Monday, September 17, 2018

cobaya SOBE 2019 - 2.21.19

Greetings Guinea Pigs! We know it's a long way away, but we've got a pre-sale opportunity for you for our upcoming dinner in collaboration with the South Beach Wine and Food Festival.

This will be our fourth collaboration with SOBEWFF, and we are very excited about the lineup - but in Cobaya tradition, we're going to be doing this pre-sale blind. (If you're interested, email us and we'll give some very oblique hints and see if anyone can guess the chefs).

The dinner is going to be Thursday February 21, 2019 with a 7pm start time. Tickets do not officially go on sale until October 8, 2018 but we're able to offer Cobaya members the chance to buy seats early. Even better, we're able to offer you a discount! Regular pricing for the $250 per seat tickets, inclusive of sales tax and processing fees, would be a total of $278.50. But if you purchase now through this pre-sale, Cobaya members will pay only $249.00. Plus, you'll assure yourself of a spot.

There will be no lottery for these seats - it's first come, first served. Note that unlike our usual events, the SOBEWFF dinner is inclusive of wine pairing. This pre-sale opportunity expires Monday September 24. The chefs will be revealed September 25, and if seats remain you'll have a chance to buy at the regular pricing on October 8.

[sorry, pre-sale is now closed; but you can get tickets at the regular pcie on the SOBEWFF website: Cobaya Dinner hosted by Michelle Bernstein, Angie Mar, Hedy Goldsmith & David Plonowski]

In order to match up the seats, we do ask that when you purchase, please send us an email to reserve@cobaya.miami confirming your purchase, and giving us your full name and the email address for us to send you tickets when they are issued.

For tradition's sake, 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 #74 - Cobaya Three with Chef Norman Van Aken


We've let a little time slip without reporting back on Experiment #74. It was a great one, with one of South Florida's true culinary legends, Norman Van Aken, at his new restaurant, Three, in Wynwood.

You can see all the pictures in this Cobaya Three with Norman Van Aken flickr set, and read a recap at Food For Thought.

Here's the full rundown on what we had:

(and stay tuned for an announcement later today about pre-sale, discounted tickets for our fourth collaborative Cobaya dinner with the South Beach Wine and Food Festival coming up in February).

Chilled Lobster "Vuelve a la Vida", mezcal, avocado, jicama salad
Segura Viudas, Brut Rosé Cava, Spain

Barbeque'd Green Asparagus, smoked benne seed, summer lettuces, preserved citrus
Domaine Sigalas Assyrtiko, Santorini, Greece

Wood-Grilled Foie Gras Shawarma, pineapple al pastor, shishito kosho yogurt
Seresin Sauvignon Blanc, New Zealand

Yellowedge Grouper Cooked in Seaweed, miso baked turnips, meyer lemon bonito butter
Granbazan Rias Baixas Albariño, Spain

Slow-Roasted Heritage Chicken: Hainanese Chicken Rice
Super Chicken Arepa, grilled corn butter, guasacaca
Brooks Willamette Winery Pinot Noir, Oregon

Tree of Life, baobab mousse, hibiscus curd, yogurt cake, honey-lavender cream
La Spinetta Moscato, Italy
The Guanaja, devil's food cake, guanaja cremeux, milk espuma, roasted white chocolate ice cream
Morellino di Scansano, Sangiovese, Italy

A huge and heartfelt thank you to Chef Van Aken, to his long-time right-hand man Jeffrey Brana, to Three chef de cuisine Juan Garrido and pastry chef Mame Sow, Three GM Brian Diaz, and the entire crew at Three who made our dinner a memorable experience; and as always most of all, thanks to the guinea pigs whose interest and support make these events possible.