I had the pleasure of making my way down to Provecho's pop up at Mägo, and it was an absolute…read moreTREAT. Provecho is a culinary artist, who I'd been craving to try his food after he was doing a yakitori pop up at El Rio.
His photos, the creative menu combinations, all of it made me want to know what eating a late night meal in his kitchen might feel like. And although Mägo gave off slightly pretentious vibes, the open layout in the kitchen was the perfect way to enjoy watching the chef at work.
As always, I was indecisive as soon as I saw the menu. How do you pick only one or two things to put in your mouth when everything sounds amazing, and specific drinks were paired with this thoughtful menu?
I started with the Red Herring and Pork Belly, and tried my best to ask the questions I'd want answered easily if we were merely exchanging messages through IG. Chef was kind, and enjoyed walking you through his creations. The sommelier was also a plethora of knowledge, about the food he served and the wine he'd selected just for this menu. I've never heard of a Verdelho (which probably embarrasses my vintner cousin, and shames the 12 years I spent working at Trader Joe's), but it was a delightful surprise. I should have purchased a bottle to bring home.
Now, on to the food. When the Pork Belly arrived, it was a GENEROUS portion. If I wasn't a glutton, it could have easily been a meal. The pork had a crispy exterior, and a light smokiness that just dissolved in your mouth. The Almond romesco made me rethink my love of pesto for a moment. I could envision this slathered on morning toast with a runny egg, and some edible flowers. I never discovered what type of bitter greens were under the pork belly, but it was a balanced combination of bitter, acid, and CREMA. Yummy.
After that bite, I ordered 2 more plates: the scallop crudo and oyster mushroom dish. Both tasty. The crudo in a beautiful coconut broth that was surprisingly spicy. Almost too pretty to eat. The mushroom dish, earthy and if it'd been served with a grain could have been a stand alone meal, too.
After devouring 3/5's of the menu, and being enticed by a pink drink ordered by the two ladies sitting next to me, I decided it was my duty to taste everything on the menu. So I did. The shrimp was cooked perfectly, and the chipotle frijoles were intense. But the pickled onion helped brighten it up.
Come to think of it, almost every plate had an element of pickling to it. And those dishes sung to me, while I greedily devoured each tasty creation from Chef. I ended with the Toro, which sounded like it was the highlight of the menu. But in all honesty, it did not live up to my favorite sushi spot in Cupertino. So, I was disappointed by that. Perhaps, just an off day in a new kitchen. I'll try again.
My take away: I'd wished there was a tasting menu, of a small sample of each item, paired with the matched cocktail/wine (even if it was a small pour), and I would have easily dropped $107 for that. Of course, I spent more than that...after trying everything and ordering one more pork belly to enjoy at the end. Savory can be for dessert, right?
Even this morning, I'm salivating over the memory of what I put in my mouth. I will definitely be back for another pop up, and I'm just happy the food tasted as good as it looked. And honestly, was a bit surprised at the price point based on how big the portions were. My take away: Very wonderfully executed menu, and this is a chef to keep your eyes on. Grateful I got to taste the art of his kitchen creations.