A Dazzling Dining Experience: The Kitchen Revisited (Sacramento, CA)
Posted: January 13th, 2013 | Author: LumDimSum | Filed under: Travel | Tags: Ella Dining Room & Bar, Noah Zonca, Randall Selland, Sacramento, Selland's, The Kitchen restaurant | No Comments »
Read More @ Source
A Magical Food Journey at The Kitchen (Sacramento, California USA)
After my first visit to The Kitchen restaurant last Christmas, we all fell madly in love with this little restaurant in the quiet and suburban town of Sacramento. It seems completely random to have such an exceptional restaurant in a very non-exciting town (I'm allowed to say this because I grew up here), but I'm stoked to discover probably the best meals of my life conveniently located just a few minutes drive from my family's home.
Second time around, it's now been officially made into a Sacramento Tradition. Now, I seems as if I can't come home to Sacramento, California (USA) and visit my family in the home I grew up in without also dining in the most extraordinary restaurant I've ever experienced – The Kitchen restaurant.
"Join us in our quest for the perfect bite." – The Kitchen in Sacramento, CA (USA)
About The Kitchen Restaurant in My Home Town: Sacramento, CA
The restaurant is all about extremely fresh ingredients produced by local farmers that are meticulously prepared and beautifully presented in a 6-course meal across the time span of about 4 hours. Much more than a meal, this is a warm place of spontaneity, character and passion for food that makes for an unforgettable experience.
"Using classic French techniques with California's bounty of world class ingredients and an unparalleled amount of energy combined with Vaudevillian theatrics Randall Selland is able to produce and present bold yet refined meals that will dazzle all your senses."
Just try reading the menu below and seeing a breakdown of my 4 hour dining experience through photos without drooling all over your key pad.
"We've learned how to build menus to create excitement so there's no filler courses. Every course has its purpose, every course has meaning and it's supposed to build to where by the end of the evening you go 'Wow, that was really great'." - Chef Randall Selland, Executive Chef & Owner
The Kitchen's Magical Menu for the Night
Although my previous dining experience at The Kitchen (click link to read all about it) was with Chef Noah Zonca (who was away on vacation), I was delighted to meet Executive Chef and Owner Randall Selland, who is equally as vivacious, hilarious and charming as Noah. He's quite the character and had us all in riots of laughter from the get-go. And we were even more pleased to hear that he was spontaneously switching out the fourth course's Piedmontese Beef Tenderloin with a different smoked beef that he guaranteed to be even better.
Sitting at the very front in the seats wrapping around the kitchen bar, up-close and personal with The Kitchen's team of talented chefs and staff, we couldn't wait to get started.
LDS Snapshots of The Kitchen's 4-Hour Dinner Journey:
ACT I:
The Kitchen's Preparation & Selection of Ingredients Presented by Chef Randall
Executive Chef Randall Selland Brings Out Fresh Live Lobsters, which then gets passed along the room
ACT II:
The Kitchen's Opening Dish
Lobster Shenanigans at The Kitchen: Spearheaded by Alan Wong
Luscious Maine Lobster
Buttered Maine Lobster with Puff Pastry Tarragon, Celery Heart and Mascarpone
Just under the stack of puff pastry is tender, chunky buttered Maine lobster. We were blown away by this opening dish, a meal that was clearly off to a very strong start. (I should have snapped a few photos of our bowls licked so clean you might think it came straight out of the dish washer.)
ACT III:
Second Plate
The Kitchen's Preparation Stages for Second Plate
The Kitchen's Assembly Line of Chefs Delicately Placing Ingredients for Second Plate
Guinea Hen Pot Pie with Parsnip, Onion, Potato, Kitchen 'McNuggets', and Gravy
INTERMISSION:
"Sushi & Sashimi Served. Walk Around. Explore. Relax by the Fire."
Intermission Line-Up of Fresh Sushi & Sashimi Share Platters
First in Line for The Kitchen's Intermission Sushi Buffet
Close-Up: Intermission's Savory Sashimi
My Intermission Sushi Plate with Fresh Wasabi in the Soya
ACT IV:
Third Plate
Chef Randall Prepping Next Course
Efficient Assembly Prep Line
Third Plate Served : Patagonian Toothfish with Artichoke Hearts, Pasta, Black Olive Tapenade, Goat Cheese & Lemon-Chicken Jus
ACT V:
Fourth Plate
Chef Randall Cooks with Fire
Wild Mushrooms for the Fourth Course
Fourth Plate: Medium Rare Smoked Beef with Mushrooms, Pork Jowl, Black Truffle, 'Cheesy' Potatoes and Cabernet
By this point in the meal, I was already so full I couldn't breathe so the fact that I finished every last bite goes to show how good this dish was. The cheesy potatoes were soft and gooey, the wild mushrooms were beautifully fragrant and the beef was remarkably tender and juicy. It was so tender and tasty, it was irresistible.
Act VI:
Tea Service with Herbal Tea Blends & Fresh Brewed Coffee
Herbal Tea Tisanes Blends Menu
Picking Your Own Custom Tea Blends Tea Service
My Choice Blend: Mint, Ginger, Lemon, Honey & Lime Zests
ACT VII:
Final Course: Dessert is Served
Dessert Plating in Back Kitchen Space
Chef Nancy Completes Final Touches to Dessert Plate
Dessert Served: Chef Nancy's Orange Custard Cake with Chocolate, Candied Walnuts and Creme Fraiche Ice Cream
Different Perspectives: The Candied Walnuts Were My Favorite
If you'd like to make a reservation at The Kitchen restaurant, you can either call (916) 568-7171 or look at their website here to book your table. We had to book our table of 7 over a month and a half in advance and they had not one more seat to spare. We were lucky to have gotten any seats at all!
This dining experience truly is incredibly impressive and if you're a foodie like our gang or a chef looking for inspiration, I guarantee you will be just as surprised to find such a gem like The Kitchen in a town like Sacramento.
And in this second visit to The Kitchen, I was delighted to learn that Executive Chef and Owner Randall Selland not only has a couple other restaurants like Ella Dining Room & Bar (named after one of Randall's granddaughters) specializing in "seasonal farm to table cuisine" in downtown Sacramento and Selland's Market-Cafe in El Dorado Hills, but they also have a few other exciting projects in the works. (Mental Note: Add to restaurant hit list for my next visit to Sac-town)
Beijing Family in Sacramento (Being the 7th Wheel is Only Fun With This Gang)
The Kitchen Restaurant Details:
-
Address: 2225 Hurley Way, Sacramento, CA 95825
-
Tel: (916) 568-7171
-
Website: http://www.thekitchenrestaurant.com/
Other Suggested LDS Articles:
The Best of Sacramento: 'The Kitchen' Restaurant
Best of LA: Gordon Ramsay at The London
Napa in a Nutshell: Wine & Dine Napa in Just 24 Hours
[Discovery]7 Wonders of China 中国七大奇观part 1/5
Comments