarded with a somewhat texturally sweeter sensation, with a crisp acid honey character coming through. Such a verstaile wine - could also be used as a dessert wine at a stretch. The Leflaive was naturally excellent with the Cod and the Cheesy raviole brought out the butter without sacrificing the backbone and firmness of the wine. Good match.

Cod Loin with Raviole

The fish itself was excellent - firm tender flakes from the sea given a wood and earthy touch by the mushrooms and beef broth - you want surf and turf, this is a good way to go. Not sure how the cheese ravioli fit into all of this, but it did give creamy carbo to the broth and was nicely soaked up by the bread. In fact, the broth was better with the bread than with the fish. I guess I am a peasant when it comes to food - give me a bowl of rich thick soup or gravy and a hunk of crust bread and I'm happier than a dog in a mudpool. Quite what I am doing talking about all this haute cuisine is sometimes beyond me. But there we go. Sometimes you just have to trust and hope that there is some higher purpose in all this scribbling.

Our wine drinking seemed to be moving faster than the food was coming out with the result that the Pommard got poured slightly earlier than optimum. On balance, it might have been better to have waited for the lamb, but after eight hours in a bus it did not seem wise to argue with the group. They looked, and in fact clearly were, thirsty. Pouring it early did give the wine a chance to air in the glass - always a reason for everything, eh?

The Pommard was unusual - a bit farmyard compost and mushroom to start but opened out into somewhat less compost. Cherry nose with sour cherry and soursop mouth feel and a sweetly sharp finish. Stern in character, but full in body. 

Suckling Lamb

Wikipedia defines Quenelle as "a mixture of creamed fish, chicken, or meat, sometimes combined with breadcrumbs, with a light egg binding." So it was that the Conger Eel Quenelle came out like a mousse of lightly scrambled eggs into which the pre-sauted Eel had been, er, scrambled. The seaweed butter emulsion made for a rich salty zip which went better with the Leflaive than anything else. The butter just made the Pommard taste sharp though the Pur Sang did quite well - the burgundian finish undercut the egg and supported the eel nicely. 

The meal to this point had been brilliant, but the Suckling Lamb proved to be the piece de resistance. It was simply and utterly fantastic. Grilled chops with a crumb crust, it was amazingly tender and massive in taste. Firm but soft, some chew but still melting in the mouth. Like the most perfect taste of lamb you could ever get in a lifetime. Beyond words and way, WAY off the planet. Never knew lamb could taste like this. That's the downside when you taste something like this - most of what you will eat in the future will pale in the comparison. A high price. But given the taste of this lamb, absolutely worth every future mouthful of meat. Could almost turn vegetarian after this. Almost.

Chocolate dessert

The Clos Rougeard was poured and proved an excellent partner. Crisp cherries and dark fruit on the nose and coming over like a light Bordeaux in body, it brought out a slight orange zest in the lamb. It somewhat outshone the Pommard in the matching regard. Given that lamb and cabernet sauvignon are standard partners, the Bordeaux quality of the Clos gave it the edge on this occasion. A totally lovely wine, with flowers of spring and summer and a breath of fresh French air across the vines - life giving, lung filling, pure enlightenment in a bottle. Would be interesting to match the Pommard with a duck, though. That acidic punch would tenderise the purines a treat.

Dessert was a melange of dark mint crisp goo and dark mint nibs with hints of greenpepper across a firm pear sorbet which, when all put together, came out like Lime sorbet with crushed nuts. A good chocolate crunch on which to end the evening, though some of us preferred to finish off the Pommard. 

The service was excellent all through the night, though maybe a few more descriptions of what we were eating would have proven useful. Napkins got replaced on bathroom visits and glasses refilled quietly and efficiently. Bathroom had real cotton towels and was clean and light. Top end. 

In sum, a magnificent meal in a wonderful venue with excellent service and great wines and company. When we had signed up for this trip, we had little to no expectations as to the food or the wine or the restaurants. We figured whatever we would get would be good. And if Cordeillan Bages was to be a precursor of food and wine to come, we were in for a magnificent ride. Chef Rocha is worth every inch his awards - the ensembles work well together whilst his mains are prepared and presented almost to perfection. And Yin How's selections proved to be both wines of tremendous character and excellent matches to the food. No hesitation in recommending Chateau Cordeillan Bages restaurant to dine. Be sure to bring Yin How to choose the wines.

Good Night!!

Chateau Cordeillan-Bages

33250 Pauillac

Tel - 33(0)5 56592424

www.cordeillanbages.com

Menu

Pre Starter

Wines, take a bow...

Dungeness and king crab, aniseed flavoured mousse and garden greens

Cod loin, Cantal cheese raviole, mushrooms and toast flavoured beef broth

Conger eel quenelle, seaweed butter emulsion from Maison Bordier

Suckling lamb in a zesty Viennoise crumb, grilled chop, oriental style carrot

Pre dessert

Guanaja chocolate cream, caramelised cocoa nibs and pear sorbet

Sweets and pastries

The Wines

Taittinger NV Prestige Rose

Dagueneau "Pur Sang" Pouilly Fume 2007

Leflaive "Clavoillon" Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru 2008

Comte Armand "Les Epeneaux" Pommard 1er Cru 2001

Clos Rougeard "Le Bourg" Saumer Champigny 2006

Fantastic Chateau Pontet-Canet Wine Dinner at Prime!

Chateau Pontet-Canet Wine Dinner

Prime Restaurant, Le Meridien, Kuala Lumpur May 14th 2013

Whilst overseas and on a tour with the IWFS of Bordeaux Vineyards to sample the 2012 en primeur, we received a text from the Doc saying "Bordeaux Wine Dinner at Prime, 3 seats booked." Only on getting back to Kuala Lumpur did we discover to our delight that the Bordeaux wine in question would be some of Chateau Pontet-Canet's finest. It was one of our standout Chateau visits during the tour, and with the top quality beef at the Prime it promised to be a match made in gastronomic heaven. Seemed like the food and wine gods were smiling - how not to go?  

Pontet-Canet has been a rising star over recent years, with wines that are "full bodied, well-structured, long lived and famous for their finesse and elegance" and which have garnered praise and points from the wine world luminaries. Located in the Pauillac region, it is one of the poster boys (or girls) for biodynamism in the Bordeaux wine region and the world. Biodynamism in wine is a style of organic farming where the grapes are grown according to sustainable and holistic principles as laid down by one Rudolf Steiner in his 1924 lecture series "Agriculture Course". Steiner espoused the idea that soil fertility could be increased without the use of chemically produced fertilizers and pesticides. He advocated a more ecologically based form of agriculture that facilitated and supported self sustainability where farming took place in harmony with the earth and its natural energies and motions, both seen and unseen.  

In practical terms, this means minimum to zero use of chemicals at all stages of grape growing and the utilisation of natural fertilisers and processes. Equally with technology - less is more. As an example, the guide during our recent visit to the Pontet-Canet winery made much of the effects of using horses to plough rather than tractors. The reasoning goes that tractors compound the earth which makes it harder for worms to aerate the soil - using horses means the worms are more able to do what they do best and this allows for better drainage. Equally, vine roots can dig deeper in their search for nutrients when the soil is more amenable to being rooted rather than getting blocked by compacted soil. 

Biodynamism has caught the imagination of many growers around the world. It is a commitment to respecting the soil and the various factors that impact it - enhancing the positive growing environment whilst seeking to minimise and marginalise those elements that impact good growth by natural means. It is monitored and supervised by a body called The Demeter Association which oversees the standards by which wines can be officially certified as biodynamic. Pontet-Canet achieved full certification in 2010. 

Biodynamism tends to get dismissed for being a bit hooey and new age hippie cerebral. Well and maybe, but the proof will be in the wines and certainly on our recent Bordeaux visit to sample the en primeurs Pontet-Canet stood out as stellar and the one that we would clearly buy. There was a fresh crispness and vibrancy to the 2012 that positively leapt out of the glass. Equally,  the biodynamic wines from the Domaine Leflaive consistently stun. So speak as you find, bidynamism seems to work. And naturally, the better the wine then the greater the demand and consequent chance of turning a reasonable profit on the entire exercise. Presumably, less technology means an increase in labour costs which will impact final production costs and profit margin. As ever, being allowed to compete on a level playing field with the behomoths will be central to long term success. But tastewise, it clearly makes a difference. This bandwagon has a lot more road to roll, and the momentum is gathering…

On the night there were about sixty wine and foodies who had gathered for the wine dinner, and expectations of an excellent evening ahead were running high. Organised by Kuala Lumpur wine stalwarts Milawa, the place was pretty full by the time we arrived, and indeed proceedings got underway just as we took our seats. Barely time to say hello to the many friends from the KL foodie circuit who had come out for the occasion.

Chateau Pontet-Canet's Melanie Tesseron was introduced and gave a brief introduction to both herself and the winery. 

Described on LinkedIn as General Director and Co-Owner at Chateau Pontet-Canet and Tesseron Cognac, and with a previous life as a Motion Graphic Designer, Mme Tesseron has risen rapidly for someone with just eight years in the industry. Joining with her uncle and erstwhile sole manager Mr Alfred Tesseron to jointly manage the Chateau's operations in 2005, Mme Tesseron was recently placed in the top 50 Most Powerful Women in Wine by The Drinks Business in December 2012. Chateau Pontet-Canet is a family business, and seems to be resisting a Bordeaux trend whereby Chateaux are getting bought over by the big boys and benefitting from massive investments in their wineries. Whilst this is positive in most respects, one wonders about the extent to which these Chateaux retain independence to resist boardroom "suggestions" to hasten or improve returns. It must be difficult to resist an owner seeking to dip into the business and suggesting practices which may be commercially sound though potentially negative in the impact on the final product. Well, maybe not. From what I have read, the Chateaux Madames tend historically to be a feisty breed. 

In this, Mme Tesseron proved an erudite and knowledgeable host with a hint of a dry British wit and whose passion and pride for the biodynamic achievements of Pontet-Canet were clear to all. No feistiness - but without a doubt eminently capable. The branding tag line semed to be the quite snappy "new world wines in old world bottles."  A brief overview of the 2003 vintage was given before Mme Tesseron sensibly opted to sit down to let the food and wine speak for themselves. 

The first course came out, albeit a bit slowly - sixty plus people to feed to fine dining standard is no mean feat and when your table is the furthest from the kitchen you will suffer a bit. Lenglui complained of slightly cold food. Mine was fine, so we swapped. We had already been drinking the 2003 as aperitif and though there seemed to be a slight reluctance for glasses to get sufficiently topped off we did get a fair second round to match with the food. The 2003 had been billed as a "great vintage" with a heatwave creating "water stress" on the vines and producing full bodied grapes as a result. It was also the first year that Pontet-Canet stopped using weed killer. There was cassis, spice and green pepper on the nose with chewy tannins and a pleasant though slighly alcholic finish. This was tamed into fighting submission by the rich and sweetly zippy sauce of the hugely tasty Wagyu. I have previously suspected Chef Antoine of adding shakes of curry powder in the sauce, giving rise to a spicy mouthful of Mulligatawny curry-like broth. And on this occasion it worked a treat, erasing the alcohol on the tongue and letting the fruit and structure of the wine shine through. It also gave a spicily sweet finish to the meat. On the night, the 2003 was to prove the best drinking. The Foie Gras coddled egg with Bordelaise sauce looked influenced by the Half Boiled Egg and Soy Sauce combo that is both breakfast and supper on the street for many Malaysians. Except for the Foie Gras, of course - rarely on the menu at the local hawker stall. The Prime scallop was its usual firm textured self. They are claimed to be fresh though I still retain a sneaking suspicion of them spending some time in a fridge somewhere.

The 2004 was now on the table. Mme Tesseron confessed to it not being a classic year, though the grapes retained elegance due to a cool and lengthy Indian summer across the Bordeaux region. Thought to have more finesse as a result, and showing Morello cherry, cassis and almond with pronounced tannins, it became the good value wine filler sandwiched between the bread and butter classic vintages of 2003 and 2005. Drinking wise, the tannins felt a bit pronounced with the fruit a bit further back in the mix. There's a lot longer in the bottle needed for this one, though a slight question for me as to whether the fruit will stand for a great length of time. 

The salad combo was cute, but at first it didn't seem to be going anywhere. The cheese neutered the tannins enough for better balance, though its addition to the salad felt odd. There was something that seemed to be missing that was needed to bring it all together. In fact, it wasn't missing, it was just hidden at the bottom of the ensemble. The eggplant nestling there proved to be the foundation for the otherwise confusing mix of tastes and brought it all together in both textural and taste terms. Its firmish squishy sweet blandness set everything off, taking the sour edge off the cheese and letting the other ingredients get a look in on the tongue.

And then out came the 2000. Oh, the 2000. Alleged Vintage of the century to date. You are a big wine - full of body, with a rich nose of dark fruit and coffee notes from the easing tannins. For some reason, your finish felt a bit dried out as compared to the 2003 and 2004. Maybe this was the fertiliser at work in the soil at the end of the century. Maybe you just need more time in the bottle. Whatever, you went gangbusters with the Beef Tenderloin. There were two pieces of meat, one of which was perfectly grilled to medium perfection with the melted marble blending superbly with the slight char on the meat and the understated seasoning;  and the other which felt massively oversalted and killed the tastebuds. Strange. Not sure if it was the result of this chunk of seasoned beef, but the potato and spinach also felt well salted. Most odd. We had to drink the water since the wine pourings through the night seemed to have gone from somewhat parsimonious (read "stingy") to the point of almost stalling. Certainly far less than we tend to be used to at other wine dinners in Kuala Lumpur.

Rant alert - our IWFS normally budgets about one bottle per guest for the functions. My count of bottles on the night was forty-eight which would explain why the wine felt a bit thin in quantity. I do understand the math involved and the need to keep the final price affordable and attractive to fit within Milawa's philosophy to bring great wines to more people. And indeed, given the wines and the food it was tremendous value. It's just that things would have been a shade more perfect with an extra glass of something and it just didn't quite feel like a good enough drink to go with the food. My usual trick of waiting until the dear lady with the wine bottle was coming near and taking a swift swig to entice a top up failed miserably on this occasion. And it seems I was not alone in feeling dry - a number of friends seemed to say the same thing at the end of the night. Maybe we've been spoiled and gotten used to expecting a full skin. Maybe. No matter, in some ways it was quite refreshing to drive home comparatively sober. Always a silver lining, eh?

Rant over - the final wine was the 2009 and this was lovely. We'd had a bottle of this cracked for us at our visit to Pontet-Canet and we fell for it then. Benefitting from stable temperatures through the summer, the grapes produced a wine that Mme Tesseron described as "very complete" - elegant structure, layered and perfumed, with classic blackcurrant nose and well integrated tannins. Mr Parker apparently gave it 100 and for once I agree with him. This wine is the total business. Everyone should be so lucky and get a glass at some time in their life. Milawa, I thank you. Just maybe a little more next time, can?

The 2009 went surprisingly well with dessert. The light chantilly cream, crisp soft pears and crunchy nibs combined well with the deep chocolate which brought out hints of cocoa in the wine. And notwithstanding that the sponge felt a bit stodgy, it made for a firm solid finish to the meal. 

Again, we stole some of the magnificent Prime cookies to take home. Again we got stiffed with the Car parking charges. But for once I didn't mind. We had been in the presence of biodynamic and vinous greatness, and I will happily wave the flag for ecologically sensible agriculture and those brave intrepid growers who face the barrage of contempt from those who happily continue to stress their soils to produce the large volumes they need to create the mass production glug that stocks the supermarket shelves. Yes, I am a closet tree hugger, yes I berate all actions that impact our planet to the long term detriment of the ecological system that sustains and supports all life. Anyone who doesn't recognise the effects of pollution and deforestation and is not prepared to take steps to marginalise these effects will ultimately be responsible for this host earth being consumed by our human species. And mostly all for a percentage. We do have an earth to save and the more corporately responsible practices that get initiated then the better chance that our future generations will have a habitable planet to inherit. Yes. I sure do like to rant… 

In sum, another fabulous evening of food, wine with old and new friends at Kuala Lumpur's finest steak restaurant. Fantastic wines, well matched with the food, though maybe a shade thin on the pourings. It was brilliant to meet with the owner and manager of a Bordeaux winery we had visited and where we'd enjoyed a wonderful tasting, and one hopes that the gods allow revisits by both Mme Tesseron and ourselves to our respective home towns. Ms Melanie had made time to say hello to everyone who had come to the dinner, and made a point of sending email to express thanks for my attendance with an open invitation to visit Pontet-Canet. Nice, personal touch. She is clearly aware that, as Pontet-Canet ambassador, how she is perceived to conduct herself is critical in how people view the brand. And biodynamic gets intensely personal - there is a connection between the owner and the land and the people who farm it, and the result. Mme Tesseron is as much a part of her wine as the wine is part of her. She made it, she helped pick and sort the grapes, she cared for its production and development. From the vine to the bottle, this is an expression of who she and Pontet-Canet are. And we got to meet her and drink her wines with her. Wow. I intend to buy Pontet-Canet 2012 and wait for it to come through to the drinking greatness that I believe it will mature into. And then remember the time we spent at the Chateau where it was first tasted and the people who made it and shared it. Doesn't get more personal than that.

Menu

Appetiser

Braised Wagyu Beef Intercostal, Rosemary Pumpkin Polenta Bread

Seared Sea Scallop, Celery Truffle Espuma

Foie Gras Coddled Egg, Bordelaise Sauce

Chateau Pontet-Canet 2003

Salad

Grilled Vegetables Salad

Stilton Cheese and Walnut Cumble, Aragula, Dried Fig

Pontet Canet Red Wine JKelly and Aged Balasamic Dressing

Chateau Pontet-Canet 2004

Main

Sous Vide Black Angus Beef Tenderloin, Beef Jus

Torched "Beurre Maitre d'Hotel"

Smoked Duck Roesti Potato, Wilted Spinach

or

Provencal Herbs, Olive and Sundried Tomato Brushed Roasted Black Cod

Lentils du Puy, Maine Lobster and Sweet Crab Mustard Dressing

Chateau Pontet-Canet 2000

Dessert

Chocolate and Hazelnut Cake

Guanaja Chantilly Cream, Poached baby Pears

Chateau Pontet-Canet 2009

Illy Coffee or Dilma Tea

Prime Cookies