I love to eat.
This is why I even started a blog in the first place – to document all the things I loved to eat and cook and eat some more.
Over the years, this has lead me to some amazing meals from the very lowest in a simple hut by the side of a road to very highest end with world renown chefs and glitzy surroundings. Each meal has its own special memorable quality that is a magical ratio of flavor to creativity to ambiance/service.
My recent meal at Spoon has made it into the top 5 meals I’ve ever had. Spoon is a new seafood restaurant by the infamous John Tesar that focuses specifically on using sustainably caught fish from top sources.
Given that we DO live in land-locked Dallas, I can’t claim that this restaurant is better than any seaside town’s seafood, but I was really blown away by the creativity of the menu backed up by the amazing and complex flavors that powered every dish.
For the Valentine’s day weekend, Colin took me here and we chose to do the chef’s tasting. It was truly a journey through the creative mind of the chef by way of the sea.
Here, Colin models the amuse bouche of tuna in a sweet cone. I liked the crunchy sweetness against the cool, tender fish as a nice clean start to the meal.
Then the meal went on through (from my memory, so pardon me if I’m off):
- Smoked Skate with creme fraiche & caviar (Rich and meaty flavor on firm flesh)
- Truffle Oyster soup (umm, ridiculous)
- Sofrito topped scallop and a leek and something citrusy broth (so many great flavors playing together)
- Arctic Char on pea puree (perfectly cooked and the pea puree inspired a meal I made later that week)
- Some fish with prosciutto and shisito pepper in lobster broth that rivals the broth I had at La Perla in San Juan for its intense flavor
- Lobster agnoletti (decadent)
By now, I was dreamy eyed from all the sensuous flavors, perfect service, charming company. With no room for dessert they still brought us a lovely plate of little bonbons.
I really felt like I’d made love to the chef through all these ingredients coming together in a flavor symphony . That’s the way a special meal should be!!!
I was so moved by the food that I walked back to personally thank all the chefs. I highly recommend you go check out Spoon if you are in Dallas. There is so much more on the menu I want to try. Take your time and soak it all in!