Hello Yelpers!!! It's a new year, and it's time for me to finally share opinions about a few places…read moreI failed to mention last year. My first stop has to be Chef Amadeus. This incredible chef hosts a monthly event called The Tiny Kitchen Series, and if you are ever lucky enough to grab a ticket before they sell out, you are in for an amazing treat. I've attended two events, and they did not disappoint.
Both events were held at The Palate, which fits the name of the series perfectly. It's truly a tiny kitchen where you watch Chef do his thing up close. It may sound basic, but it's anything but that. Chef Amadeus engages with guests from arrival through the very end of the experience. We were introduced to fellow diners, made great connections, and I've even stayed in touch with a few people so we can alert each other when future events pop up to RSVP. During meal preparation, Chef explained the ingredients, where they were sourced (many locally), and shared stories from his childhood that inspired his menus. An excellent addition to the experience.
Now, let's talk about the food. At the first event, we were greeted with the cutest charcuterie cups from Biscuit and Brie - Mobile Charcuterie & Catering. I had to pace myself because I didn't want to spoil my appetite. I would absolutely have them cater an event for me. The appetizer was shrimp and a fritter with mango salsa, topped with a garnish that surprised everyone (and I won't spill Chef's secret). The salsa was light and refreshing, perfectly paired with the shrimp and fritter.
The entrée was chicken and spinach with a cream sauce. It was incredible. The chicken breasts were juicy (a rare win when dining out), and the spinach and cream sauce brought everything together beautifully. One guest was pescatarian, so Chef prepared a separate dish featuring salmon and shrimp with the same sauce and spinach. OMG. We all begged him to add that to a future menu, and she confirmed it tasted as amazing as it looked. Dessert was a decadent ganache cheesecake, which I believe may have been provided by Crème de la Cocoa. One word... WOW! I'm not usually a dessert person, but I enjoyed more than a couple of bites. That said, the wine pairing was more my version of dessert. It was a night full of delicious food, great conversation, laughter, and lovely wine.
The second event came with better notetaking on my part and was paired with rum from FishHawk Spirits (locally owned). We were again welcomed with charcuterie cups from Biscuit and Brie, and this time I received one without pork. That meant a lot and showed how attentive Chef and his team are. Extra points for that. The first course was a silky smoked corn chowder topped with chilled crab salad and finished with a sofrito oil drizzle. Hands down, the best chowder I've ever had. The smoky corn and lump crab were perfectly balanced, and Chef did not skimp--every spoonful delivered equal parts of corn and crab. Absolutely delicious!
The second entrée was poached speckled trout in citrus pepper, butter, and silver rum, served with wilted spinach and crisp shrimp toast. I usually avoid trout because it doesn't feel "meaty" enough for me, but Chef's trout completely changed my mind. It was meaty, moist, and outstanding. The shrimp toast was also a highlight and a first for me. Dessert was a spiced rum cake with caramel sauce and whipped topping--to die for--and the perfect ending to the night. Unfortunately, Yelp's word limit wouldn't allow me to include the names of the cocktails Chef paired with our meal, they were just as amazing as the meals.
If you ever see a notification for The Tiny Kitchen Series hosted by Chef Amadeus, trust me and do your best to get a seat. TREAT YOURSELF!!!! You'll enjoy an up-close experience with a chef, watch your meal prepared in front of you, sip quality beverages, meet great people, and have some really good laughs. It's different, fun, and incredibly satisfying. He has an upcoming event this month, A Taste of Bourbon, which I'm devastated to miss. I shed a tear just thinking about missing a bourbon cocktail paired with one of his creations. Geez Louis!
Yelp, I need you to allow for more words to be included in my words. It's been way too long since I've posted, and I have ALOT to say! CIAO for now.