The Escape

The Escape

Since Robin Leach could not make it to this event, I was happy to venture to a culinary adventure at one of the most exquisite restaurants in the world owned by Euphoria Estate.  Today we are at The Escape that is hidden in the hills of the coast.  Where is it?  That is some what of a secret for you have to be picked up by the chauffer and swiftly taken away not knowing where you may go.

It truly is an escape from the rest of civilization.  For when you arrive, you walk through lovely gardens of colorful herbs and flowers.  The smell of something sweet and savory is in the air.  As you arrive closer and closer to the multi-level structure of glass and stone, you see a small hut with a huge fire cooking sticks of bamboo filled with rice and skewers of meat with vegetables. 

The entire first floor is the kitchen that you pass by to get to the 2nd floor.  We were fortunate to be on the top floor with a sky light dome and windows all around.  If the weather is ideal, the windows are opened on the sides to let the breeze come through gently.  There is a mesh screen put in place to keep the insects out.

Technically, there are six levels to the building with one level below ground that is for storage of cured meats, pickled treats and wheels of cheeses of many varieties.  It would make the heart of any French man and woman smile.  The racks of wine are stored on the other side of the storage wall all categorized by region, year and quantity.  The ones that are more rare were behind a glass door.  Only the sommelier had the key to that. 

What a lovely sight it is to see the calm, blue ocean in front of us.  No matter where you sit, it is the same beautiful scenery.  Windows surround each floor for that perfect view of Nature at its finest.  You will not find any works of art hanging on the walls. 

Flowers were hanging off each side of the building.  It was a nice accent without it appearing as if the building was invaded by vines.  Every plant from the ground on up were in their places looking ever so brilliant.  The staff members who were picking the flowers were very gentle not to damage the natural beauty.

There were not any more than ten tables to each floor.  Five on each side and plenty of space for the many delectable dishes to be displayed.  From the looks of a few tables, I can see we are in for a treat.  Each table was a work of art.  I do mean the table itself as much as what was set on them. 

These were hand carved, granite tables smooth on top and intricate details on the sides and the legs.  Some tables had a floral design and some had vines and grapes swirled around.  They compliment the deep colors of the wooden chairs with dark cushions that were indeed comfy.

Unlike many dining establishments, these tables were extra long.  They appear to seat six, but only four chairs are present.  In case that was not long enough, there is a panel that folds up to extend another 18 inches. 

The granite floor was mostly light colored and simple with the double E emblem in the center.  Each floor had the emblem, but the colors of the floors were different.  It was enough to give you an idea of where you were without being too fancy or under stated.

There was carpet under each table to take in some of the echo and add a touch of warmth to the room.  A solid color to match the floor with grape vine or floral designs to match the table carving.  The carpet was large enough to extend to the chairs so that when one has to scoot back, the chair is still on the carpet.  This takes away any screeching noise that the chair can make on the stone floor.

The sun was the only light for the day.  At night, the lanterns were lit from the outside.  There were torches all around the hut and the walk way too.  The lighting was not too dim or bright.  It was ideal for the guests to see the sun set and the twinkling stars and feel as if they are having a picnic on the beach.

The idea is to be in as natural of a surrounding as can be indoors.  The room is to feel unobtrusive and almost one with Nature.  Why it is not an all out open air is because the weather conditions and insects would make dining less than comforting. 

How often have people dined outside and be waving their hands to keep the flies away from the food?  When is it great to eat with the wind blowing one's hair all around and cover the face?  How often are there days that look beautiful enough to be outside, but it is either too hot or too cold to stand outside for more than a minute?
What if someone wanted to smoke before or after a meal? 

There is a cigar lounge in a building right before the herb garden.  It is shown before the guests are taken to the kitchen for an up close view of what goes on each day.  The lounge is separated for those who only want to relax with a glass of brandy and those who want a cigar with their drink. 
The Menu

Before we were given menus, the server had given us an idea of what to expect.  This was not a place you dine alone at.  It would take away a great deal of lovely colors and aromas of what the kitchen has to offer.  I came with two friends that are as excited as I am to try this hidden gem out.

It is comforting that the price is all inclusive.  The meal is based on per person, not per dish.  It does not matter if one orders seafood, meat or a combination for the theme.  The price remains the same.  Unless someone is only interested in ordering a la carte, the best experience is to go with the multi-course theme.

On one hand, the menu was lengthy.  But not the way it would be in most restaurants.  It really was a short version of what they had to offer.  There was more than what the menu showed.

For example, if one was in the mood for crab,  you will see crab listed on the menu.  Nothing more than that.  You have to ask the server what was available.  The server would tell you and you pick from there.  The theme would be crab.  That is the main course.  How it is prepared is solely up to the kitchen. 

You do have the option of telling them what you do not like such as curry, chili peppers, fennel, olives, mustard seed or something high in starch or carbohydrates.  My friend who had ordered the crab did not want anything with fennel, anise and chili peppers. 

The menu was created to have a certain theme to each main dish.  This is a place set up for a multi-course meal except you do not have to worry about what to order other than the main course.  You do not even have to worry about the wine selection.  The wine is chosen by the sommelier to match with the food nicely.  It makes plenty of sense why there were several wine glasses for each place setting.

For those who are particular about knowing exactly what they are ordering, the last page is set up in that manner.  They are listed in courses of one to six.  The wines are still picked out to compliment each course for the guests. 

My other friend had chosen his multi-course meal to be a regional theme of the East.  For the Asian area, one can pick a specific culture such as Chinese, Japanese and Korean.  Either that or go by the region of Southeast Asia where it is a combination of the different lands there.  There was a variety to choose from for each part of the world. 

Since my friend was feeling adventurous, he had asked the server to let the kitchen decide.  But he had also said to leave out anything with curry and chicken.  The server made note of that and then it was my turn to choose.

The menu was mainly a suggestion for theme.  One can easily combine a region with seafood, meat or any other theme.  I was in the mood for seafood with an European theme.  After all, we are at the coast.  Seafood would be the likely choice for fresh and seasonal. 

The restaurant does not offer anything out of season.  It makes an effort to offer the freshest, ripest and most tasty food can be.  Due to this, one could not expect the place to always offer the same dishes each month.  This does add an element of surpise to go along with their unique menu.

I had asked the server what the couple at the next table were having since the colors caught my eyes.  The couple had both agreed on the world tour theme.  Indeed it was a world of delights on their table.  Perhaps I will go with that another time when I am feeling more adventurous. 

The kitchen likes it when the guests at the table all agree on the same theme because it allows them a way to present a wider variety of dishes.  The world tour would mean they can create any dish they like from various regions without any limits aside from the minor adjustments of what few ingredients the guests prefer to be left out.  A slight customization that is much appreciated by many.

The places that have their sauces made in advance would have a difficult time customizing some of the dishes.  If a place makes everything fresh then it would not be an issue at all to make minor changes to suit the palates of the guests.  Despite the minor adjustments, the kitchen can still be original and creative.

Aperitif

The server took our orders and headed prompty to the kitchen.  A few minutes later, he had came back with a short glass of port for each of us.  It was a Taylor's port aged ten years to start our culinary adventure.  We were admiring the view of the clear, blue ocean and the vast sky to match while sipping away this smooth apéritif. 

As soon as we set down the glass hoping to have another round, the server came back with the bottle to refill our glasses.  If only he would leave the bottle at the table.  Instead he left us with something that had nothing to do with the theme of our meal.  It was the first course for every guest for the day.  From the sounds of my friends, there were not any complaints about it.

A fresh pineapple cut in half was used to hold the shrimp and scallop ceviche piled high with tomatoes, yellow peppers and shallots all diced with parsley.  Some toasted, white sesame seeds also gave it some depth.  It was bursting with citrus, a hint of pineapple and light spices. 

Instead of a small plate to eat over, we were given half a coconut filled with toasted shavings that had a hint of black sea salt.  We would put a spoonful of the ceviche on the coconut shaving instead of corn chips or eating it straight. 

It would have made our day to sit there with the beautiful view, the port and ceviche.  My mouth was full of joy from the soft texture of the ripe tomato, crunchy sweetness of the jicama and light chewiness of the coconut.  The taste was as vibrant as the colors in front of me.  They had their own spices, but it did not over power the natural flavors of each ingredient. 

A small glass of sauvignon blanc was served with this first course.  Even though we could have easily sipped this and devoured the ceviche in record time, we were advised to take our time.  It is best enjoyed in this manner and it takes a little time to prepare our meals.

There was a special, house blend, chili oil that could have been added separately with the ceviche for those who like it with a kick.  Not too much to where it was over powering.  It had the right amount of flavor and punch.  How rare it is to find anything spicy that had more flavor to it than heat.  It was balanced and matched the theme of everything in moderation.

The Book

This place has so many house blends that many guests would love to get the recipe of.  But the staff stays quiet about their secret blends from the teas to the sauces and everything else in between.  The menu did state at the bottom that the house blends will not be revealed and any persistence to find out will result in the guest being banned from the private estate.

By now, the readers are as eager to find out what we had next as much as we were sitting there full of excitement and anticipation.  If it was not for the glass of wine to sip on, I would have went outside to look at what the kitchen was making.  All guests are welcome to look at what the staff were preparing in the kitchen, but the idea is to sit and relax.  This is what we were doing for a good 15-20 minutes.

As we were sitting there trying to figure out how to re-create the ceviche.  It was very obvious what the ingredients were.  But the ones we could not see that gave it the other half of the overall flavor was a mystery.  We were able to figure out that there was more than one type of citrus.  It could have been three or four different types.  The light spices is their house blend.  It was light enough that nothing stood out too much, but enough to where the flavors mixed with the fresh ingredients well. 

We were all wondering if the hint of pineapple was from sitting in the pineapple for a while or if some pineapple juice was added.  Regardless, it was something that had to be prepared at least a few hours in advance for all the flavors to blend together evenly. 

It would be a challenge to try and figure out the exact recipe.  Although we had many ceviche variations in the past, this is definitely one that we will never forget.  We would know exactly where this ceviche is from in a blind taste test.  Are we saying nobody else can beat this ceviche?  No.  But it is at the top of the list of very tasty ceviche.  It is definitely on my list of best ceviche.

There was a large book at the edge of the window of every table.  It was filled with pictures of what the kitchen has created over the year.  It also tells more about the restaurant and every other topic to fill the time.

Next to the wine cellar is an archive filled with the many pictures of the different dishes the kitchen has made along with the name and identification number to look up the recipes.  This is stated in the book, but we were not shown the archive unless someone requests a certain dish that they had and nobody in the kitchen knows how to make. 

The book also states that the restaurant tries to accommodate what they can for guests to counter act any allergic reactions.  They try to not cross contaminate any food and make a habit of washing all food several times. 

It also is a very seafood and pork friendly place.  Indeed it is from the photos of the roasted pig to the many variety of crustaceans, mollusks and fish.  The guests should be delighted to know that there is always a master sushi chef available to offer the best sashimi experience. 

For those who are in the mood for fresh sushi, they should sit at the bar on the second floor.  Not often do guests have the chance to pick out their choice of seafood in a tank to be cut in front of them. 

The second floor is dedicated entirely to the sushi lovers.  All of the restaurant seafood were in the tanks swimming.  It was a little louder than the other floors, but the guests do not mind.  There are also musicians on each floor to add to the ambience. 

There is a separate building near by that is for large parties with a kitchen attached to it.  They get the same lovely, window view of the ocean one side.  The other side is a glimpse into the busy kitchen.  How often do private parties get a kitchen staff of their own the entire evening of most restaurants?

This place is definitely in the business to offer the best service and fresh food if one can spare staying for a few hours.  I think many guests would love to stay over night if they have a small hotel on the estate. 


Intermezzo

Before the first course, our server brought us a palate cleanser.  An even square about two inches high served on a bed of thinly sliced cucumber.  It was two layers of yellow and clear gelatin with a slice of Starfruit in the middle.  The yellow was lemon flavored and the clear one has a light hint of mint.  A small scoop of white sorbet was sitting next to the gelatin with a single mint leaf on top to indicate the natural mint flavor of the sorbet that was barely sweet.  A nice way to refresh the palate and help digestion. 


First Course

Our server brought a huge, three tier tray filled with ice.  The ice was filled to the edge and even as opposed to being a random pile.  Each tier had two different types of oysters.  One of each for all of us.  A total of 18 oysters on a half shell that compliments the themes well enough. 

At the center of each tier was a huge leaf of Bibb lettuce filled with colorful chunks of papaya, mango, tomato and cucumber sprinkled with parsley.  It offers a good mix of texture and taste.  The sweetness of the fruit combined with the tartness of the tomato are balanced by the neutral taste of the cucumber tossed together in a light green vinaigrette is a crowd pleaser. 

We could not figure out what was in the vinaigrette, but it was quite tasty.  The evening gets better as each dish arrives at our table.  There was never a dull moment looking at these wonderful dishes and eating them too.


Second Course

The Asian theme for the second course looked almost too good to eat.  It was definitely a work of art by the sushi chef.  I think between him and the pastry chefs, they must be the most artistic of them all. 

An array of vegetable tempura were sitting on a bed of Radicchio that looked crispy and light.  Slices of sweet potato, zucchini, eggplant and green bean on one dish.  Another dish had shrimp, squid and fish fried to golden perfection. 

Another dish was divided into three.  It had tuna, salmon and ama ebi all wrapped in cucumber separately.  Each are topped with red, yellow and orange masago.  The raw, pink shrimp was sweet and delicious according to my friend. 

There was also another sushi dish divided into three as well with unagi, scallops and toro.  The yellow, pickled ginger was on the side with the fresh grated wasabi.  There was not any soy sauce served with this.  It appears that the chef has brushed a light sauce over the toro, salmon and deep red tuna.  It was made perfectly to eat as is.

In a double shot glass was a raw, quail egg yolk with uni and sake.  My friend could not decide whether to savor that first or last. 

A high grade bottle of sake and short cup was given to match with this course.  If one was sitting at the bar, the sake would have been served in a wooden square. 

My friend had asked for another bottle, but the server suggested he waits until the next course served with plum wine.

My other friend had a dish full of seafood that complimented the crab.  She did not know where to begin.  But she went with the chawan mushi with the meat of the crab, roe and Shitake cooked with a hint of sake that is garnished with chopped green onion, dried seaweed flakes, fried tofu skin and a touch of masago.  It was served in a  clay tea cup with a lid sprinkled with fresh flowers all around to match the floral design.  A silky custard of steamed eggs is as delicate as the crab itself.

Even though the Red king crab is large, there were also local crabs used in between to give a slightly different accent to each dish.  What a treat it was to look at the variety of salads presented in a row of four to represent each season.

Two were napoleon style all stacked neatly and the most colorful that represented Spring and Autumn.  The other two were made into a small mountain with dressing in lime green and golden mango for Summer and jicama with white, edible flowers for Winter.

The crab dumplings came steamed and pan fried with a light, ginger and plum vinaigrette.  My mouth waters at the thought of the dumplings bursting with juicy flavors of crab, sweet onion, garlic and spices.

Brie is a versatile cheese that can compliment almost anything.  In this case, it is made into a flaky tartlet with crab, peas, sweet red and yellow peppers with a thin layer of Provolone on top to turn golden brown.  The light toasty flavor gives it depth without being too strong. 

The crab aspic is as colorful as a chunky gazpacho.  Crab broth was used in the process to give it more of a natural taste that infused with the rest of the ingredients. 

I had a wonderful mix of tapas for this course.  It is as if the chef took a little bit of everything from the fisherman.
Black mussels cooked in garlic, olive oil, Chardonnay, diced tomato, lemon juice and sprinkled with parsley at the end went as quickly as my red bell pepper and sherry clams.

Whole calamari cut into rings and legs were fried perfectly and served with a lemon and herb aioli.  Always a classic in my book that can not go wrong at any meal.
Pimientos rellenos de atun and Pulpo Gallego or Galician style octopus with garlic roasted potatoes spice with Spanish paprika added a whole other level to the tapas I had in the past.  The Spaniards love their peppers both fresh and dried.

Angulas is definitely not something eaten often partially due to texture and the high price.  Fresh baby eels quickly cooked in clayware with olive oil, garlic, a pinch of grey sea salt and black pepper topped with chopped parsley was rustic and tasty.

The all versatile bacalao can be made in many ways.  I had mine baked with onions, potato and peppers with a lovely hint of spices.  The tapas from Spain gives us a look into how much influence there are from other lands.  Trading is always good for the culinary world.


Third Course

In continuation with the Asian theme, an assortment of steamed and pan fried dumplings were set in front of my friend.  His face was in awe at the sight of the beautiful arrangement. 

Each dumpling had at least three ingredients that could be seen.  They were all flavorful on their own, but the sauce that came with each type added another level of flavor that complimented the dumplings well. 

There were two made to look like goldfish surrounding an edible flower of white with a golden center on a bed of parsley.  One had a translucent white with orange center.  The other was black.  Both had a pair of tiny, carrot eyes.

From the look on his face, I did not know if he likes the third or second course more.  I would be as happy in his shoes as I am in mine.  It makes one wonder if anything bad ever comes out of that kitchen?

Now my friend could not decide whether he wants to stick to the rice or plum wine for the rest of the meal or try something else.  He usually prefers to stick to one type of wine throughout the meal.  It was a tough choice, but he had decided to stick to the sake.

He also had some shrimp spring rolls wrapped with lettuce, rice noodles, pork and thinly sliced carrots.  It was served with a pineapple and ginger sauce that had the right amount of tartness and kick to it. 

The skewered stick of thin cut beef brushed with a house glaze on bed of crunchy slaw was definitely something he could not get enough of.  He only wished it was cold as the slaw so that he could have another round.

My other friend was served half of the long and spiky crab legs.  King crab can easily take up the whole table if it is served whole.  The server had a wooden mallet in one hand ready to crack the shell.  But before he did that, he covered the legs with a towel so that there would not be any shells flying about.

The other half of the legs were used in the previous dishes.  The rest of the crab will most likely be served in the next course.  In this course, it is simply the steamed legs itself with an assortment of sauces to compliment it.

In addition to the sauces are pickled side dishes that come in a range of tart to sweet.  All my friend could say was "Mmm... ooohh, ahh... mmm..." the entire time she was experimenting the mix of side dishes.

Then there is one more dish that stood out.  A pair of golden, crispy nuggets made of creamed corn, flour and crab with a sprinkle of parsley.  It was deep fried to give it the crispy texture on the outside.  Inside was this creamy, sweet and savory goodness that can be quite addictive.

I had some gazpacho aspic served in a martini glass.  The lovely colors of the vegetables all held in place by clear gelatin made with cucumber juice.  A thin and curly slice of cucumber was laid over the top looking festive with a pair of butterflied prawns hanging on the edge.

The tomato smoothie came in a double shot glass.  It has clam juice, worcestershire sauce, hint of fine tequila and parsley specks garnished with a lemon wedge and a healthy green stick of celery.  There was a slight punch to it that must be another house secret.

Salmon carpaccio was made into a pouch filled with chopped tomato had a green onion bow and topped with caviar sitting on a bed of mixed greens drizzled with a light, caper vinaigrette.  Thin shavings of Parmigiano-Reggiano are scattered around sprinkled with shallots.

The kitchen is full of culinary artists that love to tease the guests with these wonderful surprises.  They are culinary sadists that must get a kick out of serving appetizer portions that have guests craving for more than they are given.


Fourth Course

The fourth course came with the fillers.  The Asian theme came with rice.  My friend who had the crab theme had chosen bread.  I had a choice of risotto or pasta.  Regardless of which theme, every guest had their choice of pasta, rice or bread as something to fill the gap in between all the dishes in case there was not enough food.

You will definitely not leave this place hungry.  The plus side to this place is that any cold dish, whether it be a salad, side dish or dessert can be ordered twice.  In case anyone wants more of a good thing and still have room for it. 

On with the Asian theme, two dishes that were divided into three had me drooling.  I think next time, we will all order the same theme to have a fair share in tasting everything. 

One had roasted duck that had the aroma of five spices.  Next to it was a crispy, roasted pork.  I could taste that crackling skin with a soft gelatinous layer underneath that melts away with ease.  On the end of that dish was lamb satay served with peanut sauce. 

The other dish divided into three has a noodle theme.  On one side was buckwheat noodles.  The other side had beef flat noodles.  In the center was fried egg noodles made into a shape of a nest holding an assortment of vegetables with shrimp and scallop mixed in an oyster sauce. 

On another dish was a savory and lightly sweet kalbi.  Next to it was haemul pajeon which is a Korean style seafood pancake.  There were two dishes divided into two parts for the ban chan.  They were sprouts, spinach, seaweed and dried anchovies. 

The server did ask if my friend would like any kim chi.  He did not care for any.  Why the server would ask is because the dish is pungeant.  Unless the guest enjoys such a dish, it was best to not have it sit around or the smell could travel.

The fermented cabbage and spices is not what would stand out.  It is the fermented shrimp or oysters that would make a statement.  It depends what the chef is in the mood of making at the time. 

In addition to all of these dishes, the rice was served in a 12 inch bamboo with the top half easily taken off.  It was a mix of white and black glutinous rice, Shitake, sweet cubes of Chinese sausage and fried onion.  All cooked in a light, aromatic, sake sauce topped with chopped parsley and green onion.

Since the natural taste of crab can easily be lost with other ingredients, much of the course stayed on the lighter side than heavy.  But the chef did attempt to try to make some heavier dishes such as the streudel.

Layers of phyllo dough wrapped the succulent crab meat with spinach, ricotta, bits of prosciutto, herbs and scallop topped with a light, creamy, tomato and herb sauce.  The sauce was infused with the crab broth.  The top was sprinkled with more crab meat and parsley.

The crab was added to the pumpkin gnocchi with shrimp and a light, creamy sauce.  Soft pillows of fresh gnocchi paired with the crab quite well texture wise.  The pumpkin gave it a light sweetness and the velvety sauce balanced the spices.  It makes a great dish to sit in front of a fire on a chilly night.

In between the heavier dishes are the lighter ones.  The couscous was cooked in crab broth with garlic, parsley, tomato and spices.  Bits of crab meat was mixed well to be in every bite. 

Some tzatziki sauce with julienned mint covered the dish as a base.  Grape tomatoes in yellow and red were cut in half.  Bocconcini made in house was also cut in half.  Kalamata olives were scattered all around with lumps of crab and a crispy, pan fried, thin, white fish on top.  A nice twist on something Mediterranean.  My friend does not care much for cheese made with sheep or goat milk.

Herbs de Provence was lightly sprinkled on layers of yellow, red, green, purple and orange in a small, cast iron pan.  It was brushed with garlic and onion infused olive oil and later sprinkled with crab meat.  The natural sweetness of the onion came out in the aroma.  Gorgeous and tasty from the sound of it.  My friend had this look of bliss on her face.

The filler my friend chose was bread.  What a lovely selection it was straight out of the oven.  Porcini sage butter came with this basket of rustic bread. 

Rosemary and garlic was infused in olive oil before brushing it onto the  toasted  focaccia.  The focaccia came out of the oven two inches high.  Soft and moist that is good enough on its own.  But they had it cut in half and toasted to give a thin layer of crisp on the outside and this chewy and soft inside.

The mini baguette was crunchy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside.  What could make this even better than the butter that came with this?  Bacon.  Tiny bits of unsmoked bacon was baked together. 

Brazilian cheese bread made the old fashioned way could not be finer.  This would go well with any breakfast to start the day right.  It is also pleasing to have it for dinner. 

The flat bread was covered in chopped green and yellow onion.  Wrap anything in this with the house made butter and you have comfort food.  None of us could keep our hands off of this one despite having our own fillers.

The  spinach gnocchi with scallop in a bechamel sauce is simply delicious.  Gruyere was melted and golden on top.  Spinach is always good with a cream sauce for the non spinach lovers.  But for me, I like it in every way. 

Halibut Provencal is braised with garlic, shallot, fennel, tomato, olive, fresh sage and other spices.  A splash of Chardonnay and a touch of butter makes this one of the best fish to enjoy any time. 

Cognac shrimp with a beurre blanc sauce is something new for me.  Mainly the cognac is what makes it different.  It does add a depth of flavor to the succulent shrimp.  I am glad they had it butterflied and left the head on.  The sauce with the inside of the head is very tasty.

I am sure the taste varies depending on what type of cognac is used.  Rule of thumb is to never use any wine or liquor for cooking that you do not want to drink.  It would taste just as bad. 

Coquilles Saint-Jacques is usually served as a first course.  But in this case, it is served along side with the shrimp and Halibut.  It is served on a five inch wide scallop shell garnished with a sprig of parsley.

My filler is a creamy pasta dish mixed and topped with bottarga.  It is usually made with fregola.  A Sardinian dish that does not come easily to most people's tables due to the cost.  It may not be for everyone, but it is definitely worth a try for the seafood lovers.  The dish can be served with or without a cream sauce.  I prefer the cream sauce since it is more comforting and coats around the mouth much better. 


Fifth Course

The fifth course for everyone is a soup.  When it is served depends on the culture.  The restaurant had decided to go with soup towards the end as a way to end the meal on a lighter note.  Although if a guest chose the European theme and wanted the cheese plate served towards the end then it can be done.  Any variations and different options are usually asked before the order is given to the kitchen.  We were fine with the idea of having soup towards the end.

The miso soup with Shitake, tofu cubes, an assortment of green vegetables and more crab looked tasty.  It was not too salty either.  The right amount of every other ingredient.  It is a good way to end the crab theme.
I was quite pleased with my bouillabaisse with saffron and other spices.  Not sure how many different types of fish and seafood was used to make this soup.  I know that it is labor intensive and requires a bit of practice to get the recipe perfect.  Although there are variations, I do love this version. 

The other soup was a sinigang with tamarind, pineapple, shrimp and other colorful ingredients.  The shrimp was peeled and butterflied with the head on.  Less messy to eat and for those who like to savor the inside of the head, the option was there.


Sixth Course

How often have people come to the end of the meal and did not have enough room for dessert? 
Even if they had room, they could not decide on what to choose.  Either that or wish there was a balance of lighter, heavier, more exotic or traditional desserts from around the globe.

At The Escape, this is not the issue.  If the desserts here do not remind you of home where ever it may be in the world or traveling through the many lands then there is something wrong.  They pick the best recipes that great grandma would be proud of and give it a twist if necessary. 

The Asian desserts are colorful and much lighter.  This means more room for sweet pleasures.  Who can complain about that?

In a glass bowl the shape of a lotus flower is a dessert called tofu flower.  Soft, silky tofu in a bath of Chrysanthemum tea and ginger syrup with lotus seeds.  It is as simple as a dessert can be.  Look at it as an Asian version of custard. 

On to something that is more of a East meets West is a lightly sweet bread.  A round bun with pandan to give it a light green color and lovely aroma.  It is topped with bits of shredded coconut and filled with a house made kaya jam.  The bread is very light and fluffy.  Any lighter and it would be cotton.

Another glass bowl had layers of an interesting assortment.  There are strips of clear, light green and pink gelatin mixed with red bean, colored tapioca pearls, yellow bean and slices of jackfruit.  It is topped with coconut milk and crushed ice.

Then a dish with an assortment of mini mochi looked similar to a chewy version of macarons.  It came in green tea, jackfruit, passion fruit and longan. 

The words "lohng ahn" translates to dragon eye because the black seed resembles the dark eyes of a dragon seen in paintings.  It is a sweeter alternative to lychee.  They are also sold dried to be used in medicinal tea.

There are also two sesame balls which is fried mochi covered in white sesame seeds.  One was filled with red bean and the other with mung bean.  It has a light crunch on the outside, chewiness all around with a lightly sweet filling.

The one who had crab was able to choose from an assortment of desserts without following any particular theme.  How nice it is to choose from a long list of treats.

The dish set in front had egg custard tart which is seen in many parts of Hong Kong.  Light, flakey layers of buttery goodness with a golden center is something my friend could never get enough of.  He would love to start his day with a few of these and a cup of milk tea the same as the locals of Hong Kong.

A walnut baklava made with Grand Marnier in the syrup and topped with crushed pistachio is made entirely in the kitchen from scratch.  Quite labor intensive.  Much applause to the dough maker.
The creme brulee gelato sat in a sugar crystal ball.  Light, golden, translucent and sweet.  Fresh berries and a sprig of mint accented the dish.

The cream puff is even more simple than the tiramisu.  Freshly baked and filled with chantilly cream.  If only there is a bowl full of these heavenly delights. 

What a treat it is to have a crêpe mille feuille layered with a banana rum custard in between each layer.  Then dusted with a thin layer of cocoa and powdered sugar.  Slices of fresh strawberries sit against the side nicely.  This dessert is hard to come by since it is tedious to make.

I had in front of me a round dish divided into sections with a center sprinkled with lavender.  In the center is this lovely scoop of gelato made with gin, honey and lavender.  What surrounded it was a joy to look at and even more enjoyable to eat.

A square of tiramisu made with several liquers and dusted with cocoa powder garnished with a fanned out strawberry was irresistable.  I only wish that I could have the whole pan it was made in. 

Then there was the trifle.  A layer of vanilla sponge cake with cardamom custard and fresh berries topped with a dollop of fresh whipped cream and a sprig of mint.  It would be hard to choose between this and the tiramisu.  They are both delicious to say the least.

A small, freshly made, waffle cone filled with a dark chocolate mousse topped with a fresh raspberry was light and decadent.  The dark chocolate came out beautifully without any sweetness to over power it. 

An assortment of mini macarons were light, colorful and exotic.  It came in the flavors of coconut with a pineapple rum center, strawberry with chocolate, praline with caramel fleur de sel, mango with banana rum, Madagascar vanilla with a pear brandy center and white sesame with lychee. 

Despite the fact that these are sweets from the West, they were light in texture.  From the tiramisu to the trifle to the mousse and gelato.  They did not way down the palate nor the stomach.  This is how dessert should be.  The Escape has figured out this recipe in tasty harmony.


Last Course

We were thinking that the sixth course was the last, but no.  The final course was a great way to end the night.  Every table had the same dishes to start and end the meal.  Tonight, it was squares of coconut milk gelatin surrounded by fresh leaves of mint.  A small watermelon cut in half filled with an assortment of fruits was also served.  It is even more beautiful than the ceviche served in the pineapple.  Mainly due to the fact that the melon had been skillfully carved with flowers. 

I had a cup of fine espresso that had the taste of a dark chocolate on its own without any cocoa added.  How rare it is to come across such a cup of deliciousness.  A great cup of espresso is good on its own without anything added.  This definitely stood well on its own.

My friend kept with the Asian theme and had a house blend tea to end his meal.  The other one had a glass of Gewürztraminer. 

We were all very happy with an unforgettable meal.  Many thanks to the staff for all their effort and passion to create a wonderful experience for every guest.

What made the ending even more sweet is the fact that we were able to have another round of desserts and salads.  Since our stomachs are full, the server had the kitchen box up what we had earlier to take with us.  Now that is a delicious parting gift. 


The second review will be better.  This one is slightly a rough draft.