Culinary Quest

When I asked Chef Albright about his focus in the kitchen, he was very adamant with his answer.  "My focus is on freshness and an ever-evolving, seasonal menu.  I try to take the traditional and give it a new twist.  I like to take fish and give it a new preparation style."  And his inspiration?  "I am inspired from my travel and purveyors.  I have been to Hawaii, big cities, and around the world.  I like to give the food a cosmopolitan feel." 

I arrived at The Left Bank a half hour before my reservation so that I could take in the bar and talk to the bar manager/sommelier, James Gibble.  James has developed a very impressive martini list that is sure to tempt a connoisseur.  James equally impressive wine list had me wondering what I might order for an aperitif.  I was sure that James would have a marvelous suggestion for me, having experienced his wine knowledge before, but I decided to wait for my server's input. 

Although the bar is designated as a smoking area, the air circulation was more than adequate to disperse the tobacco smoke so that I was not bothered by the fumes from the handful of smokers present.  During busier hours, however, this may become more of a problem.  I cannot judge, however, from the few smokers present.  The bar does a nice business and is nicely stocked.  There are tables available at the back of the bar, also designated for smoking.

I introduced myself to the evening manager, Scot Kile, and was seated a little early, my date having cancelled on me.  Scot handed me the menu, the wine list, and the martini list.  Immediately, a young woman approached the table to ask if I would like distilled water, sparkling water, or tap water.  Taken by having a choice, I asked for sparkling water, and was asked if I would prefer Perrier or Pellegrino.  I chose the Perrier, quite happy that I could actually choose what I wanted to drink.  Momentarily the young woman returned with my Perrier and poured it for me as I browsed the wine menu.

My server came to the table, introduced herself, and asked if I would like a drink.  I asked for her help with the wines, querying what she would choose.  Looking me straight in the eyes, she said, "I love the Kim Crawford, Sauvignon Blanc.  It tastes like grapefruit and is really refreshing; unless you'd like a red."  I responded that I would like to try her suggestion, intrigued by a wine that tastes like grapefruit.  As she left the table, I buried my nose in the menu.

Such choices!  There was seafood of all kinds--bass, lobster, rare tuna with shrimp, oysters, to name a few, salads to delight any vegetable lover, filets, lamb, and chicken.  And there was no one cuisine that I could say was focused upon.  I saw Mediterranean dishes, French dishes, Hawaiian dishes, American dishes, and so many more.  Chef Albright truly is an eclectic soul using all of his cooking skills to please his customers' every taste and fancy.  As usual, I decided to ask my server to help me order a meal that would represent the restaurant in the best light.  This time, however, I decided to choose my own salad. 

The strawberry and Bibb lettuce salad with asparagus, goat's cheese and toasted almonds with white balsamic vinaigrette sounded too fantastic not to try.  It has the elements of springtime and flavors that I enjoy very much.  I absolutely had to find out how well these flavors interact with one another, and I want to see how the kitchen prepares and presents this salad to make use of the colors and textures of the various ingredients. 

My server returns to my table with the Sauvignon Blanc and asks if I am ready to order.  I tell her of my dilemma, and order the salad.  Next, we set about choosing an appetizer.  She informs me that The Left Bank is famous for The Left Bank flash fried calamari with spicy banana pepper parmesan cream.  I recall that Chef Albright had mentioned this dish to me, so I choose this to start my meal.  Now, we must pick an entree.  Chef Albright has recently returned from Hawaii where he was inspired to create the Nori and Panko crusted tuna and shrimp "Hapa Hapa."  This dish is described as rare tuna wrapped around shrimp in panko; flash fried with lo mein noodles with local vegetables and toasted macadamia nuts in sweet chili fruit salsa.  My server assures me that this is a delicious dish.  On her suggestion, I order it. 

I taste the Sauvignon Blanc.  This wine is sweet on the tongue, has a strong, pleasant grapefruit flavor, and an extraordinary,  dry finish.  This would be a great wine to enjoy with fruits or light cheeses or even by itself on a warm spring day. 

On the table, I notice a basket of bread and a plate of tapenade.  The tapenade is made of garlic, olives, thyme, olive oil, and a balsamic reduction.  When mixed together to make a spread, the tapenade is almost sweet to the tongue, but very enjoyable on the bread.  This is far better than mere herbed olive oil or butter.

My server brings the calamari, and I compliment her on her wine choice.  The portion size is large.  The calamari is not fried in a batter or bread crumb like one might expect; rather, it has been flash fried so that the squid is al dente--just the way it should be.  The peppers are spicy, the cheese mild, and the overall effect delicious.  I fear that all of the courses will be this large, and that I will end up taking most of my meal home in a doggy bag.

My server checks to see how everything is, and asks if I would like more wine.  I ask her to choose a wine to accompany my entree and to surprise me with it.  She smiles an clears my plate.

My salad arrives about five minutes later.  To say that the salad was huge would be an understatement.  The Bibb lettuce was piled high, surrounded with sliced strawberries, the asparagus, and almonds.  The goat's cheese was sprinkled over top of the whole of the salad, everything having been drizzled with the white balsamic vinaigrette.  My server asked if I would like some fresh black ground black pepper.  She would not have offered if it were not a tasty option, I rationalized, so I accepted a small amount. 

My friends, the taste sent rockets off in my mouth!  The vegetables were green and crisp.  The strawberries were red, ripe, and sweet.  The vinaigrette played off of the sweetness in such a way that it made the strawberries sweeter instead of hiding their flavor.  The asparagus had been cooked so that it was soft, but it had not lost its flavor.  The most interesting flavor combination had to be that of the goat's cheese and the strawberries.  You see, the goat's cheese was soft and creamy, almost tasting like a whipped cream, so that it melded with the strawberries to delight the palate in a familiar, yet heavenly unique way.  And who can forget the roasted shaved walnuts?  Their nutty flavor went well with everything on the plate, providing an additional crunch to the salad to give it a new textural dimension.  My server had asked how my salad was while I enjoyed it, making sure not to ask while I had a mouthful of food.

The water server stopped by my table to ask if I wanted another Perrier, but I opted for tap water. 

With my plate cleared, my server brought me a glass of Pinot Noir, Aresti, Chile.  This deep red Pinot Noir fills the mouth with flavors of berries and tones of apples.  It is full bodied, well-balanced and fresh.  The wine fills the mouth and has an extraordinarily long, dry finish.  I knew that Pinot Noir could accompany tuna, but I was not sure about rare tuna.  This would be a new experience for me.

The Nori and Panko crusted Tuna and Shrimp "Hapa Hapa" arrived and worried me a bit.  Not because of its presentation, but because of its enormous portion size.  I was afraid that I would be taking the lion's share home in a box.  The lo mein was delectable.  Sweet and fruity, the macadamias and pineapple were a magnificent accompaniment to the noodles and sauce.  The panko was flash fried, keeping the tuna rare and warm.  The shrimp inside the tuna had been cooked.  The tuna was cooked perfectly.  The flavor was just as it should be, that of the fish, whole and unmarred by cooking oil or charcoal.  Cooked tuna is very tasty, too, but it loses the flavor of the fish.  The shrimp was very good by itself, but even better when eaten with the tuna.  And, amazingly, the Pinot Noir intensified the pleasure I received from the tuna, just the way a good wine/food pairing should.  Again, my server gets a gold star!  When my server checked to see how everything was, I thanked her for the great choice in wine.  Impressively, I finished the dish without feeling uncomfortable. 

After clearing my plate, my server brought me a dessert menu, featuring Pastry Chef Nicole Feltenberger's creations.  Rather than trying to pick a single dessert from the list of choices, I decided to order the Pastry Chef's "small bites" Dessert Tasting, which includes samples of five desserts not otherwise on the dessert menu.  The small bites that I will be receiving are:  a Nutella truffle, a chocolate chip ricotta cheesecake, a pineapple soda float with mango ice cream, a cornmeal cake with avocado ice cream, and a s'mores cake. 

Also on the dessert menu, you will find a French coffee service with a choice of coffees, 100% Hawaiian Kona, Espresso coffees (regular or decaffeinated,) Newport coffee (regular or decaffeinated,) Harney Sons loose tea service with a selection of black or herbal teas, a choice of Ports, a choice of Cognacs, and a choice of Dessert/Specialty wines.  I have not enjoyed a good Port in a very long time, and decided to also order the Yalumba Antique Tawney Port, which, having been made in Australia, should not be called Port, but rather a premium fortified wine.  The terms Port and Porto are reserved for the wines made in Portugal.

The "small bites" is presented very nicely, with whipped cream, raspberry sauce, fresh raspberries and fresh blueberries accompanying the desserts.  I begin with the Nutella truffle.  The chocolate is rich and creamy.  The Nutella filling has the strong hazelnut-chocolate flavor you would expect.  As a truffle, this is a very satisfying, sweet dessert morsel.  Next, the chocolate chip ricotta cheesecake.  The small square of cheesecake is creamy and smooth.  It is soft on the tongue and lacks the sugary sweetness of a New York style cheesecake.  I expected this since I am very familiar with ricotta cheesecakes.  This is wonderful.  I am only sorry that it is such a small piece.  The pineapple float with mango ice cream is in a small glass that is connected to the serving plate, so although I will be able to eat the mango ice cream, I will not be able to drink the soda without great effort since my spoon is too large to get to the liquid.  The ice cream, however, is fabulous!  It is creamy and most definitely mango.  I expected a sorbet, but this lacks the ice crystals of sorbet.  This would be great as a dessert served over a tropical fruit salad.  The cornmeal cake and avocado ice cream is served as a sandwich.  When I heard "avocado ice cream," the first thing to come to mind was Iron Chef.  But I never expected this.  The cornmeal cake is sweet and soft.  The ice cream is refreshing and creamy, and definitely tastes like avocado!  I would not suggest serving this with fudge sauce any time soon, but it would not be bad on a waffle cone; however, the cornmeal cake is a perfect match.  Finally, the s'mores cake.... This concept has been presented 1000 different ways.  This dessert is a chocolate covered marshmallow on a graham cracker base.  Delicious, yes, but novel, no. 

Now I get to enjoy the premium fortified wine.  The Yalumba Antique Tawney is a 13 to 15 year old Shiraz fortified with brandy.  It has received a 96 on a 100 point rating scale.  I find it to be a sweet, rich, syrupy nectar.  This deep tawny liquid truly could be enjoyed by itself as a dessert.  Most definitely a drink that I would recommend to anyone.