Now that I've recovered from the feast, I want to tip my hat to Gary for what I think was one of my best meals of the year. I had 4 friends with me, 2 were there for the first time and they can't stop talking about the dinner.
The smoked mussels and clams with spanish chorizo were spectacular, there was a subtle smokey flavor that was enhanced by the chorizo and the broth of white wine, garlic, butter and herbs, I was also impressed with how tender and perfectly cooked the shellfish were. I watched two people at my table use up their garlic bread for dipping and unable to wait for more pour the broth on their plates and just slurp it up. This was served with a charred grapefruit cocktail made with gin and it was one of the most balanced drinks I've had. The menu described it as summer in a sip and for a very cool August night it bought back the memory of temperatures above the 60's (where the hell did summer go??).
The next course had beautifully grilled half lobsters along with piri piri chicken. My friends son, a midwestern boy, said at first he thought something was wrong with the lobsters because they were so tender, he'd never had one that wasn't chewy and for him it was a revelation of how cooking affects protein. We put both elbows on the table proceeded to pull the shells off and dug in. We showed the young man how to eat the tomalley, tear of the legs and suck the meat out, and how to use a fork to open the claws, hopefully we set him on the right path of lobster eating. The piri piri chicken which would have been a highlight any other time had to settle for being a co-star. I haven't eaten it before so I don't know what the spicing should be, but this was mildly hot with an almost fruity undertone, I really liked it, but then again lobster. I'm still thinking about this meal and hoping I can convince Gary to at lest put the mussels and clams on the menu as a special.
For what we choose is what we are. He should not miss this second opportunity to re-create himself with food. Jim Crace "The Devil's Larder"