experiment #39 - 1.13.14

Happy New Year, Guinea Pigs - it's time for another experiment - the first of 2014.

Quick Details:
Date: Monday, January 13, 2014
Price: $85 (inclusive of tax & tip)
Start time: Likely 7:30 p.m.

We will be doing a drawing for seats from all requests received over the first 48 hours, with additional requests filled, if possible, in the order they're received.

Please send an email to request seats using the "contact the underground" link, and let us know how many you're requesting.

You will be advised by Friday January 3 Sunday January 5 if your request has been confirmed. You'll then need to book your seats by noon on Tuesday January 7 11:59pm on Wednesday January 8, or we may need to release them to the waitlist to ensure all spots are filled.

We have very limited seating and while we try to accommodate everyone who is interested, that is usually not possible - most events are filled very quickly. Due to space limitations, we will be limiting people to 2 spots per request, though if you're interested in more let us know and your request will be added to the waitlist.

When your seat request has been confirmed, please book it using the PayPal link which will be set up on this page. Please do not book unless and until you've received a confirmation. When you do receive the confirmation, please book your seats through PayPal promptly. There will be a short window of time to book before seats need to be released back to the waitlist to make sure they're filled.

This one will be BYOB.

Confirmed and paid-up attendees will receive an e-mail the day before the event, confirming the location and other details.

A brief, but important, refresher course on the whole Cobaya thing: there is no "menu". There are no choices. You'll be eating what the chef chooses to make for the night. If you have food related allergies, strict dietary requirements, religious restrictions; are salt sensitive, vegetarian, pescatarian, or vegan; don't like your meat cooked medium rare, or are pregnant: this meal is probably not for you. Do not expect white-glove service. Don't ask for your sauce on the side. Just come and enjoy.

Plus some legalese: please note that if you're requesting a spot, you understand that any food or beverages you consume are at your own risk, that you voluntarily assume any and all risks, known and unknown, and voluntarily release the organizers of the event from any claims, including personal injury and wrongful death, resulting in any manner from your participation in this event, whether caused by negligence or otherwise. Hopefully it won't come to that.

Look forward to seeing you there. As always, thank you for your support.

FOR CONFIRMED SEAT REQUESTS ONLY:

experiment #39 - how many seats?

1 seat $82.50 USD 2 seats $165.00 USD

experiment #38 - Cobaya Nina at Scarpetta

Another successful experiment! This time around, it was conducted by Chef Nina Compton - chef de cuisine at Scott Conant's Scarpetta in the Fontainebleau on Miami Beach and current favorite to win this season's "Top Chef," As we usually do, we gave no limitations other than "Cook what you want" - which is exactly what Compton did for our herd of forty guinea pigs. You can see pics here in this Cobaya Compton flickr set (recap to come at Food For Thought shortly), or browse Chowfather's instagram, ChatChow's flickr stream, Eric Saltzman's instagram, or foodporn_1's instagram (if I've missed any speak up and I'll link to them). Here is the menu for the evening (I regret I did not write down the wine pairings, as they were very nicely done):

amuse

scallop crudo w fennel, orange and pine nuts

antipasti

whipped morcilla, testa and fegato

primi piatti

sweetbreads w sunchokes, brussel sprouts, black trumpet mushrooms

paste

gemelli w key west pink shrimp and ricci di mare

secondi

lardo wrapped monkfish w romanesco and prosciutto jus

due of pork w pancetta-spiced loin and crispy jowl w butternut squash

dolci

yogurt mousse, lemon sorbet, apple and celery

A big thank you to Chef Nina for a really delicious, elegant meal, to all the crew at the Fontainebleau who helped make it happen, and as always most of all, to the guinea pigs whose interest and support makes these kinds of events possible.