Spontaneous Moto

When our reservations at Schwa were cancelled at the last minute (we were parked 1 block up on Ashland waiting for our dinner companion) due to problems with their gas line, we had to scramble to find a substitue capable of curbing our disappointment.  C'mon!  We'd driven down from Pleasant Prairie and, if not dressed up, we had at least had gotten into garb acceptable for Schwa -- heck, Thrifty had even unstuffed her pockets and was carrying a purse!
We quickly drew up a short list of places we'd really to try, and determined that heading to Fulton Market had the advantages of easy potential parking (or valet) and two restaurants of interest (no, not Next, but Moto and The Publican).  A quick call to a friend to get Moto's number (none of the 3 of us wants a phone that is smarter than we are), a call to Moto, and we were on.  Don't try that on Friday night at 8 PM, but at 6 o'clock on Wednesday, we were in luck.

http://www.motorestaurant.com/


The interior of the restaurant was redone about a year and a half ago, so it looked a bit unfamiliar to all 3 of us -- none of whom had been there more recently than 4 years ago.  We were ushered into what felt like an Alice in Wonderland booth (picture something with seat backs upholstered in striped linen and stretching up for nearly six feet), and dove into the experience with gusto.

What follows is narrative of the 10-course tasting (vs. the 20-course GMT), with notes by our friend Mike -- aka Beer Boy or Bacon Dude, depending on the day and our mood.

Moto, 25May2011

Ten course dinner

Wine

Glass: Thierry Laffay, "Vaillons," chablis, 2008

Glass: Shafer, "Red Shoulder Ranch," chardonnay, carneros, 2008

Bottle: Clendenen Family Vineyards, syrah/viogner, santa barbara county, 2004

Food

Amuse

Menu written in edible ink on thin slice of grilled toast, flavored with lemon zest, with green beans and olive bits.  10-course menu "printed" on one side; 20-course GTM printed on the reverse:

1) Sake & Sea Salt

"Snow man" made of sake & lemon foam, with Haiwaiian salt for eyes and pink peppercorns for buttons; served standing on top of ahi tuna tartare seasoned with lemon

2) Foraging

Truffle & bread puree; spinach-ramp crumble (to stand for the "dirt" of foraging); oyster mushrooms; asparagus; cauliflower; micro-watercress

3) Vichysoise

Seared halibut with a potato-leek sauce; sauteed leeks; potato crisps; parsley powder dipped in liquid nitrogen

4) King Cake

Sponge cake filled with Alaskan king crab, topped with a lemon-cream cheese frosting;  butternut squash ice cream with Old Bay on top of graham cracker crumbles; poached fennel ball with fennel leaf puree

5) Quail with Cracker Jack

Seared Texas quail on a GrannySmith apple and Coca Cola puree; candied peanuts; popcorn powder; edible starch paper with a cherry surprise on the back

6) Corn Bread

Sous vide capon breast; pulled, smoked capon thigh; corn bread puree; carrottop and micro-green salad; powdered bacon, powdered cornbread, and powdered jalapeno; topping of sage oil poured out of a candle  (the dish was way better than the photo):

7) Nuac Man

Pork belly cooked in nuac man sauce (dark caramel, garlic, lemongrass, galangal, and chilies); beach mushrooms sauteed in togarashi; bonus mushroom puff/cheeto made out of maitake; braised cabbage

8) Bleu Cheese

Warm custard made from Roaring 40s blue cheese (Australia); pear puree; gala apples compressed with lemon and thyme; chamomile tea foam

9) Pineapple & Coconut

Vanilla-infused pineapple; wintergreen foam; coconut powder; banana mint; pineapple puree; sassafras sorbet  

10) Earl Grey & Chocolate

Earl Grey ice cream with cookie crumbles and dark chocolate mousse; lower layer of greek yogurt with raspberry jam

Ending Amuse

Toothpick of edible packing peanut with lemon zest and olive oil, dipped in liquid nitrogen; served resting atop/inside a beaker containing ginger-pineapple soda with white rum & green chartreuse

The verdict:  Molecular gastronomy has matured at Moto -- they have moved well beyond the 'gee whiz' phase to a point where techniques and technology are harnessed in service of some really delicious results.  Although one of us is still uncertain about the edible packing peanut that accompanied the wonderful after-dinner liquid quaff, there were no clunkers (or even just so-so dishes) in the entire 10 + 2 course extravaganza. 

And finally, it is easy to love the work of Executive Chef Homaro Cantu -- we love watching him and his exploits on tv because of the contagion of his enthusiasm and the sheer pleasure he obviously derives from all things geeky.  We have to believe that food tastes better when we are confident the chef is having fun.