With my Foodie BFF and fellow foodies in San Francisco, I went to Sorrel Restaurant for their Fourth Annual White Truffle and Barolo Dinner. Hearing so much about Chef Alexander Hong and Sorrel, I was very excited to taste all what they had to offer, and a few highlights of the tasting menu really stood out for me that night.

White Truffle Porridge. A delightful autumn dish with Red Kuri Squash, chestnut, and white sage. The porridge wasn’t heavy as I expected, especially since it was made of squash. A creamy texture with a slight savory and sweet taste along with a touch of Thanksgiving and Christmas from the chestnuts.

“40 Egg Yolk Hand Rolled” Tagliatelle. I rarely order pasta at a restaurant unless I know for a fact that it’s extraordinary or so much better than what I can make at home. Chef’s tagliatelle was exceptional. Hand-made, perfectly cooked pasta that was delicate – I would had never guessed that it was made of 40 egg yolks. Along with the farm butter and white truffle, I savored and enjoyed every bite because it slowly melted gently in my mouth.

White Truffle-Chestnut Flour Tortelli. Another exceptional pasta dish that blew me away. Comprised of Devil’s Gulch Ranch Rabbit, I didn’t taste any “gaminess” that rabbit tends to have. Instead, I tasted the intense, incredible flavor of the white truffle with the butteriness and light sweetness of the chestnut over the meat and pasta.

Truffle Butter Poached Haddock. Haddock can be quite bland, and brussels sprouts can have a bitter-like aftertaste, if not prepared well. In this beautiful dish, the espuma (the foamy, “sponge bath” of the white truffle for the fish) and “licorice” taste of the fennel not only enhanced the sweetness of the filet of the haddock but caused a bomb of variety of flavors of the ingredients in my mouth. The taste of the brussels sprouts was balanced by the espuma, and it was the best brussels sprouts that I’ve ever had.

Frozen Acquerello Rice. An alluring dessert with salted pistachio, butterscotch, candied orange and sicilian olive oil. A masterpiece, I examined every element and the overall work of art. I particularly enjoy the tastes of the ingredients mentioned, so by taking a spoonful of each element together, it blew me away. The pistachio and olive oil balanced the sweetness of the candided orange and strong flavor of the butterscotch.

As simple as the ingredients of each dish sounded, Chef Hong truly brought unique, creative approaches to each dish, especially with white truffles.

To learn more about Sorrel Restaurant and their upcoming menus, check out their website at http://www.sorrelrestaurant.com.

Happy Eating!

All images and content © 2017 Carol Vu, unless otherwise indicated.