Providence 2.0
Happy 5th anniversary to Providence!
Ever since our first visit last October, we've been waiting for a reason to return. Having heard that Providence was offering their 5-course dinner for $65 (normaly $85), we had our excuse.
Upon receiving our menus, we noticed that quite a few of the offerings from the 5-course tasting were the same items we had on our last trip. So we asked if the chef would be willing and able to prepare different dishes, to which we were answered "yes".
1. amuse bouche - gougeres with liquid cheese center, wasabi marshmallow, Tasmanian trout with lemon gelee, japanese crackers, gold flakes, creme fraiche - The trout with lemon gelee was excellent. Light and refreshing, always a nice way to start a meal. The gougeres were nice and flakey on the outside with a creamy cheese filling. Wasabi marshmallow was enjoyed by one, as the second serving found its way to the floor (ie. Ray dropped it on the floor).
2. kumamoto oysters, traditional mignonette, cocktail sauce consommé - Still lacked the typically sweetness that we've had elsewhere. However, the cocktail sauce consomme was a very nice addition. All the flavors of the typical accompaniment without the tomato ketchup. The mignonette sauce had a subtle acidity with a heavy black pepper spice.
3. spot prawn tartare on homemade cracker made from deep-fried shrimp heads - Shrimp on shrimp. This was the first time we've had raw shrimp outside of ebi at a sushi restaurant. The raw preparation lacked any distinctive flavor. The cracker provided more of the essence of shrimp, however, it lacked the light-crispiness that would have made this dish more successful.
4. hawaiian big eye tuna, shimeji mushrooms, sungold tomatoes, assorted spring blossoms - This dish was more about quality ingredients than prepration techniques. As always, the raw fish preparations at Providence are of a high quality. The tomatoes were sweet and fresh. The blossoms, mushrooms and cucumbers provided nice contrasting texture and added a level of freshness.
5. liberty farms duck breast (sonoma, ca), blood orange confit, braised daikon radish, pea tendrils - Great texture. More closely resembling that of a quality red meat, but showed the distinctive "gameyness" of the water fowl. Didn't get too much of the blood orange, but the daikon was a nice addition. Not sure what the green dollups were, as the waiter failed to identify it, but it didn't taste like much.
6. wild black bass, tomato compote, olives, zucchini, candied orange rind, basil - A dish that exemplified Providence's skill with seafood. This bass was tender and flakey. Makes you almost consider giving up sea bass. Almost. The crispy skin is always a nice compliment on a fish preparation. The hint of citrus from the candied orange helped balance out the protein.
7. dulce de leche, miso panna cotta, blueberries, apricots, caramel crunchies - A very yummy dish. The dulce du leche was creamy and heavy. The presence of the bluberry cream was a nice counterbalance. Caramel crunchies added a level of depth with its contrasting texture. Only minor flaw was that the serving size was a little too big.
8. mignardises - spicy chocolate marshmallow, raspberry macaron, hazelnut
Having had such an excellent experience on our last visit, we came into this dinner looking forward to a similar experience. The food was not quite at the level of our dinner last October, but it did not disappoint. What did was the service. The wait staff seemed bored and/or uninterested in our experience. Food was served with little to no descriptions. Plates were put down out of order of the dishes we were to be served. Things you wouldn't expect at a 2 Michelin star restaurant. We hope that the restaurant and wait staff were simply having an off night. It's pretty amazing how a dining experience with good food can be ruined by mediocre service. We're not crossing off Providence from our list, but it might be a while until we return.
