Saturday, December 31, 2016

experiment #68 - 01.12.17

Greetings Guinea Pigs, and happy new year! Here's a little something to look forward to in 2017 – it's time for another experiment!

Quick Details:
Date: Thursday January 12, 2017
Price: $103.00 (inclusive of tax and tip)
Start time: 7pm-ish

We will be doing a drawing for seats from all requests received over the first 48 hours. Please get your requests in quickly, and if you get a spot, please book it quickly.

To request spots, please send an email to reserve@cobaya.miami and let us know how many you're requesting.

You will be advised by Tuesday January 3 if your request has been confirmed. You'll then need to book your seats by 5pm on Thursday January 5, or we will need to release the seats to the wait list to ensure all spots are filled. Note the tight schedule: please make your request quickly, and if you get a spot, please book quickly.

We have extremely limited seating available, and while we try to accommodate everyone who is interested, that is usually not possible - most events fill up fast. Due to space limitations, we will limit people to 2 spots per request, though if you're interested in more let us know and your request will be added to the waitlist.

When your seat request has been confirmed, please book it using the PayPal link which will be set up on this page. Please do not book unless and until you've received a confirmation. When you do receive the confirmation, please book your seats through PayPal promptly. There will be a short window of time to book before seats need to be released back to the waitlist to make sure they're filled.

Please note we're in processing of consolidating our various mailing lists. If you receive more than one notice for this event (1) we're sorry; (2) there's no need to respond more than once.

There will be a $40 wine pairing available. We will not have a la carte beverages or BYOB available for this event, so we encourage everyone to take the pairing (we encourage you to do so anyway - we think it's going to be good).

Confirmed and paid-up attendees will receive an e-mail the day before the event, confirming the location and other details.

A brief, but important, refresher course on the whole Cobaya thing: there is no "menu". There are no choices. You'll be eating what the chef chooses to make for the night. If you have food related allergies, strict dietary requirements, religious restrictions; are salt sensitive, vegetarian, pescatarian, or vegan; don't like your meat cooked medium rare, or are pregnant: this meal is probably not for you. Do not expect white-glove service. Don't ask for your sauce on the side. Just come and enjoy.

Plus some legalese: please note that if you're requesting a spot, you understand that any food or beverages you consume are at your own risk, that you voluntarily assume any and all risks, known and unknown, and voluntarily release the organizers of the event from any claims, including personal injury and wrongful death, resulting in any manner from your participation in this event, whether caused by negligence or otherwise. Hopefully it won't come to that.

Look forward to seeing you there. As always, thank you for your support.

FOR CONFIRMED SEAT REQUESTS ONLY:


experiment #68 - choose # and pairing



Thursday, December 8, 2016

experiment #67 - Cobaya Smokers with Andres Barrientos and James Bowers


Another experiment successfully completed! This time around, we paid a visit to Miami Smokers, Andres Barrientos and James Bowers' "urban smokehouse" and sandwich shop in Little Havana. You may have seen their house-smoked bacon on any number of menus around South Florida, since they supply several restaurants. Or you may have had one of their sandwiches, either at the counter deli attached to the shop or at their new spot in the American Airlines Arena.

They've recently expanded the shop on 27th Avenue to add some more seating, and we filled it all up with forty guinea pigs while Andres and James and crew turned out a menu which set out to make full use of the heritage pigs they raise in Clewiston, Florida and then break down here in the shop. Here's what they served, along with a welcoming and closing cocktail, and self-service local beers all night (you can see all the pictures in this Cobaya Smokers with Andres Barrientos and James Bowers flickr set; more detailed recaps to come eventually at Food For Thought and The Chowfather):

Charcuterie Board
Cured and Smoked Hams, Coppa, Salumi

Bacon Croquetas with Guava Sauce

Pig Skin Noodles in Pig Head and Mushroom Broth with Spicy Thai Sausage

Kale Salad, Green Goddess Dressing, Toasted Pumpkin and Sunflower Seeds,
Shaved Filetto, Parmesan, Lemon Zest

Chuleta Can Can with Mofongo and Caramelized Fennel

Salty Donut Bread Pudding with Azucar Sweet Corn Ice Cream

A hearty thank you to chefs Andres Barrientos and James Bowers and their crew (including all the waitstaff graciously on loan from Threefold Cafe!), and as always, to all of the guinea pigs whose interest and support make these events possible.


Wednesday, November 23, 2016

experiment #67 - 12.7.16

Greetings Guinea Pigs, and Happy Thanksgiving – it's time for another experiment!

Quick Details:
Date: 12.7.16 (Wednesday)
Price: $75 (inclusive of tax and tip)
Start time: 7pm-ish

We will be doing a drawing for seats from all requests received over the first 48 hours. Please get your requests in quickly, and if you get a spot, please book it quickly.

To request spots, please send an email to reserve@cobaya.miami and let us know how many you're requesting. (Please note: we're in process of consolidating our various mailing lists, and so you may receive a couple different notices for the same event. First: we're sorry. Second: it's not necessary, indeed it just complicates things, if you respond more than once. One email to the above address is sufficient.)

You will be advised by Sunday 11.27  if your request has been confirmed. You'll then need to book your seats by noon on Wednesday 11.30, or we will need to release the seats to the wait list to ensure all spots are filled. Note the tight schedule: please make your request quickly, and if you get a spot, please book quickly.

We have limited seating available, and while we try to accommodate everyone who is interested, that is usually not possible - most events fill up fast. Due to space limitations, we will limit people to 2 spots per request, though if you're interested in more let us know and your request will be added to the waitlist.

When your seat request has been confirmed, please book it using the PayPal link which will be set up on this page. Please do not book unless and until you've received a confirmation. When you do receive the confirmation, please book your seats through PayPal promptly. There will be a short window of time to book before seats need to be released back to the waitlist to make sure they're filled.

There will be an optional beverage pairing (price to be determined); a la carte beverages will also be available. We're still checking on BYOB (please confirm in advance).

Confirmed and paid-up attendees will receive an e-mail the day before the event, confirming the location and other details.

A brief, but important, refresher course on the whole Cobaya thing: there is no "menu". There are no choices. You'll be eating what the chef chooses to make for the night. If you have food related allergies, strict dietary requirements, religious restrictions; are salt sensitive, vegetarian, pescatarian, or vegan; don't like your meat cooked medium rare, or are pregnant: this meal is probably not for you. Do not expect white-glove service. Don't ask for your sauce on the side. Just come and enjoy.

Plus some legalese: please note that if you're requesting a spot, you understand that any food or beverages you consume are at your own risk, that you voluntarily assume any and all risks, known and unknown, and voluntarily release the organizers of the event from any claims, including personal injury and wrongful death, resulting in any manner from your participation in this event, whether caused by negligence or otherwise. Hopefully it won't come to that.

Look forward to seeing you there. As always, thank you for your support.


FOR CONFIRMED SEAT REQUESTS ONLY:


experiment #67 - choose # of seats





Thursday, November 3, 2016

experiment #66 - Cobaya Byblos with Chef Stuart Cameron


Another experiment in the books! Last night for Experiment #66, we paid a visit to Byblos restaurant in Miami Beach, whose head chef, Stuart Cameron, had come down from Toronto to cook a meal for us. It was a good one, faithful to the restaurant's contemporary Middle Eastern theme but still something of a shake-up from the regular menu. (You can see all the pictures in this Cobaya Byblos with Chef Stuart Cameron flickr set). Here's what we had:

Canapé:

Foie Gras, Rose Jam, Cotton Candy, Nuts

First Course:

Crispy Artichokes, Herb Tahini Tarator

Grass Fed Steak Tartare, Argan Oil Aioli, Mint, Red Chili, Crispy Shallot, Barbari Bread

Salmon Nayeh, Jalapeño Dressing, Pickled Radish, Squid Ink Chips, Green Schug

Second Course:

Manti Dumplings, Lobster, Yogurt Sauce, Fennel, Paprika Butter

Swordfish, Chraine Sauce, Persian Lime Powder, Crispy Vine Leaf

Creamed Spinach Pide, Goat Cheese, Toum, Dukkah

Third Course:

Braised Veal Breast, Preserved Lemon, Israeli Couscous

Grilled Broccolini, Tomato Fenugreek Sauce, Crispy Garlic

Mejadra Rice, Lentils, Labneh, Fried Shallots

Dessert:

Middle-Eton Mess: Halva Parfait, Rose Meringue, Yogurt, Sumac and Strawberry Granita, Ajeel Crumb

Strawberry Cheesecake Qatayef, Sumac Strawberry, Honey, Pistachio

A big thank you to Chef Cameron, to all of his crew at Byblos, to Kimberly Nolan and Alexandra Fulton for their assistance in coordinating the dinner, and as always most of all, to the guinea pigs whose interest and support make these events possible.


Saturday, October 22, 2016

experiment #66 - 11.2.16

Greetings Guinea Pigs – we've barely wrapped up #65, but it's already time for another experiment! Going to be a rapid turnaround on this one, so please respond quickly if you're interested.

Quick Details:
Date: 11.2.16 (Wednesday)
Price: $95 (inclusive of tax and tip)
Start time: 7:30pm

We will be doing a drawing for seats from all requests received over the first 48 hours. Please get your requests in quickly, and if you get a spot, please book it quickly.

To request spots, please send an email to reserve@cobaya.miami (please note the new address) and let us know how many you're requesting.

You will be advised by Tuesday October 25  if your request has been confirmed. You'll then need to book your seats by 9am on Thursday October 27, or we will need to release the seats to the wait list to ensure all spots are filled. Note the tight schedule: please make your request quickly, and if you get a spot, please book quickly.

We have limited seating available, and while we try to accommodate everyone who is interested, that is usually not possible - most events fill up fast. Due to space limitations, we will limit people to 2 spots per request, though if you're interested in more let us know and your request will be added to the waitlist.

When your seat request has been confirmed, please book it using the PayPal link which will be set up on this page. Please do not book unless and until you've received a confirmation. When you do receive the confirmation, please book your seats through PayPal promptly. There will be a short window of time to book before seats need to be released back to the waitlist to make sure they're filled.

There will be an optional beverage pairing ($40); a la carte beverages will also be available. We're still checking on BYOB (please confirm in advance).

Confirmed and paid-up attendees will receive an e-mail the day before the event, confirming the location and other details.

Please note we're in processing of consolidating our various mailing lists. If you receive more than one notice for this event (1) we're sorry; (2) there's no need to respond more than once.

A brief, but important, refresher course on the whole Cobaya thing: there is no "menu". There are no choices. You'll be eating what the chef chooses to make for the night. If you have food related allergies, strict dietary requirements, religious restrictions; are salt sensitive, vegetarian, pescatarian, or vegan; don't like your meat cooked medium rare, or are pregnant: this meal is probably not for you. Do not expect white-glove service. Don't ask for your sauce on the side. Just come and enjoy.

Plus some legalese: please note that if you're requesting a spot, you understand that any food or beverages you consume are at your own risk, that you voluntarily assume any and all risks, known and unknown, and voluntarily release the organizers of the event from any claims, including personal injury and wrongful death, resulting in any manner from your participation in this event, whether caused by negligence or otherwise. Hopefully it won't come to that.

Look forward to seeing you there. As always, thank you for your support.

FOR CONFIRMED SEAT REQUESTS ONLY:


experiment #66 - choose # and pairing





experiment #65 - Cobaya Gabriel with Gabe Fenton at Bourbon Steak


Another experiment successfully completed! For Experiment #65, we made a return visit to Bourbon Steak in Aventura, where Chef Gabriel Fenton first cooked for us more than six years ago for Experiment #6 (can't believe it's been that long). For the first time around, in the interest of going against the grain, we encouraged Gabe to cook everything but steak. This time, we said "just cook," which was probably a good idea. Here's what he did (you can see all the pictures in this Cobaya Gabriel Fenton flickr set):

Reception
Truffle Duck Fat French Fries
Flroida Grass-Fed Beef Satay
Antelope Chili, Fingerling Potato Chips

Wianno Oysters, Ponzu, Green Apple, Rockefeller
Peter Jakob-Kuhn Sekt Rheingau Germany 2012

Buffalo Sweetbreads, Celery, Pt. Reyes Blue Cheese
Knoll Libenberg Gruner Veltliner Smaragd Wachau Austria 2012

Curry Scented Skate Wing, Alaskan King Crab and Leek Risotto
Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Chardonnay Bourgogne France 2013

Prime New York Strip and Rib Eye Cap, Foie Gras Torchon, Burgundy Truffle
Vallin Syrah Santa Ynez Valley California 2013

#PSL Ice Cream Sandwich, Coffee Creme Anglaise, Milk Foam, Almond Cranberry Biscotti
Heinz Eifel Sylvanner Eiswein Rheinhessen Germany 2012

A big thank you to Chef Gabe, to pastry chef Patty Lopez for a delicious dessert, to wine directors Craig Teriaca and Kareem Zarwi for some excellent pairings, to all the crew at Bourbon Steak for their warm hospitality, and as always most of all, to the guinea pigs whose support makes these events possible.


Friday, October 14, 2016

cobaya sobe - 2.25.17 - advance seats available


Greetings Guinea Pigs – for the third year, we're going to be doing a dinner event in conjunction with the South Beach Wine & Food Festival. We're incredibly excited about this year's lineup, which includes chefs Curtis Duffy of Chicago's Michelin 3-star Grace, Fabian Von Hauske and Jeremiah Stone of New York's Contra and Wildair, Miami's outstanding talent Bradley Kilgore of Alter, and Benjamin Murray, chef at host restaurant Azul, where we had Experiment #21.

And you have the chance to get tickets before the mad rush, at a discount for Cobaya members - at $225 (regular price $250) (and that price is inclusive of wine pairings). But you'll need to book by October 19 (next Wednesday).

The SoBe events are done a little differently than our usual events, including the ticket sales. These advance seats are sold first-come first-served and you'll need to send an order form into SOBEWFF with your credit card info to buy tickets. You should hopefully be able to download the form using this link:

2017 SOBEWFF Ticket Order Form - Cobaya

The form should be completed and emailed to tickets@sobefest.com

(If you have any difficulties downloading the form, email us at reserve@cobaya.miami and we'll get it to you).

Better move fast! Hope to see you there.



Tuesday, October 4, 2016

experiment #65 - 10.20.16

Greetings Guinea Pigs – it's time for another experiment!

Quick Details:
Date: 10.20.16 (Thursday)
Price: $120 (inclusive of tax and tip)
Start time: 6:30pm

We will be doing a drawing for seats from all requests received over the first 48 hours. Please get your requests in quickly, and if you get a spot, please book it quickly.

To request spots, please send an email to reserve@cobaya.miami (please note the new address) and let us know how many you're requesting.

You will be advised by Monday October 10 Friday October 7 if your request has been confirmed. You'll then need to book your seats by 9am on Thursday October 13 Tuesday October 11, or we will need to release the seats to the wait list to ensure all spots are filled. Note the tight schedule: please make your request quickly, and if you get a spot, please book quickly.

We have limited seating available, and while we try to accommodate everyone who is interested, that is usually not possible - most events fill up fast. Due to space limitations, we will limit people to 2 spots per request, though if you're interested in more let us know and your request will be added to the waitlist.

When your seat request has been confirmed, please book it using the PayPal link which will be set up on this page. Please do not book unless and until you've received a confirmation. When you do receive the confirmation, please book your seats through PayPal promptly. There will be a short window of time to book before seats need to be released back to the waitlist to make sure they're filled.

There will be an optional beverage pairing ($40); a la carte beverages will also be available. We're still checking on BYOB (please confirm in advance).

Confirmed and paid-up attendees will receive an e-mail the day before the event, confirming the location and other details.

A brief, but important, refresher course on the whole Cobaya thing: there is no "menu". There are no choices. You'll be eating what the chef chooses to make for the night. If you have food related allergies, strict dietary requirements, religious restrictions; are salt sensitive, vegetarian, pescatarian, or vegan; don't like your meat cooked medium rare, or are pregnant: this meal is probably not for you. Do not expect white-glove service. Don't ask for your sauce on the side. Just come and enjoy.

Plus some legalese: please note that if you're requesting a spot, you understand that any food or beverages you consume are at your own risk, that you voluntarily assume any and all risks, known and unknown, and voluntarily release the organizers of the event from any claims, including personal injury and wrongful death, resulting in any manner from your participation in this event, whether caused by negligence or otherwise. Hopefully it won't come to that.

Look forward to seeing you there. As always, thank you for your support.

FOR CONFIRMED SEAT REQUESTS ONLY:



experiment #65 - choose # and pairing





Thursday, September 15, 2016

experiment #64 - Cobaya en Fuego with Chef Francis Mallmann


Another experiment completed! For Experiment #64, we were back at the Faena Miami Beach - but this time with legendary Argentinian chef Francis Mallman at his restaurant Los Fuegos. You can read a full recap of the dinner at Food For Thought, and see pictures in this Cobaya Fuego with Francis Mallman flickr set or check some of the most recent pictures on Chowfather's instagram feed. Here's the menu:

Grilled Sweetbreads with Red Pepper Purée and Pickled Onions

Scallop Crudo in Bitter Endive

Parsnip Soup with Lobster and Bread Crumbs

Grilled Giant Prawns with Burnt Lemon

Parrillada of Banana Leaf Wrapped Grouper, Lechon, and Lamb Leg

Tomato and Bread Salad, Roasted Potatoes with Purple Onions, Quinoa Salad

7-Hour Grilled Pineapple with Strawberries and Mascarpone Cream

A big thank you to Chef Mallman, Chef Vitor Perim, and the entire crew at Los Fuegos, including Faena wine director Zach Gossard, who is becoming a real Cobaya veteran at this point; and as always most of all, to the guinea pigs whose interest and support make these kind of events possible.

Tuesday, September 13, 2016

Friends of Cobaya Alert: P.I.G. 7 and Pao Chef Collective Dinner

We try not to flood your feed with extraneous information, but do like to occasionally bring to your attention events that may be of interest, especially when they involve Cobaya alumni. Here are a couple:

P.I.G. #7 | November 12 (3pm-7pm)

Orchestrated by Chef Jeremiah Bullfrog of the gastroPod, veteran of Cobaya Experiment #2, Experiment #19, and Experiment #50, P.I.G. ("Pork Is Good") is one of our favorite events of the year, and always brings together some of South Florida's top chefs to riff on the porcine theme. This year's lineup includes a slew of Cobaya vets: Aaron Brooks of Edge (Experiment #25, #55), Steve Santana of Taquiza (behind the scenes of several), Kyle Foster of Denver's Colt & Gray (Experiment #1!), Michael Pirolo of Macchialina (Experiment #33), Patrick Rebholz (Experiment #54), plus many others.

You can get the full rundown and buy tickets using this PIG 7 (Pork is Good) Tickets link.

To read some more about last year's event and see some pictures, check this post at Food For Thought.

Chef Collective Kaiseki Dinner at Pao | September 20 (7pm)

A couple months ago, Chef Paul Qui of Pao in the Faena Miami Beach hosted Cobaya Experiment #63. Since then, he's been putting together some special monthly dinners, sometimes bringing in chefs from his other Austin restaurants. On September 20, Qui is bringing to Miami chef Yoshi Okai, the executive chef of Austin's Otoko, to recreate a kaiseki style dinner in the style of Okai's home of Kyoto. You can read some more about it here.

And: we've scored a discount for Cobaya guinea pigs. Seats are regularly $95, but for you, they're $85. Email pao@faena.com to book, and mention "Cobaya" to get the discount.

Enjoy!

Thursday, August 25, 2016

cobaya experiment #64 - 9.8.16

Greetings Guinea Pigs - it's time for another experiment!

Quick Details:
Date: Thursday September 8, 2016
Price: $125 (inclusive of tax and tip)
Start time: 7:00pm

We will be doing a drawing for seats from all requests received over the first 48 hours. We're on a tight turnaround schedule for this one, so please get your requests in quickly, and if you get a spot, please book it quickly.

Please send an email to cobayamiami@gmail.com to request seats and let us know how many you're requesting.

You will be advised by Monday August 29 if your request has been confirmed. You'll then need to book your seats by 9am on Thursday September 1, or we will need to release the seats to the wait list to ensure all spots are filled. Note the tight schedule: please make your request quickly, and if you get a spot, please book quickly.

We have limited seating available, and while we try to accommodate everyone who is interested, that is usually not possible - most events fill up fast. Due to space limitations, we will limit people to 2 spots per request, though if you're interested in more let us know and your request will be added to the waitlist.

When your seat request has been confirmed, please book it using the PayPal link which will be set up on this page. Please do not book unless and until you've received a confirmation. When you do receive the confirmation, please book your seats through PayPal promptly. There will be a short window of time to book before seats need to be released back to the waitlist to make sure they're filled.

There will be an optional beverage pairing, price to be determined; a la carte beverages will also be available. We're still checking on BYOB (please confirm in advance).

Confirmed and paid-up attendees will receive an e-mail the day before the event, confirming the location and other details.

A brief, but important, refresher course on the whole Cobaya thing: there is no "menu". There are no choices. You'll be eating what the chef chooses to make for the night. If you have food related allergies, strict dietary requirements, religious restrictions; are salt sensitive, vegetarian, pescatarian, or vegan; don't like your meat cooked medium rare, or are pregnant: this meal is probably not for you. Do not expect white-glove service. Don't ask for your sauce on the side. Just come and enjoy.

Plus some legalese: please note that if you're requesting a spot, you understand that any food or beverages you consume are at your own risk, that you voluntarily assume any and all risks, known and unknown, and voluntarily release the organizers of the event from any claims, including personal injury and wrongful death, resulting in any manner from your participation in this event, whether caused by negligence or otherwise. Hopefully it won't come to that.

Look forward to seeing you there. As always, thank you for your support.

FOR CONFIRMED SEAT REQUESTS ONLY:


experiment #64 - choose # and pairing




Saturday, July 16, 2016

experiment #63 - Qobaya Qui with Chefs Paul Qui and Derek Salkin at Pao


Good morning guinea pigs, and thanks for your participation in another of our experiments. This time, we paid a visit to Pao at the Faena, where executive chef Paul Qui, along with his chef de cuisine Derek Salkin, were our hosts.They put together a really outstanding dinner that incorporated all sorts of Filipino flavors. You can see pictures in this Cobaya Qui at Pao flickr set; we'll update when recaps are online.

Here's the rundown of the menu, along with the wine pairings:

Kumamoto Kinilaw
Oyster, Sake Granite, Umeboshi, Tomato, Shiso

Lumpia
Foie Gras, Passionfruit, Szechuan Pepper, Pistachio

Sparkling Rosé, Graham Beck NV, Western Cape

Rice Milk
Fresh Ricotta, Smoked Trout Roe, White Kimchi, Black Garlic

Kirinzan Junmai Sake, Niigata

Red Porgy Crudo
Hibiscus Dashi, Finger Lime, Lychee, Yuzu Kosho

Gewurtztraminer, Zind-Humbrecht "Calcaire," Alsace 2013

Dinuguan
Hen of the Woods, Red Onion, Smoked Shishito, Cilantro

Priorat, Torroja "Terroir al Limit" 2012

Guinea Hen
Corn, Black Rice, Coxcomb, Girolles

Régnié (Cru Beaujolais), Guy Breton, 2013

Kare Kare
Oxtail, Langoustine, Beef Tongue, Dried Shrimp Paste

Red Wine Blend, Col Solare, Columbia Valley 2013

Polvoron
Caramelized White Chocolate, Sweet Corn, Huckleberry

A big thank you to Chef Qui, Chef Salkin, GM Michael Pounsberry, Wine Director Zach Gossard (a Cobaya veteran whose pairings once again drew lots of raves), to all the crew at Pao, and as always most of all, to the guinea pigs whose interest and support make these events possible.

Friday, July 8, 2016

experiment #63 - 7.14.16

Greetings Guinea Pigs - time for another experiment, and this one is on short notice - get ready for a lightning round!

Quick Details:
Date: Thursday July 14, 2016
Price: $125 (inclusive of tax and tip)
Start time: 7:00pm

We will be doing a drawing for seats from all requests received over the first 48 hours. We're on a tight turnaround schedule for this one, so please get your requests in quickly, and if you get a spot, please book it quickly.

Please send an email to cobayamiami@gmail.com to request seats and let us know how many you're requesting.

You will be advised by Sunday July 10 if your request has been confirmed. You'll then need to book your seats by 9am on Tuesday July 12, or we will need to release the seats to the wait list to ensure all spots are filled. Note the tight schedule: please make your request quickly, and if you get a spot, please book quickly.

We have limited seating available, and while we try to accommodate everyone who is interested, that is usually not possible - most events fill up fast. Due to space limitations, we will limit people to 2 spots per request, though if you're interested in more let us know and your request will be added to the waitlist.

When your seat request has been confirmed, please book it using the PayPal link which will be set up on this page. Please do not book unless and until you've received a confirmation. When you do receive the confirmation, please book your seats through PayPal promptly. There will be a short window of time to book before seats need to be released back to the waitlist to make sure they're filled.

There will be an optional beverage pairing, price to be determined; a la carte beverages will also be available and BYOB should be fine as well (but please confirm).

Confirmed and paid-up attendees will receive an e-mail the day before the event, confirming the location and other details.

A brief, but important, refresher course on the whole Cobaya thing: there is no "menu". There are no choices. You'll be eating what the chef chooses to make for the night. If you have food related allergies, strict dietary requirements, religious restrictions; are salt sensitive, vegetarian, pescatarian, or vegan; don't like your meat cooked medium rare, or are pregnant: this meal is probably not for you. Do not expect white-glove service. Don't ask for your sauce on the side. Just come and enjoy.

Plus some legalese: please note that if you're requesting a spot, you understand that any food or beverages you consume are at your own risk, that you voluntarily assume any and all risks, known and unknown, and voluntarily release the organizers of the event from any claims, including personal injury and wrongful death, resulting in any manner from your participation in this event, whether caused by negligence or otherwise. Hopefully it won't come to that.

Look forward to seeing you there. As always, thank you for your support.


FOR CONFIRMED SEAT REQUESTS ONLY:



experiment #63 - choose # and pairing




Tuesday, June 21, 2016

experiment #62 - Cobaya Muñoz at 1111 Peruvian Bistro



Another experiment completed! For Experiment #62, we paid a visit to Diego Muñoz at his new restaurant in Brickell, 1111 Peruvian Bistro. Muñoz is one of Peru's top chefs, having spent the past four years running the kitchen at Gaston Acurio's flagship in Lima, Astrid y Gaston. His new place is not as high concept, and more straightforward, but the execution is still at a very high level.

You can see pictures in this Cobaya Muñoz at 1111 Peruvian Bistro flickr set, and we'll update with recaps shortly read a recap here at Food For Thought. Here's the menu he cooked for us:

Octopus Anticucho

Ceviche Apaltado
fish, creamy leche de tigre, avocado, aji limo, capers and olive oil

Tiradito Nikkei
tamarind, eel mayo, sesame, white radish

King Crab and Poached Chicken Causa

Aji de Gallina Tortelloni
cherry tomatoes, sage, botija olives, pecans

Fish Cutlet
peanut curry, green asian veg, white chaufa

Filet Mignon
lomo saltado sauce, potatoes and pilaf rice

Chocolate Temperatures

Lucuma Cassonade

Thank you to Chef Muñoz, to all of his crew at 1111 Peruvian Bistro, to the good folks at Rockaway PR, and as always most of all, to the guinea pigs whose interest and support makes these events possible.


Wednesday, June 8, 2016

experiment #62 - 6.17.16

Greetings Guinea Pigs - we've been in hibernation since April, but it's time for another experiment!

Quick Details:
Date: Friday, June 17, 2016
Price: $100 (inclusive of tax and tip)
Start time: 7:30pm

We will be doing a drawing for seats from all requests received over the first 48 hours. We're on a tight turnaround schedule for this one, so please get your requests in quickly, and if you get a spot, please book it quickly.

Please send an email to request seats using the "contact the underground" link and let us know how many you're requesting.

You will be advised by Sunday June 12 if your request has been confirmed. You'll then need to book your seats by 5pm on Tuesday June 14, or we will need to release the seats to the wait list to ensure all spots are filled. Note the tight schedule: please make your request quickly, and if you get a spot, please book quickly.

We have limited seating available, and while we try to accommodate everyone who is interested, that is usually not possible - most events fill up fast. Due to space limitations, we will limit people to 2 spots per request, though if you're interested in more let us know and your request will be added to the waitlist.

When your seat request has been confirmed, please book it using the PayPal link which will be set up on this page. Please do not book unless and until you've received a confirmation. When you do receive the confirmation, please book your seats through PayPal promptly. There will be a short window of time to book before seats need to be released back to the waitlist to make sure they're filled.

There will be an optional $35 pairing option; a la carte beverages will also be available and BYOB should be fine as well (but please confirm).

Confirmed and paid-up attendees will receive an e-mail the day before the event, confirming the location and other details.

A brief, but important, refresher course on the whole Cobaya thing: there is no "menu". There are no choices. You'll be eating what the chef chooses to make for the night. If you have food related allergies, strict dietary requirements, religious restrictions; are salt sensitive, vegetarian, pescatarian, or vegan; don't like your meat cooked medium rare, or are pregnant: this meal is probably not for you. Do not expect white-glove service. Don't ask for your sauce on the side. Just come and enjoy.

Plus some legalese: please note that if you're requesting a spot, you understand that any food or beverages you consume are at your own risk, that you voluntarily assume any and all risks, known and unknown, and voluntarily release the organizers of the event from any claims, including personal injury and wrongful death, resulting in any manner from your participation in this event, whether caused by negligence or otherwise. Hopefully it won't come to that.

Look forward to seeing you there. As always, thank you for your support.

FOR CONFIRMED SEAT REQUESTS ONLY:


experiment #62 - choose # and pairing



Saturday, May 7, 2016

friends of cobaya alerts: may 2016

We try not to flood your feed with extraneous information, but we do like to periodically bring to your attention events that may be of interest, particularly when they involve Cobaya alumni. Here are several coming up:

Fat Ham Pizzeria | May 17: Chef Michael Schwartz (Cobaya #49) brings back Philadelphia's Kevin Sbraga for another pop-up at Harry's Pizzeria. Book here.

Ordi-nette Dinner | May 17: Chef Daniel Serfer (Cobaya #36) of Mignonette brings in  Chef Vandy Vanderwarker of Charleston's The Ordinary Oyster Hall for a 4-course $85 dinner collaborative dinner. Email tess@mignonettemiami.com to reserve.

Quality Meats + Taquiza BBQ | May 19: Patrick Rebholz of Quality Meats (Cobaya #54) teams up with Steve Santana of Taquiza (Cobaya #2 and many more) for a collaborative BBQ dinner, the centerpiece of which will be a whole Florida-raised red wattle smoked pig, served with stacks of Taquiza tortillas. $60pp + tax and tip, call 305-340-3333 to reserve.

OBIES Taste of South Florida | May 20:  Michael Schwartz and many more including Justin Flit and Matt Depante of Proof Pizza and Pasta (Cobaya #48) will be at this Orange Bowl charitable event raising money for Make-A-Wish, Special Olympics and the Orange Bowl Leadership Acadamy.  Get tickets here.

Aubergine @ Alter | May 24: Brad Kilgore (Cobaya #21) continues his collaborations at Alter with great chefs from around the world, this time bringing in Justin Cogley and Ron Mendoza from Aubergine in Carmel, California. Book here.

Duck Duck Goose | June 4: Chef Jeremiah Bullfrog (Cobaya #2, 19, 50) expands the idea of his P.I.G. events to poultry with "Duck Duck Goose." Lots of Cobaya alumni will be flipping birds, including Brad Kilgore, Patrick Rebholz, and Aaron Brooks of Edge Steak (Cobaya #25, 55), plus many more. Book here.


Monday, April 11, 2016

experiment #61 - Cobaya 27 with Chef Jimmy Lebron


Another experiment in the books! This time, we headed over to 27 Restaurant in the Freehand Hotel on Miami Beach (also home to the great Broken Shaker bar, and host to Experiment #29 with Chef Brandon Baltzley) to let Chef Jimmy Lebron and crew do their thing. You can see pictures from the dinner in this Cobaya #61 at 27 Restaurant flickr set), and read recaps at Food For Thought and The Chowfather. Here's the menu Chef Lebron put together, along with cocktail pairings from bar manager Randy Perez.

Bread

Malawach, Uni Butter, Za'atar

Bombay Gin Complimented with Fresh Florida Citrus, Preserved Grapefruit and Jasmine Rice Reduction

Fresh From Florida

Whole Black Belly Rose Escabeche
Mangrove Snapper, Tangerine, Loquat, Chartreuse
Middleneck Clams, Leche de Tigre, Salsa Criolla
Little River Papaya Salad, Halloumi, Thai Chili

Treviano Lugana "Terre Molin" 2014 / Italia

Vegetarian

Ethiopian Injera
Timatim, Wats, Gomen

Rittenhouse Bottled in Bond Rye, Combined with Meletti Amaro, Slowly Dripped through Thai Tea, Hazelnut, Cinnamon, Clove, Fresh Cranberry Hibiscus

Family Meal

Pekin Korean Duck
27 Banchan, Bok Choy Kimchee, Garden Lettuce
Confit Mole Conejo
Salsas, Ensaladas y Tortillas

Old Forester Bourbon and Homemade Coke

Sweet

Baklava, Rugelach, Tea Cookies
Nana Preserved Lemon Tea

Manzanilla La Gitana Sherry Stirred with Aperol, Montanaro Bianco, Cassis Liqueur and Lemon Bitters

A big thank you to Chef Lebron, sous chef Sasha Ullman, bar manager Randy Perez, the Broken Shaker masterminds Elad Zvi and Gabriel Orta, the whole crew over at 27 Restaurant (and at Bar Lab's new bar, The Anderson, where a few of us had a post-Cobaya nightcap), and as always most of all, to the guinea pigs whose interest and support makes these kind of events possible.



Tuesday, March 29, 2016

friends of cobaya alerts: april 2016

We try not to flood your feed with extraneous information, but we do like to periodically bring to your attention events that may be of interest, particularly when they involve Cobaya alumni, and especially if we can help you get a discount. There happen to be several coming up:

Cochon 555 | April 3: The epic porcine festival – five chefs, five pigs, five winemakers – is back in town. This year's participants include Alex Chang of the Vagabond (Cobaya #53 and 59) and Diego Oka of La Mar (Cobaya #46), along with Michael Fiorello of Beachcraft, Xavier Torres of Drunken Dragon, and Anthony LePape of the Ritz-Carlton South Beach. Also taking part are Richard Hales of Sakaya Kitchen and BlackBrick (Cobaya #5, 11) and Jose Mendin of Pubbelly (Cobaya #37). Leading up to the main event, there's also a Late Night Asian Speakeasy at Phuc Yea on April 1, and a Chef's Course Dinner with several guest chefs at Beachraft on April 2.

Use this link to get discounted tickets ($20 off general admission, $30 off VIP).

Michelle Bernstein 10th Anniversary Dinner | April 6: Local hero Michelle Bernstein (Cobaya #12, 56) will be celebrating the 10th anniversary of Michy's (n/k/a Cena by Michy) with a five-course dinner featuring several alumni as guest chefs, including Timon Balloo (Cobaya #41) as well as Lindsay Autry, Berenice de Araujo, Jason Schaan and Sarah Sipe, with wines by Allegra Angelo and cocktails by Julio Cabrera.

If you didn't get in to Cobaya #61 on the same night, get seats at this Michy's dinner here.

Flavorwalla Pizzeria | April 12: Michael Schwartz (Cobaya #49) plays host to New York chef Floyd Cardoz at Harry's Pizzeria for an Indian-inspired version of his ongoing guest chef pop-up dinners.

Book here.

StarChefs South Florida Rising Stars | April 13: The 2016 StarChefs Rising Stars tasting and awards ceremony will feature a few Cobaya alumni – Alex Chang, Diego Oka and Brad Kilgore (Cobaya #21), as well as Jimmy Everett (Valentino Cucina Italiana), Niven Patel (Michael's Genuine), Phuket Thongsodchareondee (Cake Thai Kitchen), and Cesar Zapata (The Federal).

Get tickets here, and use the code RSBLOG to get a 10% discount.

Whole Steer Weekend @ Quality Meats | April 14-16: For three days, Patrick Rebholz of Quality Meats (Cobaya #54) will be cooking an entire steer with guest chef Negro Piattoni, who's worked at Bar Tartine and Francis Mallmann's Garzon. Thursday is BBQ night, Friday is a family style dinner, an Saturday is a formal dinner.

Tickets for each night are available here.

As a side note: if you're really opposed to getting these kinds of updates, let us know. We don't expect to do so more frequently than once every month or so.

Thursday, March 24, 2016

experiment #61 - 4.6.16

Greetings Guinea Pigs - it's time for another experiment!

Quick Details:
Date: Wednesday April 6, 2016
Price: $100 (inclusive of tax and tip)
Start time: 7:00pm

We will be doing a drawing for seats from all requests received over the first 48 hours.

Please send an email to request seats and let us know how many you're requesting.

You will be advised by Monday March 28 if your request has been confirmed. You'll then need to book your seats by noon on Thursday March 31, or we may need to release the seats to the wait list to ensure all spots are filled. Note the tight schedule: please make your request quickly, and if you get a spot, please book quickly.

We have very limited seating available for this one, and while we try to accommodate everyone who is interested, that is usually not possible - most events fill up fast. Due to space limitations, we will limit people to 2 spots per request, though if you're interested in more let us know and your request will be added to the waitlist.

When your seat request has been confirmed, please book it using the PayPal link which will be set up on this page. Please do not book unless and until you've received a confirmation. When you do receive the confirmation, please book your seats through PayPal promptly. There will be a short window of time to book before seats need to be released back to the waitlist to make sure they're filled.

There will be an optional $40 pairing option; a la carte beverages will also be available and BYOB should be fine as well (but please confirm).

Confirmed and paid-up attendees will receive an e-mail the day before the event, confirming the location and other details.

A brief, but important, refresher course on the whole Cobaya thing: there is no "menu". There are no choices. You'll be eating what the chef chooses to make for the night. If you have food related allergies, strict dietary requirements, religious restrictions; are salt sensitive, vegetarian, pescatarian, or vegan; don't like your meat cooked medium rare, or are pregnant: this meal is probably not for you. Do not expect white-glove service. Don't ask for your sauce on the side. Just come and enjoy.

Plus some legalese: please note that if you're requesting a spot, you understand that any food or beverages you consume are at your own risk, that you voluntarily assume any and all risks, known and unknown, and voluntarily release the organizers of the event from any claims, including personal injury and wrongful death, resulting in any manner from your participation in this event, whether caused by negligence or otherwise. Hopefully it won't come to that.

Look forward to seeing you there. As always, thank you for your support.


FOR CONFIRMED SEAT REQUESTS ONLY:


experiment #61 - choose # and pairing



Wednesday, March 9, 2016

experiment #60 - Cobaya Kamayan with Chef Dale Talde


Well that was different, and a lot of fun. For Experiment #60, we paid a visit to Chef Dale Talde, who opened Talde Miami Beach in the Thompson Hotel about a year ago (he also has the original Talde, plus Pork Slope, and Thistle Hill in Brooklyn, and a Talde Jersey City too). Talde, though an unabashed advocate of "inauthentic" Asian-American food, did something for our dinner that was close to his Filipino-American roots: a "kamayan" feast.

What does that mean? No utensils, no plates, the entire meal spread out on a long communal table over banana leaves, and everyone just sits down and digs in. (After washing their hands, of course). It was dark and loud as Chef Talde came out to talk up the meal, and we didn't catch enough to give a fully accurate recap here. But there was chicken adobo, lechon kawali (Filipino fried pork belly), whole roasted grouper with stewed tomatoes, grilled shrimp, lumpia, papaya salad, green beans in coconut curry, and lots more. For dessert: "5G Cookies" (so named because Chef Talde won $5,000 in a Top Chef Quickfire Challenge for them).

In addition to lots of napkins, Chef Talde also sent everyone home with a copy of his book: "Asian-American: Proudly Inauthentic Recipes from the Philippines to Brooklyn." A big thank you to Dale, to all of his team and partners at the restaurant for a really fun experience, and as always most of all, to our guinea pigs, whose interest and support make these events possible.

Friday, March 4, 2016

some thoughts on turning #60

It's hard to believe that next week we will be doing Experiment #60. Sixty! When we did our first experiment nearly seven years ago, we had no idea what to expect. Did anyone care? Would anyone even show up?

Thankfully, more than a dozen people came, and had what was still one of our favorite dinners, at the since-closed and much-missed Talula with chefs Andrea Curto-Randazzo and Kyle Foster. (Andrea still runs a very good catering business, Creative Tastes, and Kyle is killing it out in Denver at Colt & Gray and Rebel).

Since then, we've had the good fortune to work with a number of incredibly talented South Florida chefs, including James Beard award winners, relative unknowns, and everything in between, as well as the occasional out-of-town talent. We've been featured on Andrew Zimmern's show Bizarre Foods, and for the past two years have put on dinner events in conjunction with the South Beach Wine and Food Festival. We've had a countless number of great dishes along the way, and the occasional misstep too – these are experiments, after all.

During all that time, the Cobaya mission statement has never varied: to get talented chefs to cook great, interesting, creative meals for an audience of adventurous, open-minded diners. The modus operandi hasn't changed that much either: events are announced with only the date and the price; the location, chef and menu remain a surprise. Events are also open to anyone who wants to request a spot, provided they are OK with our ground rules: there are no membership fees or invitation-only lists.

What has changed is that, against our wildest expectations, these little experiments have become increasingly popular. There are now literally thousands of people who subscribe to our event announcements. We routinely get more than 200 requests for spots at each of our dinners, and our last one broke 300 – a new record for us. Since we typically have only 25-35 seats, that means we have to say "no" to a lot more people than "yes."

We bring this up not to brag about our popularity or tout our success, but rather to provide a bit of insight into the process. Over the course of nearly seven years and sixty dinners, we've made a number of changes in how we operate, all with the goal of making our events more accessible and inclusive.

When we realized we were regularly getting more requests than we had available spots, we started conducting a lottery rather than just selling seats on a first come first serve basis, so that people who didn't have hair-trigger e-mail reflexes wouldn't be excluded. We also, unless it's a large event, started limiting requests to only two seats, so we could get more different people into each dinner. Eventually, we also started holding back one set of seats for what we call the "Biggest Loser" – the person who had made the most requests without ever getting in – as a reward for persistence.

All of this necessitated us compiling a spreadsheet to track each person's "record," so that we know how many times they've asked for spots, and how many times they've gotten in (and how many times they've canceled). A ridiculous number of hours has been invested in compiling and maintaining "The Great Book of Cobaya," which gets updated after every dinner. We now have over a thousand names on that list, and of those, more than 400 have attended at least one event. Typically, depending on the luck of the draw, between 1/3 and 1/2 of the spots at our events lately are filled by "newbies" who have never been before.

It would be a whole lot easier for us to just fill seats by invitation or sell them on a first-come-first-serve basis. We should also perhaps mention that this is a hobby for us, that we make no money off of it, and in fact we've paid our own way to each of the dinners we organize. But part of the reason we do this is that it is a kind of proselytizing: we want to make these kinds of experiences available to a broader universe of diners, and we want chefs and restaurateurs to know there is an audience in Miami for a more adventurous style of cooking.

Still and yet, when you only have 25-35 spots, and are getting 200-300 requests for them, invariably there are going to be a lot of disappointed people. The odds are self-evident, and since every event is a clean slate, there's a good chance you may be disappointed multiple times. Indeed, for our last event, we did a random drawing for the "Biggest Loser" from among multiple people who had 0-6 records. (We are so very grateful for your patience.)

There is no simple solution. We don't want to make our events bigger: we feel like the food and experience generally suffer when the numbers go much beyond what we currently do. We can't really do these much more frequently than the roughly one a month pace we currently keep, given the amount of time already devoted to both coordinating with the chefs and filling the seats. So we can only hope that people understand and keep trying.

But aside from explanation and apology, the other purpose of this post is to note that there are some things that you, our guinea pigs, can do to make the process work a little better for us and yourself:

(1) Respond to your emails.

Knowing that plans can change, we've tried to tighten our timeline: events are usually announced two weeks in advance, we typically send out "SEAT REQUEST CONFIRMATION" emails within 3-4 days of opening the request line, we typically give people 3 days to pay for their seats, and we send at least one "REMINDER / LAST CALL" message before the time runs. Each time, we ask that if people are not going to be using the spots, to let us know so we can release them to the wait list. And pretty much every time, there is at least one person who just doesn't respond at all after getting seats.

This is frustrating on multiple levels. First, we don't get why someone would request a spot if they're not going to use it. But more importantly, we don't get why it's too much of a burden to send a short response letting us know. This is not some anonymous, monolithic corporation mindlessly churning out emails – it's just three guys, who have to hustle even harder to make sure all the seats get filled when you don't let us know you won't be using them.

So please: don't request a spot if you're not sure you'll be able to use it, and if you do get stuck, PLEASE LET US KNOW. Cancellations are a pain, but the people who don't even respond are the worst. And since everything is recorded in The Great Book of Cobaya, we know who you are.

(2) Volunteer to fill in last minute.

As noted above, it seems like for every event, we have people who get seats and then don't use them. This means we have to fill those spots from the wait list, with a limited window of time within which to do so. Lately, when we send out the "WAIT LIST" notice, we ask people to let us know if they would be available last minute and the best way to get in touch. When those people actually come through, it's made the process of filling those wait-list spots so much more efficient. The people who promptly respond when they do get spots via the wait list make our jobs much easier.

(3) Don't be a whiner.

Every once in a while, we hear complaints to the effect of  "I've tried to get in a dozen times and never get in!" Here's the thing: we know exactly how many times you've made a request, so don't fib. And invariably, the people who complain also exaggerate the number of times they've tried. Also, here's a simple truth: nobody likes a whiner.

But those are the very rare exceptions. For the most part, we have been incredibly fortunate to have cobbled together a very good-natured group for our dinners. They get the mission, they are forgiving of the process, and they understand and accept that they're not going to get a spot every time. Every wait list notice we send ends the same way, and it's the truth: "There are some 'underground dining' groups that really thrive on the whole exclusivity thing. For us, the most difficult thing about these events is not being able to accommodate everyone."

If you've got ideas for how we can do it better, we're genuinely eager to hear them. And thanks as always for your support, without which these kinds of events would never happen.


Saturday, February 27, 2016

experiment #59 - Cobaya SoBeWFF 2016 with Chefs Alex Chang, Andrew Zimmern, Jon Shook, Vinny Dotolo and Carlo Mirarchi


A year ago, we "took our talents to South Beach" for the first time, teaming up with the South Beach Wine and Food Festival to put on a dinner together. That one worked out pretty well, so we did it again this year. We were able to score another great lineup of chefs: Alex Chang of the Vagabond was our host, Andrew Zimmern made a repeat visit, Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo of Animal, Son of a Gun and an ever-expanding list of new restaurants came over from Los Angeles, and Carlo Mirarchi of Blanca and Roberta's came down from Brooklyn.

It was a great night, in a great place, with some great food, and nice wines from the Bodegas Lustau portfolio. A big thank you Lee Schrager for his support, and for letting these dinners keep a little Cobaya edge to them; to all of his crew at SOBEWFF for the incredible amount of work that goes into putting on this and the million other events they have going on during the festival; to Dominique Shiekman at The Workshop Collective for being an invaluable liaison; to Alex Chang and the entire team at the Vagabond for everything they did to make this happen; to all of the chefs and their crews; and as always most of all, to the guinea pigs who come out and support these events.

(A side note: we have an upcoming event on March 8 which was originally posted as Experiment #59. We're not very good at counting. SOBEWFF was  #59, the upcoming event is actually #60. Sorry for any confusion).

Here's the night's menu:

RECEPTION

Shaved Ribeye, Black Sapote, Burnt Eggplant and Nasturtium
Snap Peas with Leek Oil and Goat's Milk
Alex Chang

Oyster Vichyssoise, Island Creek Oysters
Andrew Zimmern

Hamachi Taco, Fish Sauce Vinaigrette, Peanut and Avocado
Vinny Dotolo and Jon Shook

Viña Herminia Viura 2014
Lustau Amontillado Los Arcos
Lustau Manzanilla Papirusa

Kissing the Gunners Daughter
Lustau Manzanilla Sherry, Pimm's No. 1, simple syrup, lemon juice, topped with grapefruit soda garnished with mint bouquet, cucumber, raspberry, blackberry and strawberry

DINNER

Cucumber Variation with Cherry Tomato, Za'atar and Pickled Ramp Ranch
Vinny Dotolo and Jon Shook
Marquês de Irun Rueda 2014

Vitello Tonnato
Andrew Zimmern
Viña Herminia Rosado 2014

Suckling Pig marinated in Condensed Milk, Green Papaya and Preserved Marigold Salad
Alex Chang
Viña Herminia Rioja Reserva 2009

DESSERT

Coconut, Meyer Lemon, Poppy Seed and Celery
Carlo Mirarchi
Lustau Moscatel Emilin