Forget underground supper clubs… Iliana Regan, who has had stints with Grant Achatz at both Trio and Alinea and more recently with Michael Carlson at Schwa, has something bigger in mind.
Typically, underground dining is all about the mystery. It's called underground for a reason. You have to know someone who knows someone as it's rarely advertised. With one club in particular named 'Clandestino' you get the idea. Eating in a strangers home with other strangers is, what else, strange. But in this case it's more than the novel experience. It's about the food.
Here the Chef is also the farmer/forager/gardener. Iliana hand-forages morels from a location she seriously wouldn't talk, even remotely, about. She hand-gardens and farms greens (when
possible). She owns One Sister Inc. where in addition to 'shrooms, she sells "pierogis, sprouts, pastas, decorative and edible flowers, berry
plants, baked goods, soups, and preserves." Many chefs have gardens but not many depend on them for their meals. In this case it certainly seems to be a major part of her inspiration.
This all results in some seriously wild flavor combinations throughout a dynamic 12-course
tasting menu. She does her resume justice. That she can even do this in an ordinary
residential kitchen is really a feat. The best news is you can try it
for yourself. The method is simple, a group of nice folks and a
suggested donation and this email. You get an address, a time and a suggestion for what
kind of wine to bring. In this case one of Alinea's ex-sommelier's was a stand-in (a ringer I tell you!).
After 12 courses you see what's important to the chef. Whimsy is a word that is used often with molecular gastronomy and tasting menus, and while there's some of that what struck me was intensity of flavors. The dishes were very focused and while the flavor intensity was up there the subtlety of them all working together so well was special.
The details after the jump.
Recent Comments