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Restaurant |
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| New
York - USA |
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Extraordinary - Society
June - 2009 |
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5
Stars & 6 Stripes
Overall - 'Cuisine & Service' |
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The
Ultimate Award:
Seven Stars and
Stripes® |
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| After a pleasant afternoon of touring , we dressed for
our special gourmet dinner with an excellent tasting menu in one of OHEKA'S
beautifully appointed dining rooms. Rita and I were greeted by Executive Chef
Christopher Cappello and Executive Pastry Chef Daniel Andreotti. Chef
Christopher is a veteran of the OHEKA Staff, whose love of fine food, and
creativity has helped make OHEKA famous for its fine dining. Pastry Chef Daniel
has acquired a fantastic reputation for his unique and beautifully decorated
desserts and cakes for weddings and events. Our table was set with fine
Kensington linen, Lenox china, Waterford Crystal and fine silverware. We were
attended to by a finely attired server, and various attendants who refilled our
glasses, changed our napkins and cared for our needs. A silver platter filled
with fresh exotic breads and rolls accompanied by a 3 compartment platter of
hummus, relish, and olive oil was presented for our enjoyment. Our server
presented us with dense patties consisting of tender morsels of lump crabmeat
with just a enough breadcrumbs to bind it together as an appetizer of Crab
cakes with Chipotle Aioli and Mixed Greens. Add to that the fire and smokey
overtones of chipotle aioli for a velvety and rich accompanyment, and you have
a terrific self-indulgent starter. |
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| Next up the Jumbo
Cheese Ravioli w/Sage Cream arrived offering authentic house made raviolis
stuffed with fresh ricotta cheese and topped with a savory fresh picked flavor
of a sage cream sauce. Shrimp Cocktail with Bloody Mary Cocktail Sauce
presented plump juicy jumbo shrimps and became our 'comfort food' selection
with the addition of a pleasantly spicy cocktail sauce, which after sampling
tasted like it was prepared at the bar with all the right ingredients, just
missing the celery stalk! Micro Greens with Lemon Vinaigrette & Edible
Orchids came next and tasted like an idiomatic expression of spring with
the slightly sweet taste of edible flowers. |
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| Christopher Cappello & John Lomitola |
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Our server now bought us the Porcini
Mushroom and Roasted Tomato Risotto with Shaved Reggiano Cheese with Truffle
Oil, conjuring up earthy flavors of the forest floor laced within the
creamy, somewhat smokey essence of the tomato risotto. This selection was in
turn topped with peppery shards of aged Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and
addictive truffle oil. The recommended wine for these courses was Mer Soleil
Chardonnay 2005, from the Santa Lucia Highlands of the Monterrey Peninsula
in California. With the vineyard's proximity to the sea as an asset and the
abundance of sun, this attractive, bold and well-balanced wine was creamy and
elegant with a profusion exotic fruits and toffee. For our entrees we received
first a Roasted Marinated Salmon with Tomato and Black Olive Saute
followed by Chilean Sea Bass with Sweet Soy and Scallion Rice. Both fish
were freshly fileted with the salmon rising to the occasion by being marinated
and then roasted to perfection with crisp outer meaty flakes gently enveloping
the rose colored center, perfectly cooked to medium. |
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| Cuisine - Oheka Castle Restaurant |
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The Chilean Sea Bass
presented large white tender particles of meat, easily seperable so that we
could eat it with fork-fulls of sweet soy flavored scallion rice. Naturally, we
needed a simple, dry white wine to go with these two fish preparations, one
inspired by a trip to Tuscany perhaps and the other pan-seared Asian style. A
bottle of Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio 2007, a lively white wine
pleasing both the nose and the palate with white fruits of apple and pear was
the suggested accompaniment. |
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| We moved on now to the meat courses of which I was
impressed with the way Chef Christopher deftly prepared the sweet mild flavor
of Oven Roasted American Lamb Chops with Caramelized Garlic Mashed Potatoes,
Tied Haricot Verts and Baby Carrots and Mint Demi-Glace. Chef Christopher
calculated that by choosing lamb from the US, he would by using a lean, tender
and flavorful product which would be 10,000 miles fresher than lamb from New
Zealand or Australia. Our second meat course was presented as Grilled Prime
Filet Mignon with Smoked Bacon Potato Croquettes and Port Wine Shallots, a
truly delightful piece of high quality tender grass-fed beef, perfectly cooked
to a scarlet colored medium rare. The savory smokey croquettes stood out
without being overshadowed by a strong bacon flavor and with the addition of
shallots cooked in port wine it offered a great profile somewhere between sweet
onions and garlic. An intense ruby colored Chianti Classico Riserva Ducale
Ruffino, 2004 offered a full bodied, lush graceful wine presenting notes of
Bing cherries amidst an herbal structure of tamed tannins of satin and lace.
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| Fowl in the form of
Pan-Seared Chicken Breast with Mushroom Ragout & Garlic Mashed
Potatoes, somewhat of a ‘safety zone’ entrée provided the
fresh, rich aromas of mushroom ragout to buttress the chicken breast. Another
attempt of Apple and Sage Stuffed Chicken with Maple Syrup, Whipped Potatoes
and Calvados Brandy Sauce worked better in our opinion with the apple
flavored brandy sauce. The balance between sweetness and alcohol combined with
the deep oaky flavor much closer to cognac added the necessary support role for
this entrée. |
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| Cuisine - Oheka Castle Restaurant |
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| For dessert we feasted on Chocolate Truffle Cake,
Cheesecake and Fresh Raspberry Tartlet with Raspberry Sauce, a decadent
threesome created by Executive Pastry Chef Daniel Andreotti who is inspired by
the awesome feedback that he gets from his customers. Our evaluation confirmed
that after sampling all three, this was pure epicurean indulgence, silky and
luscious with the sweet-tart ripe flavor of raspberries. Dining like the "rich
and famous" was truly a fabulous experience and the service, food quality and
meticulousness was superb. We particularly enjoyed the crab cakes and the
Chilean Sea Bass. |
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| Oheka
Castle Restaurant Award |
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The desserts were artistically presented and
delicious. We were offered after dinner drinks, cookies, and truffles to finish
our gourmet culinary experience. Earlier this afternoon, we had actually
watched as Executive Pastry Chef Daniel put the finishing touches on this
wonderful display of petit fours that now graced our table. After dinner
Executive Chef Chris came to our table and told us about his culinary
background and love of fine food. He was charming and informative. His love for
his work and Oheka was obvious, and he told us that working at the Castle has
permitted him to achieve his full creative potential. We went back to our room
for a very restful night's sleep. |
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by Barry & Rita Kay
Editor: John
Lomitola
Editor-in-Chief: Ingrid Lemme |
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| © 2009 ~ Seven Stars and Stripes,
Inc. |
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