"Without foodies coming out and being excited about this, it wouldn't work!"
-Chef Marcus Samuelsson @ his cooking demonstration, Hilton Barbados
An epicurean's dream come true. As the Caribbean Sea crashed beneath our feet and its song crashed in our ears, attendees enjoyed hors d'oeuvres and rum punch as we eagerly awaited this once in a lifetime dinner experience the breathtaking Cliff Restaurant.
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| The Cliff Restaurant. Photo Credit: www.thecliffbarbados.com |
Once dinner service commenced, the band began to play on a boat at the end of the pier. With the choppy waves, this was quite the feat.
Once seated, I enjoyed conversation with a diverse group of table mates including a couple and local business owners of Cafe Luna at Little Arches Hotel and Cafe Sol, an oncology nurse from Virginia, and VP of Hotel & Resort Development for Harlequin.
Everyone was lovely. Later, Project Runway 2011 winner, the talented Anya Ayoung Chee, joined us.
Anya was friendly and personable.
Keep an eye out for her first boutique opening in Barbados soon!
Each course was paired with wine selected by King of the Vine, Joshua Wesson, Sommelier and Co-founder of Best Cellars.
Bread Course
Harlem cornbread with tomato jam and honey butter, a staple on Chef Samuelsson's menu at Red Rooster in Harlem, NY.
First Course
Swedieopien smoked salmon with pickled boiled egg, and teff noodles.
Wine Pairing:
Renancer Malbec Rose 2011
Chef Samuelsson, on a quest to find noodles similar to ramen, but lighter, introduces us to the teff noodle. Teff is gluten-free and is the grain used to make the traditional Ethiopian 'bread', injera.
The noodles were bathed in a soft miso broth and topped with smoked salmon, shredded veg , and pickled egg. On the side the egg and salmon was presented like nigiri-zushi.
Second Course
Oistins Surf & Turf
Roasted prawns, jerk bacon, and baked beans.
Wine Pairing:
Castle Rock Mendocino Pinot Noir 2012 (CA)- an overwhelming table fave
A Caribbean spin on another Red Rooster Brunch item was the Surf & Turf with spicy, tender brown beans, sweet, herb-rubbed prawn in lieu of egg, pikliz (sweet and sour pickled carrots and onion) and a sliver of crisp jerk bacon. Though this dish was not a table favorite, I enjoyed the heat of the beans.
Main Course
Moontown Dinner
Fried chicken thigh with red-eye gravy, bean puree, roasted local white fish, conch salsa, and macaroni pie
Wine Pairing:
Billecart Salmon Brut N.V- a personal fave of the evening
The fried chicken thigh was served over a bean puree with nice red-eye gravy, but fried a bit to hard for my liking and left me desperate for a steak knife. The fish was light and seasoned well with a vibrant conch salsa resting on top. The main course was pure comfort food!
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| Macaroni pie |
I forced a second serving of macaroni pie onto my plate! Its plump, tender shells were coated in rich, creamy, cheesy goodness with a nice encrusted top layer. The peppers added texture and extended flavor profile. Truly a favorite of the evening. I almost succumb to a third helping, but came to my senses soon enough.
Desserts
Lemon bread pudding with Bajan rum cream
Wine Pairing:
Errazuriz Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (Chile)
The enchanting evening concluded with Mount Gay 1703 Rum...a great digestif over good conversation.
It was a great last night in Barbados for this foodie!
