|
 |
|
 |
|
| Moscow, Russia |
|
 |
|
Society
June - 2009 |
|
6
Stars & 6 Stripes
Overall - 'Cuisine & Service' |
|
 |
|
The
Ultimate Award:
Seven Stars and
Stripes® |
|
|
|
“For me, what is important is the source and
quality of the products you have to work with.
Nothing else. Choose the
right things and you cook well. If you don’t start with good
products,
I don’t think the cuisine will have any
flavor.” |
|
| These are the words spoken by Executive Chef
Jean-Michel Hardouin-Atlan of the Swissôtel Krasnye Holmy in Moscow
during an interview with Passport Russia, an online magazine for Russia’s
cultural scene. What he is saying essentially epitomizes the great care and
attention to detail that it takes to make for a successful culinary following.
With this in mind, we eagerly anticipated our dining experience with this great
chef, to be treated to his enormous knowledge, experience and creativity.
|
|
 |
|
| Kai
Restaurant |
|
|
| With such a curious name as ‘Kai’, we
wondered as to its origin, and we soon found out that it had several meanings
depending on the different cultures. Translated as “food” in Maori,
this seemed appropriate for a restaurant; “Sea” in Japanese and
“big water” in Polynesian/Hawaiian made sense after seeing the
awesome fresh seafood display at the restaurant’s entrance; and
“strong, unbreakable” and “triumphant” in both Burmese and
Chinese reflected the impression one gets upon dining in this super sleek
superb gastronomic environment. There is a palatable sense of harmony and
geometric order emanating perhaps from the natural colors and minimized feeling
of clutter at Kai, which encourages you to want to break free from mediocrity
and anonymity. |
|
| It seemed a perfect
setting for Chef Hardouin-Atlan to use as his culinary canvas. From his
experience gathered in such diverse work venues as Macau, Mauritius and the
Middle East, Chef Hardouin-Atlan had amassed a thick notebook of recipes from
which to draw on, taking a little from this and from that and adding his own
impression of balance. For our dinner, Chef Hardouin-Atlan prepared a
‘tasting menu’ that included selections reflecting the blend of
international influences that had a profound affect on his culinary life.
|
|
 |
|
| Thorsten Buehrmann & Jean-Michel Hardouin-Atlan |
|
|
|
|
Director of Food and Beverage Michel Colonna and
Restaurant Manager Irina Khodjava were on hand to supervise this exciting event
as we started with Red Tuna Tataki with Roasted Sesame and Tea Crust.
Tataki is a method where the finest belly meat is marinated in vinegar,
seasoned with ginger paste, coated with both white and black sesame seeds and
then briefly pan seared allowing for the tuna to remain raw in the middle, for
the optimum flavor profile. |
|
 |
|
| Cuisine - Kai Restaurant |
|
|
A second starter of
Seared Scallops with Pan-Fried Foie Gras and Black Truffle Sauce, nearly
brought me into a state of Nirvana as I savored the subtle rich, buttery and
delicate texture of the goose liver. The foie gras was sandwiched between
several gently pan seared sea scallops that produced a fresh ocean-like flavor
upon tasting them although the earthy addictive essence of the black truffle
sought to dominate the dish but only enhanced it. Sommelier Vitaliy Muzychenko
recommended a bottle of Salon Blanc de Blancs, Le Mesnil Brut Champagne
1996, which mesmerized us with its fine mousse and layers of sublime
complexity as it charmed us into a second glass followed by a third.
|
|
|
| A soup of Chilled Gazpacho with Roasted Sichuan
Peppered Langoustines and Zucchini Quenelles added zing to the palate in
the form of a tingling sensation on the tongue from the Sichuan peppercorns
that was decidedly more nuanced and almost narcotic than regular black pepper.
The langoustines stood out with this fanciful coating of heat and zucchini in
the form of dumplings rounded out the cool summer treat. Lightly Smoked Sea
Bass with Sturgeon Caviar served with celery root and vodka cream was
presented next and featured rectangular ‘logs’ of peeled celery root
providing a concentrated taste of celery, with a spicy hint of parsley. The sea
bass although augmented by the smoking process, was further enhanced by the
delicate vodka cream laced with juicy globules of caviar making it easier to
eat forkfuls of bass dipped in velvet sauce. A wine that could handle this
difficult array of flavors was Vingtage Tunina, Jermann 2006 Friuli,
Italy with its awesome combination of Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Ribolla
Gialla, Malvasia Istriana and Picolit grape varietals. Showing golden straw
color to match its scents of honey and wildflowers, this wine offered a dry
well balanced structure and full body with a buttery feel on the palate.
|
|
 |
|
| Cuisine -
Kai Restaurant |
|
|
| Our main course was presented as Black Angus Rib
Eye with Anticucho Sauce, Fresh Artichokes and Broad Beans with Fresh
Herbs. With this dish, Chef Hardouin-Atlan seemed to have dipped into his
bag of tricks with a regional specialty of South America featuring vinegar and
spice marinated beef (in this case not the traditional organ meat) in a fiery
sauce of cumin, aji pepper and garlic. Broad beans and fresh artichokes added
the necessary balance to round out this dish, connecting it with its European
core. A very fine Chateauneuf du Pape “La Crau”, Vieux Telegraphe
2004 a ripe, chewy medium bodied wine with a creamy malolactic feel on the
palate displaying deep red cherry notes and finesse in the finish. |
|
| Our final course,
prepared by the capable hands of Executive Pastry Chef Frederic Ondrien
featured East Meets West and Caramelized Szechuan Pepper. This carried
on the fusion theme with the exciting prospect of using Szechuan pepper, which
would ordinarily be reserved for savory entrées, and caramelizing it
while combining it with a sweet ice cream producing the feeling of eating fire
and ice. |
|
 |
|
| Cuisine - Kai Restaurant |
|
|
|
| Appropriately and with great appreciation, a bottle of
Chateau d’Yquem 1999 was offered to accompany this innovative
dessert. This Sauternes is light lemon yellow with traces of gold displaying
dried apricots and peaches. A fitting end to an eventful evening under the
special care of Executive Chef Swissôtel Krasnye Holmy Mr.
Hardouin-Atlan,
Head
Chef Kai Restaurant & Lounge Mr. Taras Zhemelko and their exceptional
staff at Kai. |
|
 |
|
| 2009 KAI
Restaurant AWARD |
|
|
|
|
|
by Edmund & Thorsten Buehrmann
Editor: John
Lomitola
Editor-in-Chief: Ingrid Lemme |
|
| © 2009 ~ Seven Stars and Stripes,
Inc. |
|
