experiment #47 - 1.7.15

Happy Holidays, Guinea Pigs! It's time for another experiment. I know it's the holiday season, but we've got a quick turnaround time again, so please pay attention to the deadlines.

Quick Details:
Date: Wednesday, January 7, 2015
Price: $110 (inclusive of tax and tip)
Start time: probably 7:30ish

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 on this page, and let us know how many you're requesting.

You will be advised by Monday December 29 if your request has been confirmed. You'll then need to book your seats by 5pm on January 1, or we may need to release the seats to the waitlist to ensure all spots are filled. Please note the tight schedule: please make your request quickly, and if you get a spot, please book quickly.

We have limited seating available, 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 limit 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.

There is an optional $25 pairing; a la carte beverages will also be available for purchase on site and BYOB should be OK too.

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 #47 - choose # and pairing

1 seat (no pairing) $113.50 USD 1 seat (with pairing) $139.00 USD 2 seats (no pairing) $227.00 USD 2 seats (with pairing) $278.00 USD

experiment #46 - Cobaya Diego at La Mar

Experiment #46 is in the books! This time around, we took a trip to Peru by way of Brickell Key, with Chef Diego Oka of Gaston Acurio's La Mar restaurant, where we had a perfect night out on the balcony overlooking Brickell and downtown Miami. You can see pictures here in this Cobaya Diego flickr set, and we'll update when recaps are posted recaps are up at Food For Thought and The Chowfather. Here's the menu Diego put together for us:

Scallop, Uni and Ikura Tiradito with Rocoto Leche de Tigre

Purple Potato Causa with Seared Tuna and Green Mango Chalaca Sauce

Smoked Crispy Sweetbreads with Aji Amarillo Potato Puree, Crispy Potatoes, Soft Egg and Chimichurri

Nigerian Prawn with Lobster Chupe, Quinoa Achupado, Fava Bean Air and Huacatay Sauce

Lobster Ceviche with Hot Leche De Tigre Broth and Crispy Yucca

Whole Fish Nikei with Soft Shell Crabs and Broccoli Rabe

Fried Rice with BBQ Pork Belly and Raw Egg

Peruvian Chocolate Mousse with Crispy Quinoa and Lucuma Bombe

A big thank you to Diego and all of his team at La Mar, and as always most of all, to the guinea pigs whose interest and support make these events possible.

experiment #46 - 12.17.14

Greetings, Guinea Pigs - it's time for another experiment. I know everyone is distracted by Basel madness, but we've got a quick turnaround time on this one, so please pay attention to the deadlines.

Quick Details:
Date: Wednesday, December 17, 2014
Price: $120 (inclusive of tax & tip)
Start time: probably 7:30ish

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 on this page, and let us know how many you're requesting.

You will be advised by Tuesday December 9 if your request has been confirmed. You'll then need to book your seats by 5pm on Thursday December 11, or we may need to release the seats to the waitlist to ensure all spots are filled. Please note the tight schedule: please make your request quickly, and if you get a spot, please book quickly.

We have VERY limited seating for this one, 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 limit 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.

There should be a la carte beverages available for purchase on site and BYOB should be OK too; there will also likely be a pairing option available, we will confirm when details are released.

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 #46 - choose pairing?

1 seat (no pairing) $124.00 USD 1 seat (with pairing) $170.00 USD 2 seats (no pairing) $248.00 USD 2 seats (with pairing) $340.00 USD

cobaya sobe update and more

Dear Guinea Pigs:

An update and follow-up on a couple events noted here or on the mailing list during the past couple weeks:

Scott Anderson Dinner (10.20.14):

On Monday October 20, 2014 at 7pm, Scott Anderson of Elements restaurant will be cooking with chefs Conor Hanlon of the Dutch (Experiment #42) and Jeremiah Bullfrog (Experiment #19, Experiment #2, 2.5, plus countless assists along the way). Elements is a bit off the radar, in Princeton New Jersey, but incredibly highly regarded by those who have been - enough so to get listed in Opinionated About Dining's Top 20 US Restaurants list. To get an idea of Scott's style, I urge you to read this ChuckEats post or this one from DocSconz. When I heard he was looking to do a dinner down here, I was glad to help set it up. The Dutch is graciously hosting the dinner, and seats are $200 all in (including tax & tip). The link to buy seats is here (first come first served), I hope you'll come:

elements - Scott Anderson Dinner at The Dutch 10.20.14

Cobaya SoBe (2.20.15):

We announced a couple weeks ago that we'll be teaming up with the South Beach Wine & Food Festival for a dinner at the fest next February. It's not completely Cobaya-style, as the chefs and location are already announced, but it's a great list: Andrew Zimmern, host of Bizarre Foods and our guest at Experiment #21; offal and charcuterie maven Chris Cosentino (of San Francisco's Porcellino and Boccalone); Makoto Okuwa, chef of Bal Harbour's Makoto (and a Cobaya alum from Experiment #32); and local hero Michael Schwartz of Michael's Genuine Food & Drink, with the gorgeous new Pérez Art Museum as our venue.

We had a limited block of seats for Cobaya members for which we ran a lottery, and we know many more people requested seats than we had available. Here's another chance: more seats are being sold through the SOBEWFF website starting this Monday October 6, 2014 at 9am. Unfortunately, the pre-sale price for Cobaya members is no longer available, so the spots through the website will be $350 - but we think it will be one of the premier events of the festival and surely the biggest lineup of heavy hitters we've ever put together. The dinner will be Friday February 20, 2015 at 7pm, and the link to buy seats is here:

SoBe Fest | Cobaya Dinner

Seats are limited for both of these events so we encourage you to move quickly. Thanks, as always, for your interest.

cobaya sobe (2/20/15) - seat request line is OPEN

We posted to the mailing list last week that we'd be running a lottery for a limited group of seats for a dinner we'll be doing in collaboration with the South Beach Wine and Food Festival in February. The time has arrived.

If you missed it, here's the story. It's not completely Cobaya-style, as the chefs and location have already been announced on the SoBeFest website, but we're pretty excited to let you know the details: The dinner will be Friday February 20, 2015; participants include the great Andrew Zimmern, host of Bizarre Foods and our guest at Experiment #21; offal and charcuterie maven Chris Cosentino (of San Francisco's Porcellino and Boccalone); Makoto Okuwa, chef of Bal Harbour's Makoto (and a Cobaya alum from Experiment #32); and local hero Michael Schwartz of Michael's Genuine Food & Drink; and the venue will be the gorgeous new Pérez Art Museum.

Tickets go up for pre-sale on October 9 on the SoBeFest website, but we will have a (limited!) block of seats for Cobaya members. Our seats will be $300; they're currently listed at the same price on the SoBe website, but we've been told that price is going to go up to $350 when they actually start taking purchases, so those who buy through the Cobaya group will be getting a $50 discount.

To request spots, please email us using the "contact the underground" link on this page and let us know how many spots you're requesting. We will run a lottery and announce the results by email on Monday September 29, and you'll then have to purchase your seats by October 6 (details will be provided to the lottery winners).

(UPDATE: This event is SOLD OUT)

And just to keep in the Cobaya spirit, our usual disclaimer:

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.

experiment #45 - Cobaya 1826 with Chef Danny Grant

Experiment #45 is in the books! This one was an intense multi-part study of truffles – specifically, Australian black truffles – conducted by Chef Danny Grant of 1826 Restaurant & Lounge on South Beach. A big thank you to Chef Danny for putting together a really elegant and tasty showcase for this ingredient, to Frank Brunacci of The Truffle & Wine Co., Australia's largest producer of Perigord truffles, who supplied the truffles and joined us for the dinner, to all the crew at 1826 for making this a great evening, and as always most of all, to the guinea pigs whose interest and support make these events possible.

Below is the menu for Wednesday's dinner. We'll update here when recaps have been posted. And here are recaps from Chowfather and Food For Thought.

Amuse Bouche

Foie Gras and Black Truffle Dumpling

with Ice Wine Consomme

First Course

Sea Scallop Poached

with Black Truffle, Hakurei Turnip and Fumet Blanc

Second Course

Potato & Black Truffle Salad

with  Cured Chicken, Foie Gras and Crispy Chicken Skin

Third Course

Wild Black Bass Steamed

with Black Truffle, Lettuce and Lobster Emulsion

Fourth Course

Wagyu Strip Grilled

with Black Truffle, Chanterelles and Bone Marrow

Fifth Course

Brillat Savarin Cheese

with Fig, Black Truffle and Honey

Sixth Course

Chocolate Ganache

with Almond Sable, Sable Breton and Black Truffle Milkshake

experiment #45 - 8.20.14

Greetings, Guinea Pigs - it's time for another experiment. Once again we're going to have a sort of quick turnaround time on this one, so please pay attention to the deadlines.

Quick Details:
Date: Wednesday, August 20, 2014
Price: $150 (inclusive of tax & tip)
Start time: probably 7:30ish

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 on this page, and let us know how many you're requesting.

You will be advised by Wednesday August 13 if your request has been confirmed. You'll then need to book your seats by 5pm on Friday August 15, or we may need to release the seats to the waitlist to ensure all spots are filled. Please note the tight schedule: please make your request quickly, and if you get a spot, please book quickly.

We have 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 may limit 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.

There should be a la carte beverages available for purchase on site and BYOB should be OK too; there will also likely be a pairing option available, we will confirm when details are released.

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.

One additional note for those of you who subscribe by email through the website: we've been experiencing some delays with the email update going out that are beyond our technical control. We are trying to remedy, but as a backstop, you may wish to also join the Cobaya Google Group - more info here.

FOR CONFIRMED SEAT REQUESTS ONLY:

experiment #45 - choose pairing?

1 seat (no pairing) $155.00 USD 1 seat (with pairing) $196.50 USD 2 seats (no pairing) $310.00 USD 2 seats (with pairing) $393.00 USD

experiment #44 - Cobaya Brasel at Meat Market

Another experiment is in the books. Number 44 was with Sean Brasel, chef/owner of Meat Market on Lincoln Road in Miami Beach. Brasel, it seems, used the opportunity to test run dishes for his new Palm Beach Meat Market, opening soon. You can see pictures in this Cobaya Meat Market flickr set, and stay tuned for recaps read a recap here at Food For Thought.

Here's the menu Brasel and Chef de Cuisine David Valencia put together for us:

First Course

Buffalo Cheese Steak

Cipollini Onion Brulee, Cheese Fondue, Cherry Peppers, Wild Mushroom Jus

Lobster Pigs in a Blanket

Puff Pastry, Mustard Seed Relish, Lobster Mayo

2011 Pierre Sparr Gewurztraminer, Alsace, France

Second Course

Beet Salad

Arugula and Frisee, Beet Mousse, Truffle Vinaigrette, Baby Beets, Herbed Goat Cheese Mousse, Croutons

2013 Nobilo Icon Sauvignon Blanc, Malborough, New Zealand

Third Course

Octopus Carpaccio

Fava Bean, Fingerling Potato Chips, Pickled Mustard Seed, Micro Cilantro

2012 Far Niente Chardonnay, Napa Valley California

Fourth Course

Duo of Short Rib

White Bean and Quinoa Cake, Bacon Mousse, Charred Scallion

and

Prime Roasted Dry Aged New York Steak

Black Truffle Puree, Red Wine Jus, Brussels, Mushroom Duxelle

2012 Numanthia Termes Tempranillo, Toro, Spain

Sides

Whole Roasted Cauliflower

Creamy Polenta

Gouda Tater Tots

Dessert

Open Face Cherry Rhubarb Pie

Salted Dark Chocolate Ice Cream, Morello Cherry Sorbet

NV Dow's 20 Year Old Tawny Port, Portugal

Thanks to chefs Brasel and Valencia, to the crew at Meat Market, and most of all, to the guinea pigs whose interest, support and understanding make these kind of events possible.

experiment #43 - Cobayapalooza! at Shikany

Seven chefs. Nine courses. One night. Cobayapalooza! We finally made it happen. A huge thank you to Chef Michael Shikany and all his crew at the recently opened restaurant Shikany in Wynwood, for serving up three of those courses (plus a dessert from Shikany's pastry chef Jill Montinola), and for opening up his dining room to nearly fifty of us guinea pigs, and his kitchen to five other great chefs – David Sears of SushiSamba Coral Gables, Diego Oka of La Mar in the Mandarin Oriental, Mathias Gervais of the Setai on Miami Beach, Timon Balloo of Sugarcane Raw Bar Grill in Midtown, and Danny Grant of 1826 Restaurant & Lounge on Miami Beach.

Sorry for the delay in providing this quick recap, but it's taken a little while to recover. You can see pictures in this Cobayapalooza flickr set, and we'll update when more complete recaps are posted a recap from Chowfather here plus another at Food For Thought. Here's the menu, with each course featuring a different spice blend from the renowned purveyor Lior Lev Sercarz's La Boîte.

Course 1

(Galil N. 13)

Fresh Diver Scallop Crudo

Pickled watermelon rind, sour gooseberry, creme fraiche sorbet, white truffle oil

Michael Shikany, Shikany

Course 2

(Coquelicot N. 24)

Oysters & Salmon

White sturgeon caviar, sweet heirloom tomatoes, pickled pearl onion

David Sears, SushiSamba

Course 3

(Luberon N. 4)

Wild Quahog and Madai

Fermented bean broth, crispy sprout petals, Tosaka seaweed, Okinawa sweet potatoes, Coke syrup

Michael Shikany, Shikany

Course 4

(Vadouvan N. 28)

Yellowtail Snapper

Peruvian potato stew with chocolate, Vadouvan, aji panca, black Andean mint

Diego Oka, La Mar

Course 5

(Cancale N. 11)

Foie Gras Terrine & Apple Cured Duck Breast

Sage/parmesan gremolata, candied asparagus, blackberry, pernod

Michael Shikany, Shikany

Course 6

(Ararat N. 35)

Organic Slow Poached Farm Eggs

Jabugo Iberico broth, harlequin bell peppers, marjoram, Ararat chocolate spice

Mathias Gervias, The Setai

Course 7

(Apollonia N. 29)

Veal Breast

Sweetbreads and tongue, burnt peaches, summer beans

Timon Balloo, Sugarcane Raw Bar Grill

Course 8

(Tangier N. 23)

Roasted Lamb Loin Crepinette

Pig skin, chanterelles, ras al hanout

Danny Grant, 1826 Restaurant & Lounge

Course 9

(Lula N. 41)

Tupelo Honey Cremeux

Fennel, apple crisp, Lula seaweed snow, raspberry, cilantro sponge, green apple sorbet

Jill Montinola, Shikany

It was a blast seeing everyone working together in the kitchen to turn this big production out right. Thanks again to Chef Shikany and all of his team at the restaurant, to all of the chefs who pitched in, to Rockaway PR for helping herd all these cats, and as always most of all, to the guinea pigs whose interest and support make these events possible.

experiment #44 - 7.28.14

Greetings, Guinea Pigs. We've barely recovered from "Cobayapalooza" and it's already time for another experiment! Move fast, there's a quick turnaround time on this one.

Quick Details:
Date: Monday July 28, 2014
Price: $80 (inclusive of tax & tip), w optional $45 pairing
Start time: probably 7:30ish

We will be doing a drawing for seats from all requests received over the first 24 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 on the right side of this page, and let us know how many you're requesting.

You will be advised by Tuesday July 22 if your request has been confirmed. You'll then need to book your seats by noon on Thursday July 24, or we may need to release the seats to the waitlist to ensure all spots are filled. Please note the tight schedule: please make your request quickly, and if you get a spot, please book quickly.

We have 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 may limit 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.

Aside from the pairing option, there should be a la carte beverages available for purchase on site and BYOB should be OK too, we will confirm when details are released.

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 #44 - choose pairing?

1 seat (no pairing) $83.00 USD 1 seat (with pairing) $129.00 USD 2 seats (no pairing) $166.00 USD 2 seats (with pairing) $258.00 USD

experiment #43 - 7.16.14

Greetings, Guinea Pigs - it's time for another experiment! This one is something of a "Cobayapalooza" - seven chefs in the kitchen (that's all we're telling).

Quick Details:
Date: Wednesday July 16, 2014
Price: $135 (inclusive of tax & tip), w optional $45 pairing
Start time: probably 7:30ish

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 on this page, and let us know how many you're requesting.

You will be advised by Monday July 7 if your request has been confirmed. You'll then need to book your seats by noon on Thursday July 10, or we may need to release the seats to the waitlist to ensure all spots are filled. Please note the tight schedule: please make your request quickly, and if you get a spot, please book quickly.

We have 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 may limit 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.

Aside from the pairing option, there should be a la carte beverages available for purchase on site and BYOB should be OK too, we will confirm when details are released.

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 #43 - choose pairing?

1 seat (no pairing) $139.00 USD 1 seat (with pairing) $185.00 USD 2 seats (no pairing) $278.00 USD 2 seats (with pairing) $370.00 USD

Note: (1) If you wish to purchase one seat with the pairing, and one without, just select one, "Add to Cart," and then "Continue Shopping" and add the other one; (2) the prices are slightly higher than originally advertised to cover PayPal fees.

experiment #42 - Cobaya Conor at The Dutch

Making up for lost time, on May 21 we conducted our second experiment of the month, with Conor Hanlon, chef de cuisine at The Dutch on South Beach. Almost exactly two years ago we did Experiment #24 at the Dutch with executive chef Andrew Carmellini coming down from New York to run the show. This time it was Conor's chance to shine. You can see all the pictures in this Food For Thought Cobaya Conor flickr set, with recaps at Food For Thought and probably coming soon at The Chowfather.

We had a small group – only 25 – at Conor's request to enable him to do things up a bit more soigne than the restaurant's usual more relaxed style. Though we were sorry to turn away even more guinea pigs than usual, those who got in got a pretty special experience. Here's the menu:

STELLAR BAY OYSTER

nasturtium granite, meyer lemon, roasted tomato oil, celery

EGGS ON EGGS

deviled farce, black bowfin

ASPARAGUS

white, green, spring peas, pickled ramps, buttermilk panna cotta, smoked trout roe, crispy quinoa

CHOKES

roasted and poached artichoke, sunchoke, hearts of palm, green almond, goats' milk yogurt, chive blossom, leek ash

PORCINI

roast porcini and morel, sauteed ramp greens, charred corn, popcorn grits, pecorino ginepro

A DISH FROM THE SEA

New Zealand langoustine, king crab, uni, scallop, golden paddlefish, Chinese osetra, dashi, variations of seaweed, sea foam

FOIE

creamy custard, truffle, sauternes gelee, pickled shallot, fresh summer truffle, home made brioche

LAMB

roast saddle, crispy lamb brik, runny yolk, olive, peppers, tomato, sweet harissa glaze

CHEESE

taleggio souffle, port reduction, local strawberries, black peppercorn

SEMIFREDDO

lemon thyme, caramel bacon glaze, blueberry compote

A big thank you to Chef Conor, to Pastry Chef Josh Gripper for his outstanding contributions to the back end of the menu, to the Dutch's sommelier who put together some very nice pairings for those who opted in, to all the staff at the Dutch who took such great care of our group all night – and as always most of all, to the guinea pigs whose interest and support make these kind of events possible.

experiment #41 - CobayaBalloo with Chef Timon Baloo

After a couple months off, Cobaya made a return to action last week with Chef Timon Balloo of Sugarcane Raw Bar Grill and the recently opened Bocce Bar in Midtown Miami. Nearly forty guinea pigs filled up several tables at Bocce Bar, for whom Chef Timon crafted a menu that was something of an edible autobiography. We'd been working on Timon to do a Cobaya for years, and are thrilled it finally came together. You can read a recap from Chowfather with one to follow soon at Food For Thought, in the meantime here's a set of pictures in this CobayaBalloo flickr set. Here's the full rundown of dishes and pairings:

A Trini Kid's Sunday Morning ...

house cured cod "bulljol" fritters, avocado, shaved cabbage, heirloom tomatoes, fried bake

Chang Beer, Thailand

Ode to Fishermans Wharf ...

english pea and crawfish chowder, herb-sourdough bread bowl

Donnafugata Lighea Zibibbo 2012

Breakfast of Champions ...

foie gras spam musubi, fried quail egg

Hitachino Nest White Ale, Japan

Fat Boy Grown Up ... Ling Ling's Demise

florida rabbit, chive and truffle bao, sweet chili, hoisin

Gewurztraminer, Zind-Humbrecht, Herrenweg de Turckheim Alsace 2011

The Teacher Who Danced Her Way Into My Mouth ...

florida snapper, sweet fish sauce, mango, coriander, mint, lime

Big Rod Ale Blond Ale Schnebly Brewery Miami

What I Remember ...

2 day rioja oxtail, potato emulsion, crispy shallots, herbs

Tempranillo, Bodegas Muga Reserva Rioja 2009

Trini Roots ...

curry goat, dal, roti, lime pickles

Red Stripe, Jamaica

Sophistication ...

30 degrees rhubarb, pea meringue, mint, flowering buds

Cleto Chiarli "Centenario" Grasparossa di Castelvetro Amabile, Italy

Indulgence ...

Reese's peanut butter cup, Oreo crumble, cookies & cream ice cream, peanut butter swoosh, salted peanuts

Brooklyn Black Ops, New York City

A big thank you to Chef Timon, to his whole crew at Bocce Bar who put together a great meal, great pairings, and great service, and as always most of all to the guinea pigs whose interest and support make these kind of events possible. We just rolled out Experiment #42 to take place on May 21, 2014, so make your seat requests now.

experiment #42 - 5.21.14

Greetings, Guinea Pigs - it's time for another experiment!

Quick Details:
Date: Wednesday May 21, 2014
Price: $115 (inclusive of tax & tip)
Start time: 8 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 on this page, and let us know how many you're requesting.

You will be advised by Wednesday May 14  if your request has been confirmed. You'll then need to book your seats by 5pm on Friday May 16, or we may need to release them to the waitlist to ensure all spots are filled. Please note the usual schedule has been tightened up a bit, so please make your request quickly, and if you get a spot, please book quickly.

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.

There will likely be a pairing option which we will either set up in advance of can be paid for on site, BYOB should also be OK, we will confirm when details are released.

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 #42 - how many seats?

1 seat $118.50 USD 2 seats $237.00 USD

experiment #41 - 5.6.14

Greetings, Guinea Pigs - after a bit of a hiatus, it's time for another experiment!

Quick Details:
Date: Tuesday, May 6, 2014
Price: $100 (inclusive of tax & tip)
Start time: TBD, but likely 7:30ish.

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 on this page, and let us know how many you're requesting.

You will be advised by Saturday April 26 if your request has been confirmed. You'll then need to book your seats by 5pm on Tuesday April 29, 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.

There will be a pairing or a la carte beverages available on site, BYOB should also be OK, we will confirm when details are released.

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 #41 - choose pairing?

1 seat (no pairing) $103.00 USD 1 seat (with pairing) $129.00 USD 2 seats (no pairing) $206.00 USD 2 seats (with pairing) $258.00 USD

experiment #40 - Cobaya Divino with Chef Julian Baker of Toscana Divino

Another experiment - number 40! - successfully concluded. This time around, we were in the lab of Chef Julian Baker of Toscana Divino, who put together a menu almost completely unlike anything you'd regularly see at the restaurant (exactly as we like it). You can see all the tweets and pictures from the evening in this "Cobaya Divino" Storify page, and see Frodnesor's pictures in this "Cobaya Divino" flickr set (recaps coming soon). Here's the menu for the evening:

Bar Snacks

Foie "Roll Ups"

Beef Tendon "Frazzles"

Smoked Sweet Potato Croquette Cigars

Aged Gentlemen Jack Negronis

"Blue Collar"

hamachi collar and sashimi loin with blue crab dashi, bok choy

Gewurztraminer, Andrian

"Unagi" Tokyo Firenze

eel with seaweed salsa verde, celery root risotto, watercress

Daku, Nigori Junmai Unfiltered Sake

"Carbonara"

black cod, pancetta, squid ink pil pil, yuca "coal," ink dust, zabaglione

Franciacorta Brut, Ferghettina

Cool Aid

cardamom spiced watermelon sorbet

"Pan Dulce"

honey beer marinated sweetbreads, pine nut and cauliflower puree, honey foam, black truffle

Menabrea Blonde

"Alfredo"

tagliolini with fontina and parmesan fonduta, chicken hearts and livers

Pinot Nero Buchart, Klaus Lentch

"Tongue & Cheek"

braised veal cheek and pickled tongue, lardo, sweet and sour peppers

Amarone, Farina

"Tea & Coffee"

lapsang souchong cream, chocolate espresso cake, yogurt, sesame tuile

Riesling Eiswein, Dr. Loosen

A hearty thank you to Chef Julian, to all of his crew in front and back of house at Toscana Divino who did a great job all evening, and as always most of all, to all of the guinea pigs whose interest and support make these kind of events possible.

experiment #40 - 2.4.14

Greetings, Guinea Pigs - it's time for another experiment! We're a bit late getting notice out, so this one is going to move fast. LIGHTNING ROUND!

Quick Details:
Date: Tuesday, February 4, 2014
Price: $80 (inclusive of tax & tip)
Start time: Likely 8:30 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 Tuesday January 28 if your request has been confirmed. You'll then need to book your seats by 5pm on Thursday January 30, 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.

There will be a pairing or a la carte beverages available on site, BYOB should be OK, if you are interested please check to make sure.

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 #40 - how many seats?

1 seat $82.50 USD 2 seats $165.00 USD

experiment #39 - CobayaAnaya at OTC Restaurant

Another experiment successfully concluded, the first of 2014! This time around, we paid a visit to Chef Jacob Anaya. Anaya is actually a Cobaya veteran, having been in the kitchen for CobayAzul a couple years ago. Now he's taken over as head chef at OTC Restaurant in Brickell, which was the host for Experiment #39. You can see pictures from the experiment in this Food For Thought "CobayaAnaya" flickr set, or check Chowfather's instagram feed, and read recaps at Food For Thought and The Chowfather. Here's the menu he put together:

Pass it Around

"Brown Bag It"

*fried pig's ear, smoke salt, citrus dust, chili powder

*rice cracker, micro waved, shaken with cheese dust tapioca malto

"Fork It"

*spaghetti squash, dried kabocha chips, house made goat cheese ricotta, espelette

*grilled squid head, anchovy mousse, garlic dust, greens

Let's Begin

Hard-Headed, local lobster crudo, green olive puree, dried olives, burnt ruby grapefruit, lobster head dressing, baby shrimp

Two Heads are Better than One, fish head, pork headcheese, 1000 year old egg, squid noodles, malto green chive oil, chive tips

Keep it Going

Cheeky Guys & Gals, EVO poached grouper cheek, braised veal cheek, red pepper glaze, flavors of celery: puréed, pickled, shaved, picked

Silence of the Roasted Lambs Heads, lamb tongue salad with shaved rainbow carrot, carrot curry puree, golden raisins, toasted nuts, white balsamic dressing

End It

It's Not Brain Surgery, white chocolate, red velvet cake, raspberry puree, drunken cherries, cherry smoke

Many thanks to Chef Anaya, Michael Sullivan, and all of the crew at OTC who really got into the Cobaya spirit of things; and as always, to the guinea pigs whose interest and support make these events possible.