Five years is a long time. If you’d told me five years ago that my crazy man and I would still be together today I definitely would’ve raised an eyebrow. Though I will admit, I’ve had a feeling about him from the start.
For our five year we decided to do it right. Charlie Trotter’s is closing in August, so what better time to pay him a visit? And what better occasion? We are lucky. We both work in the industry with people who have worked at Trotter’s, and we were able to get the reservation we wanted. We also brought the kitchen a bottle of whisky- because it’s just good manners.
The restaurant is more like a house. Trotter and his wife greeted people at the door with huge smiles and glasses of champagne. They wanted to know all about who we were and where we were from. They were thrilled when we told them it was our five year and we’d chosen to spend it there. Especially since they’re celebrating an anniversary too.
I do have to apologize for the photo quality in this post. Restaurant ambiance lighting is not kind to photography.
The menu is a set 7 course tasting and you choose either veg, or you decide to have a real dinner and eat meat. We chose meat. You can also choose the wine pairing or do wines by the glass. Because master sommelier Larry Stone is back at Trotter’s for their last few months we decided to go with the pairing. It was a good choice.
You’ll forgive me if I didn’t take the time to get photos of every course. I was a little busy.
Steamed halibut with green almonds, acorn fed iberian ham and lemon balm.
Arkansas rabbit loin with ramps, burgundy snails and mustard cress.
Off the menu- lobster with beet pasta.
Eric could barely contain his excitement. See how excited he is?
I have finished my off the menu stinging nettle soup and I’m getting a bit tipsy.
My favorite dessert. Toffee glazed banana financier with candied hazelnuts, date jam and frothed pineapple.
Off the menu cotton candy goodness.
Incredible finish. Off the menu brought out by the pastry chef who is good friends with my pastry Sous. I hate that I can’t remember what exactly all of this was. But I love that if I close my eyes I can still feel the chill of the sorbet and the different textures of it all.
By the time we finished dinner it was late. Really late. But that didn’t stop them from taking us on a full tour of the place. We saw the kitchen, the private dining area and one of the five incredible wine cellars.
Our reservation was 9:15 and we left Charlie Trotter’s at 2am.
It was by far the most decadent, delicious and lavish meal I’ve ever eaten. And I’m glad that we had the chance to experience the restaurant and food of the man who virtually invented fine dining- arguably the reason we both have jobs today.
It was a hell of a way to spend our five year and neither of us will ever forget it.
Thanks, Trotter.
I have had the opportunity to dine there 3 times for free through school. Its a great place and defintely have never had their food combinations anywhere else before. Glad you got to get in before the closing!