Cobaya 9/5/10 Dinner - Kats Out of the Bag

If you have received a confirmation of your seat request for the Cobaya Visiting Dignitary Dinner on Sunday September 5 ... you're in luck. Please go down to the bottom of this page and use the PayPal link to book your seats (please DO NOT use the PayPal link unless you have received an email CONFIRMING your request for seats).

In a break from our customary routine, I'm very happy to leak a little more info about our visiting chef. Katsuya Fukushima for the past fifteen years has worked closely with Chef José Andrés, including several years as the Head Chef of Café Atlantico in Washington DC. Katsuya helped open minibar, one of the more cutting edge restaurants in the country, as well as the more recently opened and acclaimed Bazaar by José Andrés in Los Angeles. He began work with Chef Andrés after spending a season at the legendary el Bulli in Roses, Spain working under the tutelage of Ferran Adria. So, yeah, we're kind of excited.

We have already received more requests than we have seats, but will be keeping a waitlist just in case seats become available. And if you're missing out on the dinner, you'll be able to catch Chef Fukushima on Iron Chef America on September 26.

As is customary, here is a brief 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.

Thank you as always for your support.

How Many?

1 Guinea Pig $115.00 2 Guinea Pigs $230.00

Visiting Dignitary Edition Dinner - September 5

Thanks to the many responses to the "trial balloon" to the Cobaya Gourmet Guinea Pigs group, a "Visiting Dignitary Edition" of our Cobaya dinners will be going forward on Sunday, September 5. More details will follow, but our visiting chef is someone whose name will be well-known to the food-core, who has worked for fifteen years with one of the most well-regarded chefs in the country, and who has been head chef of a restaurant that is on the leading edge of culinary innovation. I'm not usually inclined to such puffery, but I'm pretty excited.

We are going to need to limit requests initially to 2 seats per person, with a "wish list" for additional seats. If you have not already done so, please send an email to request 1 or 2 seats, and any "wish list" requests (use the "contact the underground" link to the right).

Pricing - tentatively - will be $110 per person all inclusive; though that is still subject to final confirmation (if it changes it won't be by much). The dinner will be the evening of Sunday September 5, with a start time likely between 7:30 and 8:00 pm. It will either be BYOB and/or beer & wine will be available for purchase on site. Final details will be confirmed very shortly.

In a few days you will be advised whether the reservation has been confirmed; when you have received a confirmed reservation, please book it using the PayPal link which will be set up on this page (please do not book until you've received a confirmation). There will be a deadline to book, after which unclaimed seats will be rolled over to the waitlist. We also will hold a small group of seats for a "lottery" for the people who do not have a lightning-quick response time on emails. Confirmed and paid-up attendees will receive an e-mail a day or so before the event, confirming the location.

As is customary, here is a brief 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.

Thank you as always for your support.

PODZILLA! - Chefs Jeremiah Bullfrog, Kurtis Jantz, Chad Galiano

We had our biggest group of guinea pigs ever (60+) come out for PODZILLA! tonight. The idea, as those who joined us know, was to have a casual, laid-back get-together with some of our former Cobaya chefs, with the culinary theme of the evening being elevated, American (very loosely speaking) street foods.

Chef Jeremiah Bullfrog, who did our second Cobaya dinner, brought out the gastroPod for the event, his mobile 21st century kitchen built into a shiny vintage 1962 Airstream trailer. And Chefs Kurtis Jantz and Chad Galiano, who were responsible for Cobaya Gras, offered their own unique spin on several classics.

The complete menu is listed below. I will follow up with more thoughts later and happily link to anyone else's recap or pictures.

Updates:

• A chef's-eye view from Chef Chad Galiano a/k/a Chadzilla).
• Bill of Tinkering with Dinner gives his take.
• Recap now up at Food For Thought.
• Eleanor (a/k/a Wokstar) has another recap and lots of pics.

Summer Spritzer

salted watermelon, tomato, tequila

Octo Salpicon

smoked paprika, red onion, lime, tomato

French Quarter Chicken Livers
hot pepper fluid gel, evoo-sea salt crackers

Brine Fried Chicken

Big Mike's potato salad, buttermilk-chicharrone biscuits

Crispy White Corn Cake

poached egg, oxtail gravy, queso cotija, crema

Bánh Mì Tacos

pulled pork in trotter jus, nước chấm, pickled radishes, cilantro salad

'Baha' Fish Taco Salad

50°C swordfish, cabbage, chipotle, tortillas, pico de gallo

Double Decker Slider Burgers

stuffed with bacon and double cheddar sous vide @ 59°C

Mississippi Delta Tamales

cornmeal tamale, tomatillo, tomato ketchup

Root Beer & Bourbon Floats

Zatarain's, lemon, Elijah Craig, vanilla ice cream,
cherry 'on top'

White Chocolate Cupcakes

foie gras butter cream

Many thanks to the chefs, to Chef Mike "Big Basco" Marshall (the fried chicken zen master), Carla, Steve, the incredibly appropriately named DJ Kiko de Gallo who was playing great tunes all night, as well to Shawn at Harvey's by the Bay for graciously providing us with the venue for our dinner, and to his kids, who were helping out nonstop all night (and also ate their weight in fried chicken). I forgot to bring my camera, so instead will subject you to a few more of my goofy "Hipstamatic" iPhone pictures.

Octopus Salpicon

Chef Jeremiah and the Pod

Chef Kurtis Jantz (Chad Galiano grilling chicken livers in background)

This is your brain on a root beer and bourbon float

PODZILLA! Sunday June 13

Sorry for the short notice, but it's time to have a litle fun: a casual get-together with some of our prior Cobaya chefs.

This Sunday evening, June 13 - $50 - start time probably 7ish.

Please send an email to request seats, and let me know how many you're requesting (use the "contact the underground" link to the right). In a few days you will be advised whether the reservation has been confirmed; when you have received a confirmed reservation, please book it using the PayPal link which will be set up on this page (please do not book until you've received a confirmation).

As with our regular Cobaya dinners, do note: 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.

Confirmed and paid-up attendees will receive an e-mail a day or so before the event, confirming the location. Hope to see you there.

UPDATED: For those who have confirmed RSVPs, the PayPal link to book your spots is below (you can update the number of spots after you click "Add to Cart"). Thanks!

PODZILLA! 6/13/10 Dinner - $50/pp