Cobaya at Home! Thursday 3.26.2020

Greeting Guinea Pigs! As we all navigate our way through this epidemic, Cobaya is looking for ways to support our local restaurant community, and also to still eat well. Obviously we can't host an event right now, as gatherings are off the table and restaurants are only open for takeout and delivery. But ... what if you could shelter in place and still participate in one of our Cobaya dinners? And, what if you could help restaurant industry workers affected by the COVID-19 crisis at the same time?

We want to make it happen. Here's the idea:

DATE: Thursday, March 26, 2020

PRICE: $100 (for 2 people)

WHAT'S INCLUDED: Dinner for 2: a very special main course, two sides, and dessert.

HOW DOES IT WORK:

• Email cobayamiami@gmail.com once you've booked and we'll provide details for pickup location.
• Pickup only in Coconut Grove between 6-8pm on Thursday; we'll stagger out pickup times to observe social distancing.
• Link to video feed for final prep instructions and virtual dining experience.
• Ask about wine options! Prices from $20-$60 / bottle.
• Please get your orders in quickly, as there's a limited supply. We'll be doing this first come first served.

20% of proceeds will go to an in-house employee relief fund.

Interested? Click this PayPal link to book:

Not to give away too much, but here's a little hint of what to expect:

If you're not up for dinner, but still want to support Miami's restaurant employees who have been put out of work by the COVID-19 crisis, please consider a contribution to the Miami Restaurant Employee Relief Fund, which has already raised nearly $50,000 to fund $250 grants to qualifying individuals, with 100% of the proceeds going to affected workers.

Thanks, stay strong and stay healthy.

Miami Restaurant Employee Relief Fund

Hello. We hope all of you are doing OK in these incredibly challenging and scary times.If you and your families are healthy and safe, you may be wondering how you can help others. Given what we do here at Cobaya, our thoughts and concerns go out to the many food and beverage industry workers who have been laid off as a result of the disruption and closures caused by COVID-19. As you probably already know, yesterday Florida's Governor has ordered all restaurants in the state to close their doors to the public; the CIty of Miami Beach and then Miami-Dade County had already done the same earlier in the week. As a result, restaurants have had to let go thousands of employees, most of whom live paycheck to paycheck.

At Cobaya, we've have been looking for ways that we - and you, our extended family of guinea pigs - can help. We've got some more ideas coming, but here's a start. Several restaurant industry folks have joined together to support a Miami Restaurant Employee Relief Fund GoFundMe campaign to provide grants to assist restaurant employees disrupted by the COVID-19 closures. We've been told that 100% of donations will go directly to affected employees and that funds will start to be distributed as soon as next week. The Fund is supported by Brad and Soroya Kilgore, Michelle Bernstein, Michael Schwartz, Zak Stern and others - and hopefully by you, too.

Here's what we are proposing to do: if you make a $250 contribution to the fund, we will make sure you have two GUARANTEED seats at our next Cobaya event (or another of your choosing), whenever we are all done sheltering in place and can resume dining together again. We'll do this for the first 25 people who make a $250 contribution and send us confirmation by email. That's roughly the cost of a couple seats at one of our events, or a really nice dinner for two. [FINE PRINT: you'll still need to purchase your seats to the event, but this will guarantee you a spot; given that we usually get about ten times as many requests as we're able to fulfill, and we know that's a source of much frustration for everyone, that's surely worth something?]

Even if you can't contribute $250, every contribution in any amount helps. The link is here:

Miami Restaurant Employee Relief Fund

We've got some other ideas in the works, too (if the words "Cobaya at Home" intrigue you, please let us know). Wishing all of you health and strength.

cobaya experiment #81 - Cobaya Amarilla with Chefs Santiago Gomez and Carlos Garcia

Another experiment successfully completed! This time, our chefs were Santiago Gomez of Cantina La Veinte and Tacology, and Carlos Garcia of Obra - but we weren't at any of their restaurants. We were at La Casa Amarilla, Santaigo and his wife Camila's home, where they hosted thirty of us in their back yard while Santiago and Carlos cooked at a wood and charcoal fired open kitchen. It was a perfect night for it and a great dinner. You can read a more detailed recap at Food For Thought, and see more pictures in this Cobaya Amarilla flickr set.

Here's what we had (with links to pictures):

1. El Ceviche

(vuelve a la vida with tostada and grilled shishito)

2. La Ensalada

(heirloom tomatoes, radishes, basil, chicharrones)

3. El Arroz

(vegetable paella)

4. Los Vegetales

5. El Cordero

(roasted lamb leg with salt-roasted potatoes)

6. El Postre

(beet ice cream sandwich with chocolate sauce)

A big thank you to Chefs Santiago Gomez and Carlos Garcia, to Camila Basmagi, to all of their crew helping out for the evening, and most of all, to the guinea pigs whose interest and support make these events possible. And a side note: we encourage everyone to check out and support the non-profit that Santaigo and Camila formed, and which Carlos actively supports – Recipes for Change – which works to provide nourishment to local at-risk communities. Thanks and happy new year, all.

cobaya experiment #81 - 12.15.19

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

Quick Details:
Date: 12.15.19 (Sunday)
Price: $98.00 (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 and let us know how many you're requesting.

You will be advised by Friday December 6 if your request has been confirmed. You'll then need to book your seats by noon on Tuesday December 10, 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.

We are still figuring out beverages, BYOB should be an option.

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 #81 - how many?

1 seat $98.00 USD 2 seats $196.00 USD

cobaya experiment #80 - Cobaya Arson with Deme Lomas

Earlier this month we conducted our eightieth experiment, with Chef Deme Lomas at his second restaurant, Arson in downtown Miami. This was Deme's second round with Cobaya: almost exactly four years ago we held Experiment #58 at Deme's first restaurant, Niu Kitchen, just down the block. You can read a more detailed recap at Food For Thought, and see all the pictures in this flickr set. Here's what we had (with links to pictures):

AJOBLANCO

cold almond and garlic soup, salt-cured red tuna,

figs and charbroiled scallions

ASPARAGUS

white asparagus, charbroiled green huancaina,

sesame seeds

CLAMS

steamed clams, chipotle sofrito, charbroiled garlic aioli

MONKFISH

slow charbroiled monkfish, zucchini textures,

Spanish green chili, golden garlic

LAMB

lamb chops, burnt eggplant puree,

red pepper juice viniagrette, Josper onions

DESSERT

condensed milk gelato, passion fruit foam,

chocolate sand, diced brownie

A big thank you to Chef Deme, to Karina Iglesias for picking some great wines and generally making the evening feel like exactly the kind of dinner party you hope to invited to, to the entire crew at Arson, and as always most of all, to the guinea pigs whose interest and support make these events possible.

cobaya experiment #80 - 11.4.19

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

Quick Details:
Date: 11.4.19 (Monday)
Price: $87.50 (inclusive of tax and tip)
Start time: 7pm-ish (exact start time to be confirmed)

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 Friday October 25 if your request has been confirmed. You'll then need to book your seats by noon on Tuesday October 29, 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 the Cobaya website. 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.

A la carte beverages will also be available. BYOB is also an option.

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 #80 - how many?

1 seat $87.50 USD 2 seats $175.00 USD

cobaya experiment #79 - Cobaya Taymor at Three

Another experiment successfully concluded! Almost exactly a year ago we did Experiment #74 at Three restaurant in Wynwood with chef Norman Van Aken. Experiment #79 was a return to the same scene, but with a different chef and an entirely different menu. This time around, the chef was Ari Taymor, of Santa Monica's Little Prince, who's doing a stint as "guest chef" at Three for a couple months, and he brought a taste of Southern California to South Florida for his dinner. You can read a more detailed recap at Food for Thought, and see more pictures in this Cobaya Taymor at Three Wynwood flickr set.

Here's the menu (with links to pictures), plus the great pairings put together by sommelier Jean-Baptiste Barr:

Baked Oysters

with braised bacon and smoked potato

Raventos I Blanc, Conca del Riu Anoia Brut 2014, Textures de Pedra, Penedes Spain

Col. Newsome's Country Ham

melon, cucumber and burrata with pink peppercorn vinaigrette

Domaine Huet, Vouvray Moelleux Clos du Bourg 2018, Loire Valley, France

Pacific Yellowtail

with heirloom tomatoes and a sauce made from the bones

Alphonse Mellot, La Moussiere, Sancerre 2017, Loire Valley, France

Warm Octopus Salad

with black garlic, fingerlings and frisée

Federico Orsi, Vigneto San Vito Vigna del Grotto 2016, Emilia Romagna, Italy

Whole Wood Grilled Lamb Shoulder

from Jamison Farm with cilanto and black vinegar chimichurri

Moccagatta, Barbaresco 2014, Piedmont, Italy

Chocolate Buckwheat Torte

with almond scented cream and plum sherbet

Cruse Wine & Co., Ricci Vineyard St. Laurent 2018, California, United States

A big thank you to Chef Taymor, and also to chef Jeffrey Brana at Three for all his work in putting this together and making it run so well, to Three executive chef Brian Vaughn, pastry chef Karla Hernandez, sommelier Jean-Baptiste Barre for some great pours throughout the night, co-owners Candace Walsh and Susan Buckley, and to the whole crew at Three for a great evening, and as always most of all, to the guinea pigs whose interest and support make these events possible.

cobaya experiment #78 - Cobaya Isabela with Chef José Ramirez-Ruiz

Another experiment successfully completed! Number 78 was with chef José Ramirez-Ruiz, formerly of Semilla restaurant in Brooklyn, where he earned a Michelin star, a two-star New York Times review, a four-star Eater review, and inclusion in everyone's best new restaurants lists when it opened in 2015. Fortunately for us, Ramirez-Ruiz is in Miami now, and working on opening a restaurant - to be called Isabela - that will focus on "local flora and fauna."

He gave us a preview with our dinner at Little River Miami, a multi-purpose space in Little Haiti / Little River. You can read a longer recap at Food For Thought, and see more pictures in this Cobaya Isabela flickr set. Here was the lineup (with links to pictures):

Shrimp Stuffed Olives

Wigwam Country Ham

Roasted Cheese with Lemon Vinaigrette

Mussels en Conserva

Sourdough Bread and Moringa Butter

Plantain Soup, Comte, Crunchies

Snapper Crusted with Crab

Roasted Pork Chops Stuffed with Plantains

Carrots with Yogurt, Spices and Herbs

Yuca with Avocado and Red Onion

Rice Pudding, Black, Sesame, and Mango

A big thank you to Chef Ramirez-Ruiz, to all of his crew who made it a great night for everyone, to Little River Miami for providing the space, to Madre Selva for providing all the lush greenery, and as always most all, to the guinea pigs whose interest and support make these events possible.

cobaya experiment #79 - 09.04.19

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

Quick Details:
Date: 09.04.19 (Wednesday)
Price: $98 (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 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 Monday August 26 if your request has been confirmed. You'll then need to book your seats by 5pm on Wednesday August 28, 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 $46.50 beverage pairing; 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 #79 - choose # and pairing

1 seat (no pairing) $98.00 USD 1 seat (with pairing) $144.50 USD 2 seats (no pairing) $196.00 USD 2 seats (with pairing) $289.00 USD

cobaya experiment #78 - 8.4.19

Greetings Guinea Pigs – it's time for another experiment! And it's also, believe it or not, our 10th birthday: experiment #1 took place on August 4, 2009. Come help us celebrate!

Quick Details:
Date: 8.4.19 (Sunday)
Price: $93 (inclusive of tax and tip)
Start time: 7:30 pm

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 Sunday July 28 if your request has been confirmed. You'll then need to book your seats by noon on Tuesday July 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 a la carte beverages available, possibly a pairing option, and BYOB is OK too.

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 #78 - choose # of seats

1 seat $93.00 USD 2 seats $186.00 USD

cobaya experiment #77 - Cobaya Obra with Chef Carlos Garcia

Another experiment successfully concluded – for Experiment #77, a visit to Obra Kitchen Table where Chef Carlos Garcia and his crew served a seven-course dinner that highlighted the flavors and dishes of Venezuela along with Chef Garcia's creativity. You can read a recap of the dinner at Food For Thought, and see all the pictures in this Cobaya Obra flickr set. Here's the full menu:

Snacks:

Fried Pork Puff Skin + Caviar + Cauliflower

Arepa + Sea Urchin + Guasacaca

Cava Hola Barcelona 2017

Eggplant + Goat cheese + Red wine

Tuna Toast/ton + Spicy Guava Sauce

Pinot Gris Spatlese 2017

Coconut Sticky Rice + Grilled Oysters

Roasted Red Snapper + Grilled Shishito Butter + Green Sauce

Ribeiro Finca San Cibrao Carlos Moro 2017

Ossobuco + Arracacha Puree + Winter Truffles

Alpasion Vintage Blend Owners Selection, Argentina

Sweet Club Sandwich

Oppenheimer Herrenberg Riesling Auslese 2015

A big thank you to Chef Garcia, to his whole crew at Obra including sous chefs Estefania Andrade and Mauricio Morales, pastry chef Maria Laura Aguirre, and GM Maria Alejandra Felizola, and as always most of all, to the guinea pigs whose interest and support make these events possible.

cobaya experiment #76 - Cobaya Kamayan

Thank you to all the guinea pigs who joined us for Cobaya Experiment #76, a Filipino kamayan feast with chefs Paul Qui and Ben Murray at Pao in the Faena Miami Beach. You can read more about it at Food For Thought, and see more pictures in this Cobaya Kamayan flickr set.

Here's everything they had on the menu, and spread out over banana leaves on the communal table:

Lechon

Wagyu

Chicken Inasal

Grilled Shrimp

Loup de Mer

Achara

Kimchi

Ramps

Grilled Green Onions

Bell Peppers

Bok Choy

Mango

Plantains

Pineapple

Nam Jim

Toyomansi

Garlic and Black Pepper Vinegar

A big thank you to chefs Paul and Ben, to the whole crew at Pao, and as always most of all, to the guinea pigs whose interest and support make these events possible.

experiment #77 - 07.10.19

Greetings Guinea Pigs – we're ready for another experiment!

Quick Details:
Date: 07.10.19 (Wednesday)
Price: $98 (inclusive of tax and tip)
Start time: 8:30pm

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 and let us know how many you're requesting.

You will be advised by Friday July 5 if your request has been confirmed. You'll then need to book your seats by 5pm on Sunday July 7, 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 $36 beverage pairing; 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 #77 - choose # and pairing

1 seat (no pairing) $98.00 USD 1 seat (with pairing) $134.00 USD 2 seats (no pairing) $196.00 USD 2 seats (with pairing) $268.00 USD

cobaya experiment #76 - 6.20.19

Greetings Guinea Pigs – it's time for another experiment! (It's been a while!)

Quick Details:
Date: 06.20.19 (Thursday)
Price: $125 (inclusive of tax and tip)
Start time: 7:30pm (ish. Start time to be confirmed)

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 Thursday June 13 if your request has been confirmed. You'll then need to book your seats by noon on Sunday June 16, 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 the Cobaya website. 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 TBD); 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 #76 - choose # and pairing

1 seat (no pairing) $125.00 USD 1 seat (with pairing) $177.00 USD 2 seats (no pairing) $250.00 USD 2 seats (with pairing) $354.00 USD

experiment #75 - Cobaya Le Zoo Makoto

Another experiment successfully concluded! This one was a combined effort of two neighbors: chef Julian Baker of Le Zoo, and Anthony Micari of Makoto, both of which you can find in the Bal Harbour Shops. Both chefs are also Cobaya alumni of a sort: Baker hosted Cobaya Experiment #40 while at Toscana Divino, and Makoto Okuwa cooked for us at Makoto for Experiment #32.

Cobaya #75 was a true collaborative effort, with each dish reflecting contributions and components from the French side at Le Zoo and the Japanese side at Makoto. And in order to bridge the gap between the two kitchens, they set up one long table for us in the middle of the breezeway at Bal Harbor Shops, right over a glassed in koi pond. You can see pictures in this Cobaya Le Zoo Makoto flickr set, and stay tuned for a more fulsome recap at Food For Thought. Here is the menu they put together:

Toro Niçoise

toro zuke, pickled haricots verts, szechuan egg yolk, kabocha tempura, niçoise olive

armagnac, yuzu, champagne, absinthe spray

Japanese Bouillabaisse

aka miso, fumet, tsukiji market fish, saffron aioli, rice puff

Chardonnay, Louis Latour, "Grand Ardeche," Ardeche, FR 2015

Cervena Red Venison Loin

cauliflower purée and roasted, lardo, belgian endive, juniper jus

Hitachino Nest White Ale

Duck Confit Kabayaki

robata royal trumpets, grilled garlic, beurre noisette

Pinot Noir, Domaine Danjean-Berthoux, "La Plante," Givry 1er cru, Burgundy FR 2015

Dark Chocolate Cremeux

yuzu, banana, sesame

mezcal and champagne

A big thank you to chefs Julian Baker and Anthony Micari, to their entire crews at Le Zoo and Makoto, to the folks at Bal Harbour Shops for giving us such a unique venue, and as always most of all, to the guinea pigs whose interest and support make these events possible.

experiment #75 - 11.13.18

BOO! It's time for another experiment, Guinea Pigs!

Quick Details:
Date: 11.13.18 (Tuesday)
Price: $93 (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 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 Monday 11/5 if your request has been confirmed. You'll then need to book your seats by noon on Thursday 11/8, 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 $41.50 beverage pairing; 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 #75 - choose # and pairing

1 seat (no pairing) $93.00 USD 1 seat (with pairing) $134.50 USD 2 seats (no pairing) $186.00 USD 2 seats (with pairing) $269.00 USD

cobaya SOBE 2019 - 2.21.19

Greetings Guinea Pigs! We know it's a long way away, but we've got a pre-sale opportunity for you for our upcoming dinner in collaboration with the South Beach Wine and Food Festival.

This will be our fourth collaboration with SOBEWFF, and we are very excited about the lineup - but in Cobaya tradition, we're going to be doing this pre-sale blind. (If you're interested, email us and we'll give some very oblique hints and see if anyone can guess the chefs).

The dinner is going to be Thursday February 21, 2019 with a 7pm start time. Tickets do not officially go on sale until October 8, 2018 but we're able to offer Cobaya members the chance to buy seats early. Even better, we're able to offer you a discount! Regular pricing for the $250 per seat tickets, inclusive of sales tax and processing fees, would be a total of $278.50. But if you purchase now through this pre-sale, Cobaya members will pay only $249.00. Plus, you'll assure yourself of a spot.

There will be no lottery for these seats - it's first come, first served. Note that unlike our usual events, the SOBEWFF dinner is inclusive of wine pairing. This pre-sale opportunity expires Monday September 24. The chefs will be revealed September 25, and if seats remain you'll have a chance to buy at the regular pricing on October 8.

[sorry, pre-sale is now closed; but you can get tickets at the regular pcie on the SOBEWFF website: Cobaya Dinner hosted by Michelle Bernstein, Angie Mar, Hedy Goldsmith & David Plonowski]

In order to match up the seats, we do ask that when you purchase, please send us an email to reserve@cobaya.miami confirming your purchase, and giving us your full name and the email address for us to send you tickets when they are issued.

For tradition's sake, 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.

experiment #74 - Cobaya Three with Chef Norman Van Aken

We've let a little time slip without reporting back on Experiment #74. It was a great one, with one of South Florida's true culinary legends, Norman Van Aken, at his new restaurant, Three, in Wynwood.

You can see all the pictures in this Cobaya Three with Norman Van Aken flickr set, and read a recap at Food For Thought.

Here's the full rundown on what we had:

(and stay tuned for an announcement later today about pre-sale, discounted tickets for our fourth collaborative Cobaya dinner with the South Beach Wine and Food Festival coming up in February).

Chilled Lobster "Vuelve a la Vida", mezcal, avocado, jicama salad

Segura Viudas, Brut Rosé Cava, Spain

Barbeque'd Green Asparagus, smoked benne seed, summer lettuces, preserved citrus

Domaine Sigalas Assyrtiko, Santorini, Greece

Wood-Grilled Foie Gras Shawarma, pineapple al pastor, shishito kosho yogurt

Seresin Sauvignon Blanc, New Zealand

Yellowedge Grouper Cooked in Seaweed, miso baked turnips, meyer lemon bonito butter

Granbazan Rias Baixas Albariño, Spain

Slow-Roasted Heritage Chicken: Hainanese Chicken Rice

Super Chicken Arepa, grilled corn butter, guasacaca

Brooks Willamette Winery Pinot Noir, Oregon

Tree of Life, baobab mousse, hibiscus curd, yogurt cake, honey-lavender cream

La Spinetta Moscato, Italy

The Guanaja, devil's food cake, guanaja cremeux, milk espuma, roasted white chocolate ice cream

Morellino di Scansano, Sangiovese, Italy

A huge and heartfelt thank you to Chef Van Aken, to his long-time right-hand man Jeffrey Brana, to Three chef de cuisine Juan Garrido and pastry chef Mame Sow, Three GM Brian Diaz, and the entire crew at Three who made our dinner a memorable experience; and as always most of all, thanks to the guinea pigs whose interest and support make these events possible.

experiment #74 - 7.25.18

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

Quick Details:
Date: 7.25.18 (Wednesday)
Price: $95 (inclusive of tax and tip)
Start time: 7pm

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 7/17 if your request has been confirmed. You'll then need to book your seats by noon on Friday 7/20, 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 the Cobaya website. 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 $45 beverage pairing; 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 #74 - choose # and pairing

1 seat (no pairing) $98.00 USD 1 seat (with pairing) $144.50 USD 2 seats (no pairing) $196.00 USD 2 seats (with pairing) $289.00 USD

experiment #73 - Cobaya Upland with Chef Justin Smillie

We've been working for quite a while to line up a Cobaya dinner with Justin Smillie, the New York based chef of Upland, who opened a second location in Miami Beach's South of Fifth neighborhood a little more than a year ago. So when things finally came together, we launched it, even if it was less than a week since our last event. His dinner was entirely off-menu but entirely in keeping with the "California cuisine" spirit of the place.

You can see all the pictures in this Cobaya Upland flickr set. Here's what we had:

ONE

spinach, asparagus, fava, artichoke, crispy mushroom, cotija

Lanson Brut Rosé NV

TWO

crispy coconut soft shell crab, hemp + soft herbs

Adams & Haart, Goldtropfchen, Riesling Kabinett, Mosel, Germany 2016

THREE

hot smoked tuna cheek, spicy mango

Chateau d'Epiré, Savennieres, Loire Valley, France 2014

FOUR

salt marsh lamb BBQ, sweet potatoes, sprouted lentils + green sauce

K Vintners Guido Sangiovese, Walla Walla Valley, Washington 2013

FIVE

strawberries, vanilla ice cream, granola

La Chapelle de Lafaurie-Peyraguey, Sauternes, France 2012

A big thank you to Chef Smillie, to his CDC Francis Derby, to the wonderful crew at Upland for keeping everything running so smoothly, and as always most of all to the guinea pigs whose interest and support make these events possible.