Flying solo- that’s how I was rolling when rocking up to Bar Battu and (Mister ) Truffle Supper Club event two weeks ago. Daunting? One hundred percent. Exhilarating? More so than I expected. There is something deeply satisfying about extracting yourself from your comfort zone, and ultimately feeling good about it. Also, doing things on your own has the wonderful added bonus of getting to know some amazing people you might never have encountered otherwise.
The event itself was a supper club style encounter, which honed in on one particular ingredient-Truffles. I have not attended a huge amount of supper clubs, and certainly not any on my own. The reason for this being the cost of the event itself, I didn’t feel comfortable inviting or asking anyone to part with £70 to accompany me on my excursion. I myself found it hard to part with such a scary amount for an evening flying solo, but I was intrigued, and in a split second snap decision, and a few seconds of inputting some credit card details, I was officially signed up. Officially signed up, and officially palpitating- but ultimately excited.
I was one of the first to arrive, greeted with a smile and a glass of prosecco. I was quite blown away by the room in which I was about to spend the impending evening. So much effort had been put into setting it up, and the despite it being 7.30, the time it was all due to kick off, the waitresses were still perfecting every last detail. I wasn’t quite so prepared, and when I took out my camera to get snappy happy, my battery packed it in. Hence the terrible iPhone imagery, for which I apologise.
The table itself was charmingly set up, planted herb pots gracing the centre table, linen napkins tied up with straw, with little paper notes attached with hand written notes and phrases, mine reading ‘Good wine ruins the pulse, bad wine ruins the stomach’. Each name tag was handwritten, with a little ribbon of straw on each.
The meal itself was an 8 course affair, accompanied by specifically chosen wines to accompany each dish. We started with a taster of Confit Pork Belly with Apple, Date and Truffle Compote. The pork belly dissolved into a juicy extravaganza of flavour enhanced by the sweetness of the compote, the faint scent of truffle lingering once finished.
Roasted Garlic Bread with Grated Truffle was served unexpectedly as whole slow roasted heads of garlic, adorned with black shavings of truffle, alongside slices of bread. It was fun to watch people’s reaction to this dish, the majority not sure how to go about assembling the ‘garlic bread’. Eventually, shyness fell by the wayside and everyone just started tearing the cloves apart by hand. The man sitting beside me pointed out, quite rightly, that “we had fingers before we had forks!” Both of these courses were served with light and fruity Prosecco Brut.
Next up was Cauliflower Veloute with Truffle Creme Fraiche, served in delicate china tea cups. To me this dish resembled soup more so than a veloute. Having said that it was silky smooth, extremely tasty, and despite my lack of affection for cauliflower, I was enamored. Adding truffles to 8 dishes back to back requires a clever culinary mind, so as not to overpower or bore the diners palate. I though the truffle creme fraiche was an imaginative way of introducing truffle to this dish.
Following on from this was a welcome light dish of Spanish Baby Violet Artichokes with Manchego, Rocket and Truffle Vinaigrette. This was the least successful dish, lacking and definitive or outstanding flavour. Perhaps this was intentional, to serve as a palate cleanser, but none the less, a shame that it was ultimately forgettable. These two dishes were served with 2010 Cotes du Rhone, LA Romance Blanc. Clean and crisp, and very well matched to the dishes it accompanied.
Sea Bass with Leek and Truffle Vinaigrette, Roasted Jerusalem Artichokes and Gratin Dauphinoise with a truffle Cream Sauce left me a little underwhelmed. Simply because there were a few details which if had been executed marginally better, the dish would have been simply wonderful. Dauphinoise were a little dry and under done and the truffle here just wasn’t prominent enough for me. The fish was cooked to perfection, and individually the flavours worked, they just need a little more to marry the dish together.
Following on from this was Slow Confit Shoulder of Lamb Ravioli with Foie Gras and Truffle Jus. This dish was quite simply to die for. Succulent lamb encased in perfectly executed homemade pasta with a rich, velvety and almost sexy red wine based jus. Unfortunately the foie gras failed to stand out. I personally think foie gras as an ingredient does not have enough to stand up to such rich and intense flavours, which is why perhaps I found it difficult to detect. Foie gras is a delicacy which needs to be treated as such, and works better when it is the ingredient which shines on a plate. In other words, too good to be an accompaniment or vehicle for other flavours. The dish would have been good enough without. This dish was matched with 2009 Cuvee from the Languedoc region.
This dish brought the savoury side of the evening to a delectable end, and dessert was served. Chocolate Shortbread with a Dark Chocolate Truffle Filling, Vanilla and Truffle Ice Cream and Fresh Raspberries. Think of a classical concerto, and how it gradually builds and builds, working its way towards a crescendo which brings every element of that movement to the fore. Now imagine this dessert in the context of this meal. My palate was humming with the faint taste of truffles, but all of a sudden, it was unashamed truffle-tastic fantasticness. Truffles work incredible in sweet dishes-this is not something I knew, rather something I learned by having this dish. Delicious shortbread, with a luscious genache like filling, the ice cream smooth and silky, the raspberries the correct amount of acidity to balance the sweetness.
Coeur Neufchatel with Truffle Honey was a lovely way to finish it all off. Served alongside 2009 Maury Rouge, Mas Amiel, Roussillion.
And so, there you have it. Overall, I came away from the night feeling like I had experienced something really different, special and ultimately enjoyable. The food was surprising, exciting and despite a few hic-ups, executed very well over all. I imagine that the few down falls were a result of such an undertaking, as oppose to lack of skill or ability. My only disappointment was that there was no host taking you through the evening, telling you about the truffles, the dishes, the wine. Each dish looked like the truffles used differed slightly, and I wanted to know what they were. This for me was a big let down. I was looking forward to meeting the man behind the truffles, aka Mister Truffle. My interest in his product was what drew me to this event and the fact that he was not there was quite a disappointment, and I felt short changed by it in all honesty. Also, charging £70 for an event, it cannot afford to be anything less than perfect. If this is the case you run the risk of leaving a slightly sour taste in your guests mouths.
My overriding feeling is that this evening could have been so much more. There should have been more people sitting at that table who would talk about the event, would spread the word about this foodtastic evening, and about the people behind it. I.e. those in the kitchen and the staff who pulled this amazing event together. If I had hosted this event, I would have introduced every member of the kitchen and waiting staff to their guests, and given them the round of applause they so deserved.
The price leaves a lot to be considered I feel. If this were a more affordable event, even if that required a fewer amount of dishes, the likelihood is that it would fly.
Truffles are an indulgence, we all want to indulge. If the invitation is attractive enough, my guess is that truffles would not know what hit them.
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Posted in Restaurant Reviews
Tags: Bar Battu, Bar Battu Truffle Club Supper, Mister Truffle
