Glowbal's Secret Chef's Table

Generally, food quality and execution are pretty much the most important parts of a meal.  it is true that ambiance and service contribute greatly to the experience as well.  Now if we can get all those in one package, that would be an ideal situation.  However, it is not really all that hard to attain as one could merely plop a fortune on a destination restaurant for instance.  Now if you aren't up to spending that kind of cash in addition to traveling to the destination, there is something unique in our own city.  I was recently invited to Glowbal's Secret Chef's Table which is essentially a chef's private table in the downstairs kitchen at Glowbal.

Before we descended the stairs to the secret private table, we met in the lounge area where we sipped on martinis and were presented with some appies in the form of Beef Tartare as well as Oysters on the half shell.  Presented as a canapé, the beef tartare was a nice little bite featuring buttery beef dressed with enough silky egg and tangy whole grain mustard for effect.  The little dollop of horseradish aioli provided some creamy bite.  As for the oysters, they were classically accompanied by a cucumber tomato mignonette.  This was simple and appetizing that left us ready for the main event.  This was a nice way to socialize in the beautiful room at Glowbal (which is what they are known for).

Once seated, we served our first dish consisting of Scallop & Smoked Sablefish Crudo with lime caviar, ginger emulsion and watercress foam.  Both the scallop and sablefish were buttery soft and sweet (the scallop more so).  Only lightly smoky, the sablefish a bit meatier than the tender scallop.  The pops of acidity from the lime caviar kept things bright while the ginger emulsion added another layer of bite.  Providing the necessary texture, we found baby cauliflower strewn throughout.  Next, we had the Cured Arctic Char with mandarin pudding, shiso bavarois and cucumber gelée.  Also buttery, yet firmer than the crudo, the arctic char was flavourful on its own.  However, the shiso bavarois was intensely herbal and added a unique accent.  Loved the pops of brininess from the roe on top.

Featuring delicious components, the Lobster Ravioli sat atop a salsify and lobster puree.  This paired beautifully with the al dente pasta where the creaminess of the sauce was aromatic.  Meaty lobster tail meat sat the left of the pasta where it rested on peas and fava beans.  I would've liked to see more plump peas here as the firmness detracted from the lobster.  On the right, we found a perfectly prepared and seared piece of foie gras.  It propped up a fried zucchini blossom stuff with lobster and chives.  This was delicately crispy with a filling that was sweet and had an appealing rebound texture.  From here, we witnessed first-hand the preparation of the Plum & Champagne Granita with lemon balm.  Plenty of dry ice action lead to a tangy and refreshing palate-cleanser.

After our palate-cleanser, we moved onto something meatier in the Seared Japanese Wagyu (yes it was A5!).  To say this was sinfully delicious would be an understatement.  Seared just enough to activate the fats (so it wouldn't be chewy), the beef was tender and literally melted-in-my-mouth.  It was properly seasoned, but the side of black truffle croquette amped up the umaminess.  Completing the dish was smoked purple potato and compressed honeydew.  More meat lay ahead with the Smoked Pancetta-wrapped Lamb Loin.  Spot-on execution once again being medium-rare with crispy pancetta on the outside (and it remarkably stayed adhered to the meat).  We also found a fall-apart tender lamb cheek and a crispy lamb rack on the plate.  I found the bell pepper succo flavourful enough to provide both moisture and sweetness.

Trying to hit all of the red meats, we had the Venison Loin with beet & blueberry crumbs, fennel purée, roasted date and red currant foam.  Beyond the perfectly cooked venison which was moist and tender, the roasted date was the second best thing on the plate.  It was so intensely sweet and sticky, the level of impact was substantial.  Lightly sweet and earthy, the crumbs were a nice compliment to the venison and the sticky date.  Onto dessert, we were presented with the Jivara Chocolate Mousse with feuilletine, caramel and gold.  Stunningly plated, the chocolate mousse was contained within the chocolate sphere.  It was creamy and purposefully sweet while the feuilletine provided textural crispiness.  This was a fine way to end an amazing meal, but we weren't really done.

To officially end things off, 2 plates of Petit Fours were set onto the table.  As if we needed any more food!  My favourite was the chocolate truffles as they were rich with an appealing bitterness.  Now this was all fine and dandy, but the food was only a portion of the experience.  Sitting in the kitchen having a private 8-course tasting menu can only be experienced first-hand and words don't do it justice.  It is very nice to see that Glowbal is capable of such a refined and well-executed menu.  There was no pricing available at the time of this blog post, but I am curious how much this one-of-a-kind experience will set one back.

*All food and beverages were complimentary*

The Good:
- Unique experience
- On point execution
- Delicious

The Bad:
- How come these dishes can't be offered on the regular menu?  They are truly good!
- Not sure how much this will cost?