Carmen, Bizet's (only) masterpiece...

The Opera...

After an unenthusiastic première back in 1875, Carmen eventually not only becomes a probably one and only Bizet’s masterpieces; it is also one of the greatest opera of the operatic repertoire.

Simply, it is a blockbuster; Carmen a free-living girl advocates free love, counterbalanced by Micaela the good catholic girl and Don José a desperate lover…

Carmen is sentenced to death from beginning; a leitmotiv of pathos is associated with her… but I guess that’s a classic femme fatale, although she is not the one who conquers man; they simply run after her.

Carmen (Ekaterina Semenchuk) has a pretty traditional look and all spoken dialog was delivered in perfect French (at least for me). Great mezzo and she have really captured sexual/superstitious/vulnerable Carmen.

I’m not impressed by Don José (Paul Charles Clarke), in my view he should be more potent. Escamillo (Jørn Pedersen) was very convincing and very attractive character. As for Lieutant Zuniga (Kjeld Christoffersen)... well I’m simply disappointed by the cast director.


The starting scene… impeccable; unfortunately I don’t have a picture of the smugglers resting at night in the mountains. It was a perfect scene like painting of Goya, depicts a grim scene of turn of the 19th century Spain; rotten in body and soul.

Fantastic music with a lot of Spanish dances rhythms, a perfect scenography, and richer version, with the full spoken dialogue, which is a rear experience of Carmen.

A trivia for you: ‘Habanera’ moment when her ex-lover (Don José) stabs Carmen to dead is probably the most famous and popular melody from the opera, unfortunately for the mobile phones.

Don’t miss it.

Copenhagen, Operaen, Store Scene
Period: 08. November - 12 June

Master Classes, Jewels of Margaux

I had a chance to taste twelve quite magnificent wines from different vintages and prestigious châteaux and almost everything was an extraordinary quality.


Speakers: Alexander Van Beek, Henry Lurton, Dominique Befve and John Kolasa.


I'm deeply concerned about the future of the...


nine wine ready for tasting, and the last ones, Château Rauzan-Ségla 2001, 1999 and 1998 coming bit later...


Château Giscours 2003
Rubi at the rims this wine already showing some aging... round but with some hotness (88pts.)

Château Giscours 2000
More color than 2003, open and more feminine (89pts.)


Château du Tertre 2000
A blockbuster wine... (87pts)


Château Brane-Cantenac 2002
...

Château Brane-Cantenac 2001
Cedar, chocolate and quite complex. Nice stuff (90pts.)

Château Brane-Cantenac 2000
Excellent wine and drinking nicely now, but wait... (91pts.)


Château Lascombes 2006
This is almost purple and creamy black fruit nose. Nice taste but cant access this wine at this time.

Château Lascombes 2005
This is fantastic... it is almost unbelievable how the Château Lascombes is improving the last 6-7 years... and 2005 is amazing; you can drink now or you can keep it next 20 years... (92 pts.)

Château Lascombes 2004
Just nutty at this point but I'm positive it will develop in a real beauty (89pts.)


Château Rauzan-Ségla 2001
This is one of the most beautiful Rauzan-Seglas I've tasted until now. Gorgeous flowers, cherries, currants, licorice, some restrained oak. Fantastic (93pts.)

Château Rauzan-Ségla 1999
Not as good as 2001 and also bit different in stile but still very good effort (88pts.)

Château Rauzan-Ségla 1998
Beautiful nose with tobacco, spiced wood, leather... this is fantastic stuff and I'm sad I should constrain my self and spit... Elegant and full of lust (90 pts.)

Juleforkost v3.0

It's time for yet another… Christmas dinner. I guess the holidays are not just about hedonistic pleasure, but having gourmet dinner at M-Bar, always ends as such :-)

What we had:


Starter number one... Spicy Gazpacho & Vodka Shot (Spanish cold tomato soup), Tuna Sashimi, Smoked Halibut & Caviar, Asparagus with Salmon Eggs, Smoked Salmon with Lemon Candy, Crab & Crayfish salad and ricepapper Role with spicy crab


second... pan seared Foe Gras & pouched plum


me and...


l'Equipe ST-Ericsson...


pork chicks with applesauce and braised lemon, Christmas salad, mean dish washed down with...


quite good Lake Country Californian cab...


time for some cleansing... Champagne & Elderflower Sorbet with fresh basil...


and second main dish... Roast Beef with baby carrots, caramelized perl onions & beetroot glaze... and now we are seriously full.


But still some place for the Cheese Plate - Tallegio & Tomme De Savoie.


Paul Mac Avinie the Chef responsible for our hedonistic experiences in M-Bar.

As always, well presented, delicious looking and delicious tasting.

You can read more on M-Bar here:

• Gourmet dinner at M-Bar
• M-Bar, Revisited
• "Traditional" Danish Julefrokost

Midsummer House, a guest blog post

This is contribution from my friend Ruse; he has provided me with excellent commentary and pictures from his last gourmet adventure. It looks and reads delicious; enjoy!

Midsummer House - a Michelin 2-star restaurant in Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England.
Proprietors: Daniel Clifford and Russell Morgan.

Head Chef: Daniel Clifford - He has worked in some of Europe’s finest Michelin restaurants, working under the finest chefs including Marco Pierre White and Jean Bardet. Dream was to put Cambridge onto the culinary map. Achieved the first Michelin Star in 2001, an accolade which Cambridge has never had. In 2005 was awarded a second Star, not just putting Cambridge on the map, but also East Anglia as the first Two Star restaurant this side of England.

Age: 33
Awards: Two Michelin stars, four AA rosettes, Harpers and Queen Best restaurant outside London 2005, Tatler Best restaurant outside London 2006.

(Not really) fun fact - Since the restaurant is right on the river Cam, due to excessive rain it was flooded in 1999 and then again in 2000.

The location is story-like - an actual old, beautiful house in Cambridge, slightly and rightly hidden from the crowds.

Our choice was an 8-course tasting menu with extras.


Appetizer


Bloody Mary dish


Paris Mushrooms, Coffee, Ceps and Pumpkin 'soup'


Celery, Goats Cheese and Horseradish - crystallized beet/celery tube stuffed with goat cheese and horseradish ice cream


Hand Picked Sautéed Scallop, Celeriac, Grannysmith Apples and Truffle


Sweetbreads, Ox Tongue, Pistachio, Maple Syrup, Foam and Mouli - Sweetbreads is a specialty - it is the thymus gland and/or the pancreas of either a young cow or a lamb - you are in the UK after all


Salt Cod Brandade, Pineapple, Pork Belly, Crab and Langoustine - one of the stars of the night - excellent presentation, full of local origin and English tradition


Pousse Café with foam and egg


8. Pigeon, Sweet Potato, Cocoa Nibs - another dish that plays an important part and puts the whole tasting menu within context


Jerusalem Artichoke, Lychee and Rose - a great surprise, quite on the molecular side, strong flowery taste, cleansing effect


Chocolate and Praline...


an explosion - 7 ways to eat chocolate at the same time - a hedonistic spectacle...


homemade doughnuts - coarse sugar, warm, apple dipping sauce.

Overall a wonderful experience. Food, wine list, service and ambiance is top notch. A nice combination of strong English fare with a dose of molecular gastronomy (although I hate the term, the stuff is actually delicious) and an underlying French cuisine tone. The food has all the traits common to the world's truly greatest restaurants. Simple and elegant interior, friendly and knowledgeable staff, plenty of natural light.
We paired our food with a vintage bottle of Austrian Riesling and 2 vintage bottles of Red Bordeaux wines (1997 and 98).

To sum up - a first class dining experience, experimental yet traditional. A tasting menu dinner for 4 with French wine pairings will set you back approximately 800 pounds (200 per person), which is by no means modest but in most cases worth the trip, time and cost (especially these days with the sterling at its all time low).

My picks for December...

This is my wine picks for December.


2001 Château Moulinet, Pomerol
Ruby with brownish rim, ripe black fruits and mocha. It also have some earthy/farm note. Medium boded, very silky on the plate and well balanced. Again some ripe black fruits, nice and ripe tannins and very long and enjoyable finish ending with liquorice. Very nice and looking forward to see how it will develop in a few years. (88 pts)


2000 Les Pelerins de Lafon-Rochet, St. Estèphe
Dark red, with intense aromas of cedar, spice, coffee, chocolate, and plum. Full boded, dense wine, with fruit and creamy texture. Well balanced, sweet and rich. Long nutty/chewy (tannins) finish. (89 pts)


1999 Réserve de la Comtesse, Pauillac
Darkish read, woody-spicy on nose with some smoky, cedar. Medium bodied and well balanced but not very long. Nice claret bouquet bouquet. Drink up. (88 pts)

Roka restaurant, buzzword dining room

Roka Restaurant is one of London’s busiest dining rooms I've seen lately.

This is a "younger" sister of now famous Zuma (see the other post here) and obviously, it has a plenty of customer.

This is one of not so many Japanese restaurants (in Europa) that has a robata grill. Robata is a rustic form of grilling; translated as “around the fireplace”, it is actually the ancient Japanese home cooking custom.


The Shochu Lounge in the basement; this is genie distillery equipment for Shochu, ancient Japanese spirit (or Japanese vodka).


Up in the restaurant; wonderful big windows and the big wooden benches around large Robata Grill.

What we had:


Sashimi with fresh wasabi; presentation was great, but tuna was substandard...


pickled celery...


rock oysters rice vinegar and ponzu...


Wagyu maki with spring onion... ultra-tender and very interesting flavors...


juicy lobster and black cod dumplings...


fried eggplant with sesame miso...


boring stuff...


asparagus with sweet soy and sesame...


In my opinion, this is stand-out dish; black cod, grilled to perfection...


and the desserts are to die for.

It has a very comprehensive sake and wine list with several quite nice options by the glass.

At about 100€ per person for a tasting menu, including drinks will not break the bank; however, we expected a great food, which is not exactly how we feel at the end...

Anyway, this will become one of my favorite London restaurant and lounge.

Recommended.

Rating: 7.5 (out of 10.0)

Roka,
37 Charlotte Street
London W1T 1RR

Sushi Bar Atari-Ya

I found this sushi bar by chance and I'm amazed. It is a tiny place with fresh and high quality fish at amazingly low prices.


The Atari-Ya...


Scallop, snow crab leg meet, chutoro and soft shell crab maki...


Food simply melts in your mouth and while wait, you'll become fascinated by X-Mas spirit all around...

Highly recommended.

Rating: -

Atari-Ya
20 James Street
London GW1U 1EH