Feast Blog

I repeatedly said that for me, going to Ubuntu is like going to church; my spirit is awakened, wounds in the soul are healed, and exaltation is experienced. I went in yesterday on the tail end of a very bad day and left with a sense of spiritual renewal. It is quite frankly, my favorite restaurant in the world and with the exception of one course (the carta de musica), every single dish that was served was brand new to me so my sense of wonder at the artistry coming from Jeremy and Deannie Fox continues to appreciate. As usual, I called ahead to pre-order a tasting menu (not yet available on a day-to-day basis, I understand, but something planned for the future). So what was served may not be on the standard menu…  My biggest regret is that my new camera dysfunctioned by the fourth course. Hopefully the guest I was dining with will give me a link to his photos since I have so few. When we arrived, I ordered a bottle 2007 Seps Estate Napa Valley Viognier for the first part of the meal. For the latter part, I brought with us a bottle of 1978 Château Beychevelle, Saint Julien. The Viognier proved a perfect pairing for the “cold” dishes and by the time our hot dishes arrived, the age and softness of the Beychevelle worked excellently as well.

1. Cool ‘Athena’ MELON and LEMONGRAS purée with whipped coconut milk, ‘diva’ CUCUMBER, basil seed “caviar.” A year ago I had the slice of melon which had been brûléed in a different, watermelon-based soup. Now it was paired with a creamier coconut milk soup but heightened with the basil seed caviar and cool, crisp cucumber. A beautiful start.

Immediately after our soup, our utensils were whisked away and we were told the next few courses were to be dined upon with our fingers.

2. Crunchy RADISHES, crème fraîche with nori, mustard-banyuls, HONG VIT, and black salt. Served on a hunk of sheet rock, the radishes were laid out atop the layer of decadently-scented crème fraîche. We had great fun scooping up the dressing with the radishes and when the vegetables were gone, scooping up the dressing with chunks of bread.

3. PADRONS with flowering ‘banana’ MINT, chickpeas in Napa Smith ale, sauce romesco, smoked maldon. This was a two-part dish; sweet fried peppers were topped with fritters of clustered, fried chickpeas. Served alongside was the Romesco sauce. I’m not sure which were enjoyed more, the pure essence of the padron peppers or the batter-encasing chickpeas.

4. Carta de Musica with virtually the entire SUMMER GARDEN, barely dressed with ’round pond’ olive oil, lemon and sea salt, truffled pecorino. Eating this without utensils was a new experience; more visceral and personal. Instead of the usual long, silvers of Pecorino cheese, now the slivers were rolled up into rounds and it made it easier to scoop up the bounty of fresh vegetables.

5. A simple slice of ‘gem’ avocado, ‘cape’ GOOSEBERRY, local sea salt, cast-iron bread. A whole version of this avocado was served so that we could see just how monstrously huge it was and our charming waitress delivered it as “Av-foie-cado” has it has the highest fat content of any other type of avocado. Simply served, we were given large slices served next to a simple Cape Gooseberry and preserves. We would take a chunk of the avocado and spread it on the warm, salty flat bread which was served in a warm, cast-iron skillet (yes, at this point we were given our utensils back!). I was reminded of an anecdote where someone was served a simple peach as a dessert at Chez Panisse and now understand how the brilliant fresh taste of a single ingredient can be so impressive.

6. ‘Forono’ BEETS baked in a ROSE GERANIUM salt crust, ‘alpine’ STRAWBERRY, pistachio with soy milk, AMARANTH. Before this dish was served, the waitress brought out a Le Creuset cast iron skillet to show us the decorative smiley face that had been designed in the salt crust. When plated, we were each presented with quenelles of roasted beets, plated with the unctuous sauce and contrasted delightfully with the small, powerful strawberries.

7. ‘Oxheart’ CARROT mille feulle, NASTURTIUM panade, purée of peach and ‘noyau’, peppery NASTURTIUMS, ‘delfino’ CILANTRO. The ‘noyau’ was their version of a spicy mayonnaise. So much creamy goodness in this beautiful dish colored all with orange — from the carrots to the peaches. So rich, the nasturtium panade was an amazing complement to the richness of the carrots and peaches.

8. Chowder of barely formed BEANS & SUNFLOWER hearts, ‘luscious’ CORN, barigoule, TARRAGON, future sunflower seeds. I was getting full but this dish simply blew me away. A plate of of the beans and sunflower hearts was presented and the sauce was ladled tableside from yet another Le Creuset pot.

9. A ‘sunburst’ SQUASH, named “Merrick” by Chef Jeremy, with young COURGETTES scented with our vadouvan, BASIL. It was over this dish that the four of us dining bonded. Our server brought “Merrick” out to introduce us before he was prepared. Named after the Elephant Man, John Merrick, he was a mis-shapen squash of incomparable beauty and guile. Being one who names her creations, I had an affinity to Merrick and all that he stood for; Jeremy’s garden, the transmutation of the basic into the extraordinary, and the personalization of the intimacy of the ingredients. Once served, Merrick was plated alongside some miniature versions of himself, smaller courgettes and paper-thin slices of the squash, fried and served alongside the steak-like portion of Merrick. The vadouvan was the perfect choice to supplement the sweetness of Merrick with the well-integrated aspects of basil that did not over power.

10. Freshly-dug POTATOES, roasted then crushed, SHISO salt, garlic butter with lemon and miso, FICOIDE GLACIALE, smoked NETTLE. This was yet another dish that was shown to us before it was plated and served; three roasted potatoes, a Peruvian purple, a French fingerling, and a Rose (Klondike?) potato. Showed whole, they were trussed up with herbs but once served, were chunked alongside the ice plant and smoked nettle. Served as a dipping sauce was the miso butter. I had to fight the temptation to just dump the dipping sauce all over the potatos, but it was great to taste the flavors of the potato [i]au natural[/i]. I was getting full but these were so hard not to eat.

11. “French Onion Soup,” heirloom ALLIUMS, Deannie’s brioche, LEEK ash, “midnight moon.” I was fairly convinced at this point that I was going to burst, but the serving of miniature Staub pots with the aroma of the melted Midnight Moon cheese drew me in. Small roasted onion were hidden under generous slices of Deannie’s brioche which were topped with the melted cheese. There was only a hint of broth as the true joy of a French Onion Soup [i]is[/i] the cheesy crouton after all. They essentially did away with the complication of cutting through cheese toast that is on top of a bowl of soup by doing away with most of the soup and leaving all the rich oniony, cheesy goodness.

I have to emphasize the progression of dishes, from cool and light to hearty and satisfying was brilliant. At the beginning, one of my guests expressed concern about the small servings; he was worried that he would still be hungry, eating nothing but small plates of light vegetable dishes. By the time we were in the middle of the chowder, his fears were assuaged and I had to caution him that we still had a way to go.

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12. STRAWBERRY-hibiscus popsicles with ‘chocolate’ MINT. Served in a small shot glass, this was more of a clean, inviting palate cleanser. A juice with a bit of spritzer and yoghurt with the juice, small bites of tapioca were gems of strawberry flavor nestled on the bottom of the glass.

13. Stuffed SQUASH BLOSSOM fritters, stuffed with ‘santa rosa’ plum jam, NASTURTIUM ice cream, HONEYCOMB. The Fried Dough Ho in me was more than thrilled with this offering. The squash blossom was stuffed with jam, fried, and served on top of the ice cream. It was easier to go back to our earlier utensil-less fashion by scooping up the ice cream with the squash blossom and eating with with our hands.

14. Chocolate and BLACKBERRY soufflé with chocolate brittle and NASTURTIUM ice cream. Our server was downright giddy with the surprise ending as this was apparently a last-minute change to what had been planned for dessert. Perfect soufflés which were not too sweet were studded with fresh blackberries. I think the strength of this otherwise simple dessert was the fact that they were not overly sweet and the bites of fresh fruit were unexpected bites of richness. They were served with more of the nasturtium ice cream, a scatter of more berries, and sheets of chocolate brittle. But for me, it was all about the soufflé.

I am getting awfully jaded; every time I visit Ubuntu restaurant, with the exception of the signature cauliflower cast iron pot and the lavender almonds, I am served a varied assortment of new and breathtaking dishes. This weekend’s adventure took place with two girlfriends, both of whom thought we were stopping at a vegetarian restaurant “for a light salad.” I love blowing people’s minds…

We started with all of the “bites:” Castelvetrano olives marinated in mizuna pesto, chickpea fries with herbs and piquillo romesco, and marcona almonds with lavender sugar and sea salt. The chickpea fries were delicate and light – crisp and crunchy on the exterior and light and fluffy on the inside and the pesto concoction on the massive olives reeked of bright freshness.

Thus began the onslaught of delight from Chef Jeremy Fox’s kitchen… First up was a salad of fingerling potatoes, lightly
smoked sauce gribiche, ficoide glaciale, black garlic, capers. The last potato salad I had at Ubuntu was almost a year ago and was made with purple potatoes and the progression of Chef Fox’s skill depicted in a simple potato salad is impressive. I’m not sure if a year ago, their garden was producing the exciting offerings which now show up in the dishes like the bright and crunchy Ficoide Glaciale that is in this potato dish.

Our next offering was a “soup” of winter squash and courgettes served with tomato consommeé (poured after the photo was taken) with avocado cream, miniature tomato “raisins”, squash, and a few dots of concentrated balsamic. This was an elegant combination of so many flavors that melded together so serenely and expressively.

I love the kitchen’s offering of “Today’s Leaves and Things (amaranth, figs, apples, plums, tomatillos, pansies) dressed lightly with regina olive oil, mustard and sea salt. This dish is the perfect example of opulent freshness; served on a paper-thin crisp of brik, the combination of fruits and vegetables juxtaposes the richness of the soup we just consumed by the raw experience of pure freshness.

I don’t have an exact description of the next offering other than it was a melange of carrots to astound the taste-buds… With a hint of vadouvan spices, there were a cluster of large, braised chunks of carrots, quenelles of carrot mousse, delicate spears of fresh carrots from the garden, a bit of carrot foam, and a sprinkling of flower petals. Stylistically, the colors and composition made this one of the most beautiful, Van Gogh-like displays of food I have ever seen. Flavor-wise, one cannot imagine that so many different taste components could be provided by a single ingredient. It was hard for me not to lick the stone tile it was presented on.

The ubiquitous cauliflower in a cast iron pot arrived next and my friends were in a true state at this point. Both had tried to dismiss me ordering this dish as they claimed to “not care for cauliflower,” but impressed as everyone else has ever been with this unctuous, creamy offering.

What came next was beyond revolutionary and revelatory. One of my guests for this lunch was beloved friend, Leisl, whose Scottish heritage has her instilled with a deep and abiding love of lamb and potatoes and blood sausage. Health concerns have brought her to vegetarianism which was why I was so happy to share with her my favorite restaurant. What arrived next was Chef Jeremy’s version of Boudin Noir and there are few words to describe the synchronicity of this particular dish being offered on this day when Leisl was visiting, nor the actual tears of joy she experienced in tasting a vegetarian version of something she had so desperate missed. In a cast iron skillet was a layered confit of root vegetables and onions on top of which sat the “boudin noir” of rice, apples, root vegetables, vinegar and black pepper. As opposed to fake meat masquerading as a sausage, here there was simply a combination of flavors prepared in such a way to give a transcendent offering which when tasted, if one closed their eyes, would not know it was NOT a true blood sausage. Garnished with a quenelle of mashed potato and a poached egg, Leisl had to actually stop the lunch and begged our indulgence while she called her husband to share in the joy. We were all blown away.

Our next offering was a dish that my other guest, Kat, had specifically requested, local polenta finished with corn pudding, padrons, okra, green tomato relish, and amaranth. Creamy and rich, the polenta was studded with kernels of fresh corn and was brightened with the fresh roasted peppers and okra.

Thinking the polenta was rich, we had no comprehension of just how decadent and rich could be until the homemade macaroni and silver mountain white cheddar cheese arrived. Creamy and rich, the pungency of the cheese juxtaposed the creamy goodness on the tongue.

We were going to have them cancel our last course as we were getting beyond full, only to learn it was already fired and on its way; the homemade pizza with sauerkraut, emmenthal, purple mustard, with apples, garlic confit, and caraway all served with a poached egg in the middle. I have never had a sauerkraut pizza before and would never have thought it possible that something so seemingly innocuous could be such a mind-blowing experience. The addition of the poached egg provided a bright sauce to the deep, rich flavors of the kraut.

For the first time, I really had to insist that we couldn’t order dessert. As sad as I was to not have a smidgen of Deenie’s scrumptious offerings, there was quite simply no room left. I have to say that the innovations and offerings coming out of Fox’s kitchen are beyond comprehension to me. Every time I ask if there is a thought of a cookbook and then I wonder how he could possibly have the time; the menu seemingly changes so often that there must be several thousand of dishes in his arsenal now and how he could narrow down to a few hundred for a book would be quite an unenviable task. But, oh, am I ever hoping for one…

Over the weekend I agreed to meet a new friend for lunch in the East Bay. I was thinking something innocuous and friendly, like Fat Burger or some other unknown local eatery. Joe picked me up a BART and had other ideas; Napa’s famed Auberge du Soleil. Wow. All the years I lived in Napa, I had only had an occasional glass of bubbly or attended some private, catered event at the institution. I had never eaten off their menu…

We were seated on the terrace overlooking the valley that had been my home for so many years. There was some debate on how many courses to order and Joe forged through with one of my favorite philosophies: Order whatever you want. What a joy! Thankfully, bites were shared across the board so I got a good sampling of a fairly extensive menu. Joe was very sweet in letting me order the wine and considering the lovely warm weather, I opted for a 2002 Dr. Loosen Riesling which was lightly sweet with delicate hints of a floral aroma and a perfect balance of acidity. Overall, it was a great wine to pair with our day’s offerings…

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I have dined at Ubuntu in Napa a number of times – but always for lunch. A full report from last November, with pictures, is viewable over here at eGullet. Fortune brought me back into the Napa valley on a Friday evening and I convinced my sister to join me to experience dinner. Fortune could not have smiled more fortuitously as chef Jeremy Fox had just returned from New York where he prepared a meal for the James Beard House – and it was this meal we was recreating as a tasting. There is no way to express how lucky we are to have the likes of Jeremy Fox and his wife, Deanie, in our vicinity. In my last few years of expansive eating, little compares to the inventiveness and imagination being expressed in this Yoga studio. Besides my recent Ursawa experience, through this meal, this restaurant has moved very near the top of my best-of list.

A few regrets that I did not snap pictures of every course, but hopefully a full description will suffice. Having heard much of the watermelon soup, I was thrilled that a shot glass amuse was our first taste. Cool Watermelon and Lemongrass Soup made with coconut milk, basil seed “caviar,” and mint, the inside of the glass had a small smear of crème fraîche and a fresh miniature pansy. Thick and unctuous, the watermelon was immediately barely discernable, but evident by the red color of the offering and the bright and clean flavor behind the rich coconut milk.

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